U.S. champions Jonathan Cheever and Lindsey Jacobellis proudly sport their green jackets as national champs at the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix at Canyons resort in Utah last February. (photo: U.S. Snowboarding)
People, World Cup

Athlete Spotlight: Jonathan Cheever

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Park City, UT – A pro rider by day and a plumber by night, Jonathan Cheever mixes his talent like plumber’s putty by shredding park, pipe and the snowboard cross (SBX) course. While all of his major results have come from SBX, he’s known for some of the biggest airs in the pipe and credits his SBX speed from knowing how to hit the hole shot and handle big kickers in the course.

Cheever kept his strides toward the podium in 2011 with not one, but two second-place finishes on the World Cup. But the kid from Saugus, Mass., who currently calls Park City home wanted to add some flare to his season, too, so he took the national title as well, earning him a swanky green dinner jacket and the title of best in the U.S.

Name: Jonathan Cheever
Current location: Park City, Utah
Sport: Snowboardcross

How/when did you decide you wanted to compete: Competing is natural to me. When I first got on a snowboard I wanted to compete.

U.S. champions Jonathan Cheever and Lindsey Jacobellis proudly sport their green jackets as national champs at the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix at Canyons resort in Utah last February. (photo: U.S. Snowboarding)
U.S. champions Jonathan Cheever and Lindsey Jacobellis proudly sport their green jackets as national champs at the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix at Canyons resort in Utah last February. (photo: U.S. Snowboarding)

Biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I’ve been asked this question a lot lately. I feel there is much more to achieve than what I have already done. Being third in the World Cup this year and winning U.S. Championships in front of my parents was awesome.

Goals for next season: Be the first American male snowboarder to win the crystal globe. X Games gold… any hardware works. But I am in it to win it. Back-to-back U.S. Championships wins would be nice.

Favorite snow destination: Canyons. It’s the most underrated resort in the States.

Favorite non-snow destination: Boston. It will always be home to me. The food, the sports and the people.

If you weren’t a professional athlete what would you be: Probably a plumber. I am licensed, and snowboarding has just recently been paying bills.

Biggest vice: I think I can work on being more punctual.

Biggest pet peeve: Hack plumbing jobs I have to repair. I hate it when things don’t run smoothly. I need to start charging by the hour for service work rather than by job.

Advice to others who want to follow in your footsteps: Work your ass off. Nothing is going to fall in your lap. Snowboarding isn’t too far away from being as big as motor sports in this country, and soon enough ball and stick sports. Being a talented shredder will only get you so far. Success requires to be a good athlete and have your head screwed on tight.

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