KW: What made you first jump on a snowboard?
Tara: I started out skiing, but when I was 13 I started getting into skateboarding and then I got into snowboarding. Skating and snowboarding were kind of similar sports so I just went with it.
Tara's Tumbles
KW: What's the worst injury or wipeout you've ever had snowboarding?
Tara: I've had so many of them. One of the worst was just recently. I was riding a handrail during a practice for a competition. I caught my board on the rail and fell underneath it and hit one of the supporting posts with my leg. I broke by leg, tore my ACL (that's a ligament in the knee,) got a concussion along with 15 stitches in my head, sprained my ankle and did some nerve damage in my toes. That was probably the worst. I was in the hospital for about 14 days. It did a lot of screaming that day. It really hurt.
KW: What would you be doing if you weren't a pro snowboarder?
Tara: I'd probably be surfing a lot more. I'd also like to do something with music. I like to write a lot of songs. Those are two of my favorite things - surfing and songs.
Tara's Tunes
KW: When you're boarding, what sort of tunes do you listen to?
Tara: On my way up to the mountain, I listen to just about anything. I love Fleetwood Mac - Stevie Nicks is one of my favorite artists. I like Eminem, his music kind of gets me going in the morning. When I'm just cruising around, I listen to DJ Crush, DJ Pete, a lot of old tunes, like Willie Nelson and CCR. I'm all over the board when it comes to music.
To read more of Kidzworld's interview with Tara Dakides, click here.
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