Jared Olson is tough as nails.

Nevada Union's snowboarder raced his way through a blaze of injuries this season, only to get hurt in the California-Nevada Interscholastic Ski and Snowboard Federation state meet - the pinnacle of his four-year career as a Miner. The Union's Sports Writer Zuri Berry caught up with Olson to pick his brain.



So what's up with this injury you got at the state meet?

I sprained my neck. I pretty much screwed myself. I was doing awesome, then there was a ridge. I cut across it but hit it anyways. It flipped me forward.

It was all kind of black afterward. I couldn't move my neck. It took them 15 minutes to get my board off my feet.

I was destined for a good finish.



You sound disappointed; why?

Yeah, definitely. I've been on the team three years but always right behind Marco (Maynard), or back-and-forth with Marco. Every time I was ahead of him, I wiped out ... I don't know, I guess I was doing too good.

This isn't the first time you've been hurt, has it?

I've actually had a lot of injuries. I had 10 stitches in my mouth and broke my hand. I almost blew my knee out before the season started. I didn't really get to practice much because of my knee.



How did you feel about this year and your experiences?

It was a gnarley squad. We just always like to do peaks and stuff and just always hit the biggest jumps.



Why snowboarding? Why not skiing?

I'm just a boarder. Skateboards or whatever.

My dad is a pretty extreme racer. I think I got my extreme from him.

- Zuri Berry, sports writer