The coaches list for the MGT snowboard camp, a ladies-only riding camp that runs winter and summer, reads like the start list of a big-league slopestyle contest. You name the female shredder, she just might be the coach schooling you on how to lock into a frontside boardslide or land a Cab 5. (If you don't believe me, click here to see for yourself. Who's the liar now?) Running for seven years now, MGT camps are offered at resorts in Western Canada, plus down south at Mount Hood in the summertime, and even deeper down south in Bariloche, Argentina if you want to get really serious (or if you need an excuse to practice your Spanish and buy cheap red wine).
The heart-and-soul of MGT consists of three truly unusual ladies with equally unusual last names: Leanne Pelosi (pronounced Pah-Low-See), Joanna Majcherkiewcz (pronounced Mah-Shear-A-Wits), and Robin Van Gyn (pronounced Van Jean). And when I say "unusual", let me assure you that I mean it as a compliment. If being lazy, disorganized and boring is usual, this shred trio is the exact opposite. I spent two days at an MGT camp a few seasons back (disclaimer: I was there in "journalist" capacity, not lurking in the woods with binoculars), and was beyond impressed with everything from the delicious lunches to the generous prize packs for campers, incredibly positive vibe, and excellent teaching methods.
Joanna (right) with an army of campers at Norquay.
In the spirit of lazy interview techniques, I organized a three-way conversation (yes, I said "conversation") between Leanne, Joanna and Robin to learn the history of MGT, and get a better sense of what motivates them after nearly a decade of organizing and running camps. But mostly, I just wanted to hear their witty banter. Ladies?
Leanne: Joanna, remember when we started MGT?
Joanna: Yeah, when we were both poor students seven years ago. Leanne had a degree in rad-iology and I had a degree in cheese-iology and together we were poor. Then we realized we need a nerd-iology background so we hired Robin; she completed the tripod in 2005.
Robin: What the heck were you guys trying to pedal anyway?
Leanne: Joanna and I had a fight about who was going to be the pro snowboarder, and she lost the fart hockey game. And I signed with K2.
Joanna: K2 was looking to sign an I.B.S female! [laughs]
Leanne shows off her award-winning, patent-pending, all rights reserved, techniques.
Robin: Minus the flatulence, why were there no boys? That would have been nice, eh?
Joanna: Because men are from Uranus and women are from Earth.
Leanne: Did Bobby McShred ever want to ride like Tara Dakides?
Robin: Hell yeah, but our camp caters to inspire the Sally Sliders.
MFR demonstrates how you put the butter on the knife first, then on the muffin.
Joanna: Speaking of Sally Sliders, we whittle some of the best female sliders from the MGT woodwork.
Leanne: Ahem... Raewyn Reid, Bev Vulliemier, Jess Kimura.... We now see our campers gracing the pages of the top snowboarding magazines, in videos, and earning some impressive podium finishes.
Robin: And that's where the MGT Academy comes in. Seeing camper progression, we finalized the formula. MGT equals two parts dedication and two parts raw talent.
The proof is in the results.
Joanna: Yeah, campers truly get discovered. It's like Star Search, Canada-styles!
Leanne: Que paso? Donde MGT?
Robin: We are intercontinental: Bariloche, Aregentina; Mt. HOOD, USA; Mount Norquay Alberta; Grouse Mountain, BC; and COP, Alberta!
Joanna: Yes, we are very fortunate, Leanne, that you're friends with all the pro boarders!
Leanne: Yeah, I tug their ears and drag them in my boardbag in between contests to our events. It's like herding cats...
The Norquay campers caught on quick.
Robin: We have goats like MFR, Tara Dakides, Jacqui Berg, Raewyn Reid, Alexis Waite, Spencer O'Brien, Nat Gough and Bev V...
Joanna: The camaraderie and the top-level riding is what makes MGT unique!
Leanne: Thanks to our sponsors, like Burton, K2, Etnies, ThirtyTwo, Dakine, Dragon, Snowboard Canada, Snowboarder and Runway Films, the campers get hooked up with tons of free gear!
Robin: Hells, yeah. I wish I was a camper.
Joanna: Some times its more giddy times, sometimes its more gross times when we are playing fart hockey, but overall its more good times!
www.mgtsnowboardcamp.com
More Good Times from the Whistler camp. Don't you want to be there?
Interview with Leanne and Robin at their Norquay Camp
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Related:
Fanning Out: How To Connect with Leanne Pelosi and TJ Schneider
Runway All The Way
MGT Camp Blog on Push.ca