Snowboarder Scotty James has mastered the halfpipe. Now he's conquering dad life.
Snowboarder, dad … children's book author? As a two-time Olympic medalist who has also brought home four World Championships and a pile of wins from the Winter X Games, Australian snowboarder Scotty James has proved he's king at the mountain. In his off-time, however, the 31-year-old athlete tells me he's been tapping into his playful side, all thanks to the influence of his 9-month-old son, Leo, whom he parents with his wife, singer Chloe Stroll.
'Having a baby has brought back the child in me a little bit,' James, who released his Mooki children's book series last year, says during our conversation for Yahoo's OT Diaries. 'It's made me be more playful and even take on a different approach to how I'm training.'
While the halfpipe pro is happiest when he's at home with his family, he still takes his sport very seriously. Here's what he told me about staying on top of his game during the off-season — and how he still makes time for croissants and Sons of Anarchy.
What does a 'normal' day in your life look like?
The ideal day off would start waking up around 8 a.m. I'm a morning person, so that's a bit of a sleep-in for me, like I've woken up at midday. And then I'd go out for breakfast and coffee with Chloe and Leo. I'm a big croissant critic, so typically I go and try and find where the best croissant is, depending on where I am in the world. And then go for a walk.
If I'm at home in Monaco, I'll go down to the beach. If my family's in town, I'll try and go out with them and see them. Then in the evening, I'd pick either pasta or sushi, sit on the couch and watch whatever my favorite movie is at that time before going to sleep. It's pretty simple, but I think that's what I love about it.
Simple is probably what you're in the mood for after a competition season. Is there a period of time that you'll take off from snowboarding completely?
To be honest, eight to 10 weeks would be the longest I would have spent away from the board in the past 10 years. With the exception of the time we had in COVID.
Are you prioritizing exercise during time off?
I definitely encourage leading a very active lifestyle. I love being outdoors. I do a lot of cycling, so that's one of my passions. It's obviously really great cross-training for snowboarding, but it also is something I really enjoy doing with my friends. It's challenging, it can be competitive at times, so it ticks a lot of boxes in different areas that I love.
When I'm not snowboarding, I'm still in the gym often five to six days a week, working on strength training and snowboarding as [the sport] gets harder and the tricks get harder. As it evolves, it obviously becomes a lot more demanding mentally and physically. So making sure that I stay in tune and sharp away from my board is really important to me. Fortunately, I actually really enjoy the work.
In what ways do you focus on the mental aspect?
We now live in a very fast-paced world. We always want instant gratification, and everything's so quick and fast that we become a little bit impatient. So when I get up in the morning, I don't go to seek my phone, and I try not to give myself to the world hypothetically before I actually know how I'm feeling. Did I sleep well last night? Did Leo sleep last night? How's my relationship with Chloe, my wife? All of those things play such a factor in the rest of my day or week. It's important for me mentally to make sure that I'm paying attention to those core values. And when I do, that's 30 to 45 minutes in the morning.
I imagine you have to be a bit of an adrenaline junkie to be in snowboarding. Is thrill-seeking something you do off the mountain as well?
I'm trying to learn Italian at the moment, and the thought of going downstairs to the café to speak to them in Italian, knowing that I'm going to make a thousand mistakes, actually makes me nervous. So it might sound a bit ridiculous [in contrast] to doing tricks in a 22-foot halfpipe, but I still get a very good amount of adrenaline and nerves about going and trying to speak a language that I don't really understand that well.
There are other instances where I'm cycling and I might go down the hill too fast or something if I feel like I need to just get that fix. But to be honest, I feel I'm very calculated. I don't feel I need to find [adrenaline] in other parts of my life. I like to push myself and make myself feel uncomfortable, so I do things away from my sport that challenge me.
Writing children's books has to fall into that category.
Yes, we had to check the grammar a lot.
What inspired you to take that on?
Now that I'm a dad, I noticed that naturally, as you become an adult, you take on responsibility and you can become a little bit less playful about life. Sometimes I can get really engaged or I can get caught up thinking about the end results of something, like winning an X Games medal or winning the Olympics, that I forget about the process and the journey that it actually takes to get there, and the people that help me get there as well. Mooki is actually my alter ego. It was my nickname growing up, and it's a character that I embrace in both challenging moments and in really good moments to make them even better.
The books really relay the story of my own personal experiences and the message of enjoying the journey rather than just the end goal. Also, [knowing] that failure is absolutely going to happen. We can't avoid it, but it's really important to lean on those around you and build resilience. It's been fun to share that story with the kids. There's a lot of freedom in that creativity. You get to think of crazy ideas and put them on paper and make a reality in a different kind of world, which is quite fun.
Has tapping into that creativity translated into your sport?
It's given me a more playful approach. Being a kid, everything's possible. They don't necessarily think about the outcome or the why-not. They just think they can do it, which generally is the way that I have to think when I'm trying to learn new tricks and things on a professional level.
So fatherhood has made you better on the board in some ways. Did the sport prepare you for the journey of parenting?
What I've learned from sport is consistency. You have to be very consistent with your routine and your training and your preparation to be able to achieve a win, for example. Consistency is also very parallel to being a dad. So making sure that I'm consistent in Leo's life and being there in the morning if I want to feed him and get to spend time. I try as best I can to be a consistent father figure in front of him because obviously snowboarding is very demanding and such. It's been a very cool journey so far.
Sounds like it! Let's wrap up with some rapid-fire questions …
Who is your No. 1 call when you have good news?
My wife.
What is your comfort watch?
At the moment, it's actually Sons of Anarchy. It's not very comforting, but it just plays as I fall asleep.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Absolutely chocolate. My dad gave me a big sweet tooth.
Biggest fear?
Being stuck in a small place for too long. I'm fine being in a plane, but if I was put in a box, that would really get me.
What gives you the ick?
I really don't like soft towels, like towels that are so soft that when you dry yourself, you don't get dry. You actually feel like you're getting more wet after a shower.
What is something that you eat or drink every day?
I can't start my day without eggs. And I drink Red Bull and water every day.
What is your internet rabbit hole?
I love real estate. I'll go anywhere in the world and wonder if I could buy a house here. And then I start looking online at what the house prices cost. Typically I'll say, 'No, can't afford anything here.'
What is one go-to item that never leaves your bag?
AirPods. I always listen to music at the gym or while snowboarding. Sometimes at home if Leo's crying.
What song or album is your personal soundtrack right now?
'2 Million Up' by Peezy because the beat is amazing. I love rap music.
What is a wellness trend that you swear by?
No phone in the morning for at least 30 to 40 minutes. Let yourself wake up, figure yourself out and then get your day started. I think that's a really important thing for your mental well-being.
Snowboarding aside, what are you best at?
I can make a very good scrambled egg.
What is a skill or hobby that you're trying to get good at?
Speaking another language. I'm trying to learn Italian.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
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