Connect with Laura:  FaceBook: Laura Kaminski  Instagram: Lkam2   Twitter: Lkam2

Your Name (and Nickname): Laura Kaminski

Your Age: 26

Your Location (where do you ride mostly): Baltimore, MD

Weapon(s) of choice:  i.e. snowboard, skis, wakeboard, wakeskate, wakesurf, snowmobile, dirt bike, skateboard, bmx, fmx, parachute, HD video Camera, Still Camera etc. Let us know what all it is you are into: Snowboard, Wakeboard, Surfboard 

What’s an average day for you like? On the weekends an average day is activity packed (ask any of my friends) the more exhilarating activities, the better. I like to think my fear of missing out is a good quality.

What is the most difficult part of your activity/sports for a beginner? The easiest? I’d say the most difficult part of snowboarding for a beginner is not giving up. It is not the easiest sport to learn and too often people quit before their “ah ha” moment. The easiest is adapting to the lifestyle. Snowboarders are easy going and are in it for the fun, free-spirited lifestyle that’s so easy to adapt to. 

What is the best and worst thing about being female in your sport?  Being female in Snowboarding means being minority. Not many girls can rip and the demographic is swayed mainly towards men. This also gives women a great opportunity to stand out and for me, it’s even more reason to challenge myself against the men and “Ride like a girl”

What would you like to see change in your sport to make it better for you and other female athletes? I don’t think anything has to change I would just like to see other female athletes pick up a board and learn to ride. Once you’ve talked yourself into it, there’s no looking back. 

Besides your ability and style factor as an athlete, how would you describe your personal style? I love to shop and keep up with the latest fashion trends. I also own enough workout clothes to never repeat an outfit for a year. Haha.  I believe if you feel better in what you’re wearing you will push yourself that much farther.

What are your favorite brands/designers for your sports apparel and for stepping out? For snowboarding I love Burton, Ride, Under Armour (I’m a Baltimore girl), Volcom, Oakley, Anon, K2, Patagonia and of course SheShredsCo, and for stepping out I love Michael Kors, Coach &Tory Burch 

Let’s hear your thoughts on how important looking good is to feeling good. “Being” your personal best? Well I think I mentioned this earlier, I am a firm believer in feeling good in what you wear; for me it helps me feel more confident in my sport. I love to rock the latest trends and I always make sure to find enough color to stand out on the Mountain. There’s always room for more color in everyone’s life! 

How dangerous do u really think it is compared to what people do in their regular activities? It gives me an opportunity to express myself in ways that other people may never get a chance to do. I like that it’s a bit riskier than a non-action sport, it keeps me on my toes & always keeps me pushing myself for more. If you aren’t nervous trying to reach your goals then you aren’t aiming high enough. 

I bet in your experience you have seen some crazy crashes. Describe one.  My brother and I witnessed a stomach turning snowboard crash at White Tail 5 or so years back, it was a young girl learning to ski with her Dad when an uncontrollable snowboarding (who couldn’t stop) took her out. She was knocked out cold and bleeding from the mouth and my brother and I watched hopelessly from the lift above. Let’s just say I took one more run and was done for the day. That was all my stomach could handle. 

What usually gets people hooked on your activity/sport?  What typically gets people hooked on Snowboarding is what I like to call “Snowboard Stoke” after mastering a skill you’ve work so hard to do whether it be linking your first turn or even successfully getting off the lift the “Stoke” is what gets the blood rushing. It’s like that last perfect drive in golf after the worst round of your life. That one drive always keeps you coming back again and again. 

What is your favorite trick?  The mute grab 

Do you own any other toys?  What don’t I own, ha. My cousin likes to call the outdoor closet my “Activity Closet” I own a wakeboard, surfboard, skimboard, obviously a snowboard or 2, a 4 wheeler, a beach cruiser, climbing gear and so much more. I’m always prepared for an activity the day might bring.

What gets you pumped up for the day?  Positive quotes, positive people, positive energy, and music (that’s what makes the world go round)

What are three things you could not live without?  My family, my iPhone & my snowboard :) 

What are your expectations for this activity/sport?  I’d like to see snowboard continue to progress at this level. The progression just in the years I’ve been riding is incredible. I’ll be shredding on my brand new first ever partial rocker board this season. It’s amazing how far board design and technology has come! 

Who have been your biggest supporters in getting you to where you are now?  My Mother, I lost her to Pancreatic Cancer last year and she was my biggest fan. Since then I’ve had her spirit with me which has pushed me to go harder and do bigger things. Life’s too short to miss out on any opportunity. 

Who’s your favorite rider/shooter (photo/video)?  Gretchen Bleiler & Hannah Teter 

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not riding/shooting/competing?  Spending time with my family & friends, watching sports (Go Ravens & Orioles), I enjoy working out, climbing, hiking, running, another that gets me outside and on an adventure! 

How about in the off season to stay in shape?   I have a trainer I work with on the weekends through the spring and summer and I do group lifts during the winter as well as boxing and cardio. I love to challenge myself to obstacle races and have completed both the Tough Mudder & Savage Race!

What is your biggest goal to accomplish this/next season?  I want to land a Stalefish Grab 

What do you do to prep for a competition?  What competitions and other awards have you won? Include your non sports accomplishments also. 

What’s your favorite “way” to ride( wake sport- specific, cable, boat, winch)(Snowsport specific- park, freeride/backcountry, urban)?  I love to ride freestyle, the more pow, the better but around here on the east coast we don’t see a lot of that so I stick to the progressive parks and speed runs with my friends 

Favorite conditions?  Floating through Fresh Powder 

Where would be your biggest dream place to ride and why?  Lake Tahoe (which I hope to hit this season) the views are incredible and I can’t wait to see that Lake!   

What song(s) do you listen to while riding that puts you in the zone?  Anything from Michael Franti, Soja, The Lumineers, John Butler Trio & Mumford & Sons to Lil Jon, Eminem & Beyonce. It’s all about the beat for the ride…

What turned you on to your sport? The Challenge of doing something a lot of women don’t do. I like that it’s a male oriented sport, my goal in life is to be better than the boys! 

Any new tricks you’re working on? Stalefish Grab & 180 Mute Grab 

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done in your sport?  I can still remember my first powder run; that was by far the coolest moment of my sport as a beginner

What other extreme/action sports are you into?  Wakeboarding, surfing, hiking, climbing, skydiving, 4wheeling

If extreme/action sports didn’t exist, what would you be doing with all the free time you’d have?  Probably trying to find something crazy to do

What’s your favorite board/bike/sled to ride and why?  I’m hooked on Ride, love the brand, I haven’t met a Ride board I didn’t like.

What’s the trick to riding features and not killing yourself ?  Just hitting them without thinking too much, you never want to talk yourself out of it; sometimes a little liquid courage helps too, haha.

Favorite drink of choice to refresh yourself after a long day of riding/shooting?  I’m partial to a nice cold local brew but a little champagne always does the trick! In life there’s always something to celebrate!

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Grow up? Shew, let’s just say I don’t plan on doing that, EVER!