Brent Abrams Checks-In

So, I cut my season short. I came back too soon from my last surgery. I need more time to rehabilitate so I will not be competing the rest of the season. I stopped competing after the US Open and the X-Games; my knee can’t handle the high impact and high paced lifestyle that comes with competing.

I came to Japan to finish my rehab. I was supposed to be in Japan for two weeks and then I was going to return home for the rest of the competition season. But, since I’m not competing I’m staying in Japan for a little over two months. My Japanese sponsors are supportive of my rehab-choice; they, along with Heavenly, totally support my decision to slow down and rehab the right way. My Japanese sponsors got a small resort, just outside of Namaota, to dedicate all resources to making a halfpipe specifically for me. The ski resort doesn’t have much money and superpipes cost a lot. So, since I don’t ski and/or train everyday because my knee can’t handle it, the resort only maintains the pipe the night before I want to train. The night before I train I let the president of the resort know and he orders the park crew to make the pipe perfect for me. I really don’t want to return to America.

The resort is a little village community, and a major training location for Japan’s most successful freeride ski team. There is about 200 employees, race team members, and the freeride team [which I'm a part of]. We all eat, sleep, relax, bathe, and ski together. It’s the most wonderful group of people I’ve ever lived with.

I’ve been here for about a month. The Japanese culture is amazing. This village is like a small replica of their entire society. This village, like their country, is very compact, and resources are limited considering how many people live here; however, tensions never arise, conflicts don’t occur, and drugs, alcohol, and swearing aren’t used or abused.

The control in the Japanese society is difficult to adjust to as an American. However, this control is what has developed so many respectful members in a society with such limited space and resources. The respect amongst each other is not innate; it’s a product of the environment. This control has not limited these people nor does it retard their progress or potentials; it simply prevents the ability for one to act irrationally. By preventing irrational actions nonintellectual and/or non-conscientious people are unable to disrupt or deleteriously affect, the comfort of others, the environment, the political system, the medical system, and/or the educational system, for example. Everyone’s space and everything’s space is respected and considered. I have never lived among so many people who are not only kind, generous, and loving, but are also intellectually superior when compared to most societies. I really really don’t want to return to America. Love, respect, and intelligence coupled together is the key mixture for success; hats off to the Japanese; they’ve mastered it.

Also, straying from such metaphysical topics, the food here is amazing, the girls are beautiful, the futons are so comfortable, and the snow is great. Did I mention the girls are beautiful! I really really really don’t want to return to America. I’ve been working with Strictly [I live with the Strictly team and the owner] to develop my next pro-model that comes out in 2009. It’s going to be an awesome graphic; it’s definitely right up my alley [sorry for such a crappy cliché]. Also, I’m changing my core to carbon instead of wood; the ski is a little lighter that way.

If Hillary Clinton gets elected as president I am packing up, marrying a Japanese girl, and moving to this country. I PROMISE.
Take care,
Brent

Check out Brent’s video and bio on our High Roller Team page.