The future is looking bright for the frequents of Mallette Park, with an addition of a new skate park and Velosolutions pump track! I stopped by one morning to find Gibson Smith, 2021 Sitzmark’s 1st Winter Ski Athlete, testing the new skate park with his sticker-donned neon pink Shake Junt board in check.
I was curious as to how Gibson’s ski skills translated from snow to concrete. When asked how long he’s been shredding on a board: “About 2 years, and I’m still horrible at it. I’m better at skiing.” That certainly opened up the conversation to reminiscing about his big win back in the winter. A lifelong consumer of Sitzmark, skiing since he was just over 18 months old, he was more than overjoyed that upon winning this competition, “They started piling stuff in my arms.” Gibson is now a brand affiliate with Sitzmark, covered head to toe in gear, and more importantly, the coolest stickers.
If he had the choice, Gibson would be there all day. He hadn’t even had breakfast when I got there, only until some other people showed up and offered him a donut. In the ski off-seasons, he’s still grinding on the trampoline skis, perfecting passes and skills for when the slopes are smoothed in the winter.
And when it’s on, it’s on. Gibson participates in two skiing teams in the winter: one focused on racing, and the other more on tricks and skills. This duality of expertise will surely carry him into his dreams of being a future Olympian. He also enjoys snowmobiling at Bobcat Pass, a special place to him and his family. During the summers, he saddles up as a helper for Cowboy Evenings: riding horses and cracking whips!
Talking with Gibson’s mother, Melissa Smith, he is more than ambitious in his journey to improving his game. When he’s not wanting to master yet another skill on board or skis, you can find him eating stuffed sopapillas at Sundance or enjoying some frozen yogurt from Bearly Awake (he even has the record for the heaviest bowl!)
Just when you think he couldn’t check another box, he had a swim lesson the next day to strengthen his skills for SURFING in South Padre! Truly a jack of ALL trades.
Mallette Park is certainly in good hands for the Red River Community!
Check out the article when Gibson won his first winter competition: https://www.redrivernewmexico.com/en/sitzmarks-1st-winter-ski-athlete-award/
Interview by Morgan Smith, Gibson Smith, Melissa Smith
