Lift Line

Getting back to the snow

When you get knocked down, you have to get back up again. Blue Mountain team rider Joel Dalacker has first hand experience with this. After getting knocked out early this season with a knee injury, he has put in the work and come back into the Ontario snowboard scene with a fire under his board.

“Obstacles are there to signify how bad you want something” – Unknown

I went down to Colorado early season and unfortunately tore my lateral meniscus. However, staying positive is key in order to get back up after you get knocked down. With a tremendous amount of help from my mother and father I was able to get X-rays, MRI, Specialist appointments, doctor appointments and follow ups all done in a matter of a month, and then had surgery on January 1st. Because they were unable to repair my meniscus – and had to remove it as a result – the doctor told me never to snowboard again or do anything else that pretty much is “fun” in my mind due to the substantial increase that I will develop osteoarthritis when I’m older. No disrespect to the doctor at all. He’s a professional and knows, but snowboarding has been my life for the past 5-6 years it has become a way of life for me.

With that being said I have two brand new boards from GNU Snowboards and a new Nomis Outerwear kit which motivates me that much more to get back on snow, so I’ve been training hard at the gym and eating as healthy as I can and will continue to do so. Right now my biggest goal is to get back on the snow not only as soon as possible but stronger than before, and getting right back into preparation for contests and filming. Can’t wait to ride with all the homies again in the new park at Blue Mountain. You know who you are!