Brad Holmes
Bad Rad Bumpin’ Brad Holmes is one of the most divisive athletes in the history of newschool skiing. From his early days as a top-level moguls competitor to his rap-rock antics with MSP, his impact on skiing over the past two decades is undeniable. Love him or hate him, this is Brad Holmes.
“I really don’t think that I fit in very well with the whole US Ski Team system and the World Cup Freestyle Tour. I was not rich, I bleached my hair, and I had a huge ego. I kicked everyone’s ass and I loved myself! I also loved my coach Park Smalley, he understood me, but it was hard. Trying to be different on that tour was a challenge. I was judged unfairly in a lot of runs because of who I was and what I looked like, and that’s the thing with freestyle, it’s a judged sport. The system works, only the best make it–I was proud of that, but I just didn’t fit the exact mold. I remember one of the first times traveling to Europe for a World Cup. I was 16 at Junior World Championships in France. My parents gave me a note that said I could drink so I did. I almost got sent home for partying but convinced them to let me stay. I won the next day. What people didn’t realize about me is that I trained my ass off. I skied rock hard bumps every morning. People thought I was partying all the time, but I was done training by the time they even showed up to the hill…”
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