SPORTS BABE OF THE DAY PRESENTS: Craig McMorris, Professional Snowboarder, @Craig_McMorris
Craig McMorris is a true representation of what it means to be a Canadian and an athlete. He is currently a member of the Canadian National Snowboard Team, and force to be reckoned with in slopestyle snowboarding. You would think that this would be enough for the 23 year old, but McMorris is attending the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi as a snowboard analyst and, of course, a support system for his brother Mark McMorris.
Craig is not only an extremely talented athlete, but he has to be one of the most down to earth people I have ever had the pleasure of talking to. His passion for life is contagious and his dedication to the sport of snowboarding is undeniable. He’s a professional athlete, television star, Olympic broadcast analyst, brother and our Sports Babe of the Day.
20 Questions with Craig McMorris
1. How did you get into the sport of snowboarding being raised in Saskatchewan – the heart of the prairies?
The reason both Mark and myself got into snowboarding was because we got a little taste of it when we were young and we loved to do board sports. Once we got to try snowboarding, we thought that was the best one. Everything we did was to improve on snowboarding and when we got a chance to drive up to the mountains and go snowboarding, we really took advantage of it. I think because we didn’t get to do it all the time, made us want to do it the most.
2. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I’ve ever received…wow, that’s a deep question. For snowboarding the best piece of advice I’ve ever received was to make sure it’s always fun and always keep its fresh. Don’t ever let it get old or stale. For broadcasting, the best piece of advice I ever got was from Michael Landsberg. He said to always talk before you’re about to go on camera. Talk as much as you can so your voice doesn’t scare you when you start talking on camera. I’ve taken that to heart a lot.
3. What has been your proudest achievement so far?
In snowboarding my proudest achievement is that I just got a magazine cover in the fall. I’m pretty stoked on that. It’s probably one of my biggest achievements so far. (The cover is for Snowboard Canada).
4. You’re going to Sochi for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games as a snowboard analyst. How have you been preparing for this and are there any nerves heading into it?
I’m a little bit nervous because I’m covering all snowboarding events and it’s a lot. It’s a lot of information to take. So I’m a bit nervous for that but I think I’ll be able to handle it. I’m more excited than anything. I’ve just been preparing by studying and really getting to know the history and the details. I’m not familiar with all the disciplines of snowboarding like I am with slopestyle so I’ve just been learning as much as possible.
5. Was there ever a point when you questioned whether or not you wanted to make snowboarding a career?
No, there never was. Snowboarding has always been number one to me. There’s always talk back and forth but I knew once I started snowboarding that this was going to be my job.
6. I’m a huge comic book nerd. If you could be any superhero, who would you be?
It would definitely be Spiderman. He’s the most noble, I think, of all the superheroes because nobody knows who he is. He’s just rad. I like how he can just fly from building to building and he always has super good intuition. When you watch, it’s always a fair fight. I feel like Superman and the other heroes just have too many powers.
What about Batman?
Well, Batman too but he’s just super rich. Batman is a boss.
7. I’m a big fan of your show McMorris and McMorris. You guys are hilarious! Where did the idea of a t.v show come from and how did you know that it would be entertaining?
Well that was one of the big questions. I didn’t think our lives were cool enough…I still don’t. The reason we got the show was because Red Bull hired a new head of media house, Jason Ford, and his great idea was that instead of doing just a webisode, he wanted to do an actual t.v show. We were really stoked on that. It was really fun to do and hopefully we get a second season.
8. Obviously, from watching the show, I know there is a little competition between you and Mark. How do you guys make sure that it’s always healthy competition?
I don’t think it could ever be unhealthy because we’ve just grown up with it and that’s just the way we’ve always lived our lives. It’s never gone too far or anything. From day one that’s how it’s always been so I think that’s how its’ always going to be.
Do you think that you just push each other harder?
Exactly, we push each other. But as we get older and a lot more mature, you start to realize that not everything has to be a competition, even though we still treat it like it is.
9. What is the most difficult part about being a profession athlete?
I think willpower, actually. I’m not the healthiest eater in the world and I’ve been trying to eat healthier lately. I think for me, that’s the hardest part. Willpower, trying to stay in the best shape possible and trying to eat healthy. I need to work on that the most.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Basically everything. I don’t like vegetables. At all.
10. During the off season, how do you like to spend your time?
There’s not really that much off seasons. We go to Australia and New Zealand in the summer because it’s their winter. We snowboard November to April, and there are always summer camps too, like in Whistler. In Saskatchewan I spend time with my family and go boating. That’s probably my favourite thing to do in the off season, surfing too.
11. If I was to look through your Ipod, what are some of the songs that would be on your top 25 playlist?
Ou, wow! Personal! I like it. Tammy Wynette, she’s an old country singer. One of her songs I really like is Golden Ring. I listen to a ton of blue grass, I really like it, a lot. I was never a super big fan of Drake but his new album is so good, that you can’t not be a fan. Whoever says they don’t like Drake’s new album is just silly.
12. Where are your favourite places to snowboard?
In Canada, anywhere in British Columbia because they have really nice mountains. The east coast sometimes when it’s nicer out. Internationally, I’d have to say Australia and in Europe probably Switzerland.
13. If I gave you the task of planning a romantic date, what would you come up with?
It’d probably be at my house in Saskatchewan. We’d have dinner on the deck overlooking the lake, and then go on a nice boat cruise around the lake while the sun is setting. Calm water and see where it goes after that.
That is so romantic!
There’s nothing like a Saskatchewan sunset.
14. What snowboarders have inspired you in the past or do you currently look up to?
Probably one of the biggest ones is my brother Mark. He’s always inspired me and I still look up to him. He’s by far the most influential person on my snowboarding. I used to watch, and I still do, tons and tons of snowboarding videos online. Some of the people I really looked up to when I was younger were people like Eero Ettala and Heikki Sorsa. Those are two finish guys that were in a lot of movies I used to watch and I really look up to them.
15. What keeps you motivated?
In snowboarding, riding as much as possible and learning new tricks. I’m always learning. I love learning something new. It’s probably the best feeling in the world. I always like to try to go out and try new things and think creatively with my board. That’s what keeps me motivated the most.
16. If you weren’t a professional snowboarder, what would you be doing?
I would probably…wow, I think I would be a professional barefoot athlete. I love to barefoot behind a boat. It’s so fun! I’d probably try to make it in the exciting world of barefoot skiing.
17. What if you couldn’t be an athlete?
I don’t think I’ve ever thought about that in my life and I’m getting nervous just thinking about it. I would probably work with my buddy in landscaping.
18. How do you want to be remembered?
I just want to be remembered by everyone that I meet that I had a lot of fun and that I’m a good man.
19. Our fans are dying to know – are you single, dating or locked down?
I am locked down. I have a significant other.
20. If you had to interview someone for the next Sports Babe of the Day, who would it be?
First of all, thank you so much for giving me this, Sports Babe of the Day, that’s amazing. Sports Babe of the Day would go to – because I think he deserves it and he’s the man – I’d give it to Tyler Bozak of the Toronto Maple Leafs, because he’s a real straight shooter and he deserves that recognition.
I’m new to the Babes Dig Balls team, you’re actually my first interview, so you get to decide my final question – social media or rapid fire?
Oh, yeah? Rapid fire!
Are you ready?
Yup, ready!
Beer or liquor? Liquor
Steak or lobster? Lobster
Boxers or briefs? Boxers
Snapbacks or fitted? Snapback
Twitter or Instagram? Instagram
Blonds or brunettes? Blonds
