Tara's Tips
KW: What sort of advice would you give to boarders looking to get sponsored?
Tara: The most important thing is to have fun with snowboarding and get out there and ride and practice a lot. I got started with sponsors just by being on the mountain and meeting the right people. One of the best ways to pick up a sponsor is to enter some of the smaller contests on the American Snowboard Tour. It's easy to get recognized when you do well in a contest. The best way to get things rolling is just by being out there, meeting the right people and just ripping as hard as you can.
KW: How much have girls narrowed the gap between themselves and guys in snowboarding?
Tara: It's amazing how far girls have come in snowboarding. There is still a large gap between girls and guys but it's closing every year. It's just amazing to see girls out there cause they love boarding - instead of being out there looking cute and getting into snowboarding because of their boyfriends. They're out there because they love it, they're ripping it and really taking it to the next level. I think in the next couple of years you're going to see the gap close even more. There's a lot of young girls coming into the picture and it's just going to keep getting better.
Tara Talks Cool
KW: A couple of years ago, Sports Illustrated named you one of the coolest women in sports. What do you think makes someone cool?
Tara: Somebody that's not afraid to be themselves and be the individual that they are. Someone that can tumble and not be afraid to make a complete idiot of themselves - just someone who's not afraid to be themself.
KW: You must get a lot of looks from guys. What advice would you give to guys looking to pick up a girl like you?
Tara: Don't be shy and just go for it, because girls are a little more shy. Be funny. Being funny works for me. Maybe walk up to a girl and accidently trip - that sometimes works. I get a lot of proposals from 13 or 14 year-old guys who want me to go to prom with them. It's really cute, so send my love to all those little groms out there. I look forward to seeing them out on the hill.
Kidzworld looks forward to seeing Tara Dakides out on the mountain again too. She's recovering from a concussion she received while trying a snowboarding trick on the Late Show with David Letterman but she expects to be riding again soon.
To read the beginning of Kidzworld's interview with Tara Dakides, click here.
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