Mt Holly


Standing on the top of snowbird, the biggest and longest terrain park at Pine Knob. I hear my friends conversing in the background but i'm too concentrated on what i'm about to do. I realize the mt. Holly competition is coming soon and i know i need to step my game up to even have a chance. A cork 720. Id be the first to try or land it in my group of friend and if I do land it, id be the best.

I didn't say much, I looked at my friend nick. Threw him my glasses “i'm going to try it” and took off. The freezing air made my eyes begin to water but i needed the speed for this trick. I get to the base and know, this is it. As soon as I leave the lip of the jump everything became slow motion. I can't hear or see anything, I only go by the feeling of my body in the air. Next thing i know my skis touch snow. I did it, I look up and see a good 15 of my friends speeding from the top to come congratulate me “you did it man”. At this moment i'm not really thinking much, my mind is racing on what just happened.

Competition day. Beautiful day sun shining. music blasting, spending it all with friends. Time for big air, out of the only 20-30 kids I know I was the only one competing. I stand at the top of the run as the ski patrol asks for my information. “Austin bell, 15 years old, hopefully a cork 7” I say nervously, he radios down to the announcer. I hear my name echoing around the mountain and immediately after the 200 person crowd watching me cheering me on. exactly as I did last time I throw my glasses off and take off and crouch into the same position as I did before yet much more speed to clear the massive jump. Take off. Everything went from fast moving loud and extreme to silent slow and calm. the sound of my skis smacking the snow was amazing. I land gain my hearing back and and see the crowd go wild, I did it.

I wouldn't have ever thought I would be doing this here and now if I didn't take a risk before me. the opportunity to succeed would have never been there if I didn't attempt to try before.