Anyone who has seen Shaun White snowboarding knows that they are seeing pure skill and natural talent at its finest. He makes it look so easy and yet difficult at the same time. Although for Shaun White snowboarding may be what got him noticed in the extreme sports world initially, he actually is also a world class skateboarder as well. Although he is not even 21 yet, he also has managed to make a name for himself in the video game world, in movies and documentaries, and also developing a line of Shaun White snowboarding clothing with Burton called the “White Collection.”

What got Shaun White snowboarding? At the young age of six, White went with his family to a ski area and he wanted to take snowboarding lessons. He was told that he was too young, so his dad took lessons and then taught him. Shaun White snowboarding was so enthusiastic that his mom made him ride backwards to slow him down, which actually served to make him equally skilled in riding in both positions. When the Burton Company heard about Shaun White snowboarding, they began to use this young prodigy in their advertising.

But, for Shaun White snowboarding was not enough, soon after he took up the sport he also took up skateboarding. These sports are actually quite similar and he was able to utilize his natural ability to become skilled at both. The same year that he won his first gold medal in the X Games for snowboarding, he took up skateboarding as a professional sport and he now tours with Tony Hawk.

In 2006, the “Flying Tomato,” Shaun White won a gold medal in the half pipe event in the Winter Olympics in Torino and made himself even more of a household name in the United States. He has medaled 8 times in snowboarding in the X Games and 2 times in skateboarding. He has made a video called “The White Album,” is featured in a documentary called “First Descent” and will release an X Box game with his name and likeness in 2007. What will this young man do next? What won’t he do?