Ep 033 - Mental Health in Performance Athletes with Ben Boyd of Summit Action Sports

Summary:

Today, we welcome Ben Boyd owner of Summit Action Sports. In this episode, Ben and I discuss coaching professional athletes, the importance of developing a well-rounded person as an athlete, challenges with depression and transitioning out of competition, and advice Ben would give to those supporting athletes. 

Ben has been blessed to work with Olympic medalists, including coaching Kaitlyn Farrington to her Gold Medal, X Games medalists, World Cup medalists, National champions, Dew Tour winners, and US Grand Prix winners. He was an official Olympic coach in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. In 2008, he was awarded the US Domestic Coach of the Year, and in 2013, he received the 2013 US Snowboard Program of the Year.

Ben has been coaching since he was 13 years old, where he started as a tennis coach working with 6 – 9-year-olds. He has coached tennis, rugby, cricket, golf, and surfing. He has been a passionate athlete, being a competitive tennis and rugby player and competing in his passion for surfing from a young age.

Ben started coaching and teaching snowboarding in 1997 in New South Wales, Australia, at Perisher Blue Resort. He instantly fell in love with the snowboard lifestyle and sharing that passion with his clients and riders.

Ben Boyd was born and raised on the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia, and is a proud father of his twins, Charlotte and Dusk. 

Athletes

• Kaitlyn Farrington: Gold Olympic Medal Sochi 2014
• Ayumu Hirano: Silver Olympic Medal Sochi 2014 and Pyeong Chang 2018
• JJ Thomas: Dew Cup Champion 2010 and 2002 Olympic Bronze Medalist
• Brett Esser Former US Team Member, X Games Competitor and winner of Canadian Open Slopestyle
• Holly Crawford 4 times Olympian and 2011 World Champion
• Nathan Johnstone 2 times Olympian, World Cup Winner, US Grand Prix Winner, and 2011 FIS World Champion
• Faye Gulini US SBX Member, World Cup medalist, and 3-time Olympian.
• Raibu Katayama 2018 Olympian, World Cup winner, and Burton US Open Medalist

International Awards

• 2008 US Domestic Coach of the Year
• 2013 US Snowboard Program of the Year

Coaching History

• Director of Athletic Development CA|TF
• Executive Director Method 4 Life Academy
• Founder of Shred Excel, 2014-2015
• Snowboard Program Director at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, CO 2001-2014
• Snowboard Coach at Perisher Blue Resort, New South Wales, Australia, 1997
• Coaches educator
• 2 times Olympic Coach 2014 & 2018
• Youth Olympic Games Coach 2012

Guest Links:

• https://www.summitactionsports.com/

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