Whether or not you're old enough to know who Marc Morriset is, I hope you'll appreciate how much of an impact he's had on snowboarding and our industry after reading this article. I'm not trying to get too emotional here, but given the fact that Marc is one of the original guys who shaped snowboarding in Canada, I was pretty damn stoked just to interview him for this column.
Marc was a pro snowboarder from 1992 to '99, which may not seem that long, but he "called it" much sooner than most to pursue business opportunities that proved to be very fruitful, as you'll soon find out. Since I have an 800 word maximum length for these columns, I've decided to keep the integrity of this piece intact and run it as a two-part series: There was just too much good information in here, trust me! I hope you enjoy part one, and stay posted for part two.
Marc, circa 1997.
Who did you snowboard with when you were pro? Who was in your crew?
Kevin Young, Sean Johnson, Rich Carlson, Alex Warburton, Sean Kearns, Chris Brown, Devun Walsh... We didn't think of it as "crews" in the same way back then, but you ended up hanging with whoever you were filming with and that would change all the time.
What would you say was your favorite sponsor during your shred career, and why?
I rode for Sessions, Sims, Division 23, Special Blend, Type A, and The Circle. I remember being really amped to be on Sessions early on; it was like ‘93 or something. Joel Gomez [the Sessions owner] was selling band shirts by mail-order back then, and he let me grab some Joy Division T's. That's when I first got on Type A. I really felt like that was going to be good: Nate Cole, Roan Rogers, and Danny Way were on the team. Kids might not know what Roan Rogers was doing at the time... he was so good. But Special Blend was the longest standing sponsor I had, and by far the most supportive.
And you had some signature products, right?
I had three boards with D-23 starting in ‘94 or something. Then a couple models on Type A... I had some "designed by" stuff from Special Blend, but that's about it.
Looking back, what were some of the best perks?
Just having the freedom to spend the hours necessary to excel at something; it's something I am very grateful about. They say you need 10,000 hours doing something with conviction to be at, or near, the top of your field in any given profession. Try finding the time if you aren't getting paid to do exactly that!
Here's a good one: If you could have a chance at making a comeback as a professional snowboarder, which three companies would you ride for?
Someone who makes surfboards... and wants their washed-up pros to ride a lot of powder. If you're out there, give me a call, let's talk. [laughs]
Marc at Bachelor, circa 1992.
Now that we're laughing, what would you say was the worst decision you made during your career?
I'm sure I made a bunch... looking back, probably trying to ride for smaller companies. It worked out on the apparel side, but I rode a lot of shitty boards over the years. The worst single mistake was signing with Type A.
And the best decision you made during your career would be?
Probably the flip-side: trying to ride for smaller brands and having some control over what I did. I guess moving to Whistler was a good one, too.
True say... what about the stupidest purchase that you made as a professional athlete? Cars? Bar tabs?
Best and worst would have to be my snowmobile; that thing turned out to be amazing but those things hammer your back.
Do you think that there's a difference in the industry now, compared to when you were a professional?
I don't know... it got crazy there for a while, with lots of big contracts flying around. I think that's coming full circle, and pretty soon it will be a little mellower, and then as a result there will be more brands starting up and keeping things fresh.
What about being a professional snowboarder? Do you think that it's easier now-a-days versus back in your time?
I would just say it was different. I mean, the kids are so good these days, it's pretty crazy. Our challenges were like, our bindings ripping out, or like showing up to a pipe contest and the thing would basically be a ditch with a few kickers on the lip. I mean, it's just totally different now. There was no consistency to what we rode and that made us good freeriders. Now there's parks with perfectly groomed everything, but the level of riding is crazy.
After receiving so much as a rider, did you feel like you owed the industry a few years of giving back?
I‘m grateful to everyone who supported me and gave me opportunities... Before I left Quebec I'd go up to this little resort in the Laurentians called St. Donat. I was on a shop team and my teammates' parents just let me stay at their house there every weekend, and every spare week or holiday. The level of generosity they showed let me spend so much time snowboarding... And there were more of those people along the way that I owe a lot of gratitude to. If they were industry-specific, I ‘m grateful for that too, but not the industry specifically, if that makes any sense.
Devun Walsh started out riding with Marc and is still in the spotlight today.
What was the process like when you walked away from being pro?
I just kind of slid into obscurity... it was nice...
To be continued in Part Two...
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Related:
When To Call It With Marc Morriset: Part Two
Devun Walsh: Team Captain
When To Call It: Rob Dow