“I want to make it to high-level competitions like the X Games or the Olympics,” says Liam Brearley
Community 06:00 AM by Sarah Law Gravenhurst Banner
GRAVENHURST — Liam Brearley isn’t your average 16-year-old.
The Grade 11 student from competes internationally in slopestyle snowboarding. He recently got back from a training session in Switzerland and is getting ready for the
“I got my first snowboard for my seventh birthday from my grandparents,” he said. “It was a lot more difficult than anything I’d done before that but I got the hang of it pretty quickly and it was super fun, so I never wanted to stop.”
He competed for the first time at age eight at north of Barrie, where he trains three times a week, and has been doing the sport ever since.
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Two years ago, he competed at his first and came first in one of the slopestyle events. Last year, he made it to the World Cup in Italy and then went to Mammoth Lakes, Calif. later in the season.
“I tried to do some mental preparation, so it almost felt the same as other competitions. It was really cool to see all of the higher-level snowboarders and competing in Europe for the first time,” said Brearley.
He is a member of team locally and is also a — a national junior team — so he has multiple coaches guiding him to success, he explained.
But being a high school senior, he’s got to make sure he balances his school work with his sport.
“My teachers help me a lot with accommodating due dates, getting extensions on certain things. I write tests when I get back but I also do a lot of work while I’m away on trips,” said Brearley. “It’s hard but if I don’t pass my classes and do my homework, I don’t get to snowboard.”
Beyond his studies, his major challenges are staying injury-free and perfecting his performances, he said.
“I think the hardest part is getting tricks consistent enough to put into a competition run. It takes a while to perfect things to be able to do them in a row as well,” he said.
To stay healthy, he regularly goes to physiotherapy, works out at the gym and does wakeboarding in the summer, he said.
But all his hard work has been worth it.
“My favourite thing is having the satisfaction after you land a run or the feeling of accomplishment, knowing that you’ve put it together well, even if it’s not a podium run, just doing the best that you can,” he said.
His mother, Janis Nevison-Brearley, set up a for him in May to help raise funds for his international trips. There was over $1,800 raised at press time. He also has an ongoing bottle drive to help cover the costs.
“I want to make it to high-level competitions like the or the and be able to compete with the pros and the people that I idolize now,” said Brearley.
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