Male, 34 Orlando, FL USA Last Login: Jan 5, 2009 06:25 PM | | 34 years young from Green Bay Wisconsin. Now living in Orlando Florida. Own Mesh Skatepark in Longwood Florida (meshskatepark.com), previous owner of Mission Skatepark. Do videos and shirts for Baco Designs, my childhood company still going strong. I ride everyday, unless my baby is crying, then I have to tend to that. His name is Cooper, he was born the 8-29-07. My first kid. Past sponsors: Haro bikes, RedBull, Vans, Airwalk, Adidas, Clif Bar, Primo, Spy.
Current sponsors:
UGP UnderGround Products undergroundproducts.com
go211.com
piranhabeverages.com
Profile Racing profileracing.com
Bern Helmets
Mesh SkatePark of Longwood meshskatepark.com
Baco Designs
Versa bikes
UGP has me as the TM for the team, I also do some sales and design. Photography has been my current interest. Most of the UGP ads were done by me. We are traveling a ton for 08 getting some web edits showing the world were back on the map. Look out Japnan, Look out, there are big things coming...undergroundproducts.com
Street with Chad DeGroot, profile edit from chad degroot on Vimeo .
Versa pool video featuring Chad DeGroot from chad degroot on Vimeo .
Chad DeGroot random edit from chad degroot on Vimeo .
Fuel's Daily Habit with the UGP team from chad degroot on Vimeo .
HERE IS AN INTERVIEW
bio
Name:Chad Superman DeGroot
Age: today I feel like I am 22
Residence: Upper east side of Altamonte Springs, Florida
Profession: party time, who said that?
Years riding: more than you could ever guess
What/who inspires you to ride?: Sunny days, good food, tasty beverages, and clean air
What does a perfect day consist of?: a few minutes of mind focus and stretching, making faces back a forth with my kid, coffee, bacon, no idiot emails, nap, clear cool day, some pedling around with some flat stunts, ride a park and learn something new, eat with the wife, watch some comedy on tv, tasty beverages, no poop in the diaper, more fake laughing with my kid, still more faces and weird noises, tons of sleep and good dreams
interview 04.11.08
Chad Degroot is a mystery. Just when I think I've figured him out, he does something else that transcends human comprehension (I would go into detail here, but the interview justifies it). This Interview is just a small sample of the many faces of Degroot. With more than a dozen, solid, daily responsibilities: Chad gets it done. Simply put, the dude is amazing on and off the bike.
It's quite an honor to have him aboard Profile...
With no further ado, Here's Degroot.
1.In 1998, who inspired your riding? In 2008, who's motivating you?
The ten year question huh? In 98 i was fresh off Schwinn bikes and just got over my broken back. That is about the time I made the mistake of going back to Standard just to get ignored off the team. To say that I respect Rick for having mind power wouldn't be a lie. He is an amazing rider, Hitler style boss, and overall wildman. He inspired me to look further than BMX. Riding a bike isn't a job, a reliable source of income, or a therapist.
Ten years later a lot has changed in sponsors, where I live, having a family, a skatepark, and a huge ass beard. My inspiration comes from trying not to waste my days away. I am as motivated today as I was when I started. To answer the question correctly, what doesn't inspire me?
2.What happened to your back? You mentioned that you broke it?
Broke my back the summer of 1996. Was riding for Schwinn and on tour most of the time. It was sweet, no rent, no phone, no bills, just traveling with my body guard Dave Osato. We ended up at Woodward camp early just before summer. Nate Wessel was there and they were finishing the resi pit. No one ever rode one of these before...just flipped foam then went to the real box. That day I had two coaches teaching me to do flips...got them wired in the foam and wanted to do them on a proper box. There was two reasons for learning flips, they looked like fun, and I wanted to end one of our shows with me, the flatlander doing a flip over the box. The show I was suppose to do this at, my parents were coming and the show was near their house, so it was going to be sweet to see the looks on both their faces when I went upside down. After pulling a hundred flips on the resi, I went to the box and did it clean. Then faster and cleared the deck...thought that it was on. Not sure how many I did, but I do know that I didn't want to stop, much less it was a couple days till the show and wanted to have them dialed. Then I woke up in an ambulance coming in and out of consciousness. What the coaches taught me was how to flip, they never got into if I am upside down, how to get out of a crash. Turning your head while upside down will bring you out of it easier, better than landing on your head. Which I ended up doing. It was in lot 8, cleared the whole deck and most of the landing to my shoulders and head. I broke my lower back, it was a compression fracture, got knocked out, and had a scab from one shoulder blade across to the next. That saved my life, and helped with not being paralysed. Jay Miron to this day says it was the gnarliest crash he has ever seen. I sat on a couch at my parents for about 2 months going pill to pill. Pretty much had to relearn how to ride as well much of daily movements. The next year I went to camp and learned them again, got them dialed, but most importantly got the fear out of my head. Then I crashed again and broke my tailbone. It wasn't a bad crash, but it did hurt like a son of a bitch. I drove all the way back to Florida with a broken tail. Can't lie to you, I cried most the the trip. Why do we need tails anyway? So there you have it, I did flips, I crashed a lot, I still do flips on occasion cause they are a sweet feeling trick. I don't even want to start with fronts, it won't happen, or it wouldn't work, I guarantee that one...
3.After 20+ years of riding, and all the ups and downs, what keeps you so motivated (not only with riding but with everything you do that is engulfed in bmx)?
The other day I heard someone ask Brian Kachinsky how old he was, he said 26. I didn't think he was that old, guess cause I have known him as the little boy. But then the next question was how long CAN he ride for. This question comes up pretty regularly as well how is has been riding for over 20 years. My body will tell me when to quit, and truthfully I won't know when that is. Even when I am hurt of feeling sore, everything seems to be flowing on a bike. The diffrence with riding now and 20 years ago is pretty simple, I have gray hair on my face now, and then, there was no sign of hair, much less all the mustaches variations I can do now.
There are too many UPS to talk about, Downs are pretty much being hurt or drama with a lame sponsor. I didn't want to say sponsor, but some were pretty bad to me, but there were some really good sponsors that had lame ass people running their show, guess that is why no one cares about them. A company is as good as who runs it...
Keeping motivated is really easy, just travel and see new places. That is what its about. If I ever get or feel cooped up, a trip will be in order. My serious motivation right now is my scooter. I bought a moped to find new spots. It covers some ground fast. Pretty soon I am getting a bike rack welded on. The thing is sweet for filming to, smooth shots. The wife and me even took it to Bike week in Daytona and drove around like it was a Harley. Just picture my hot wife on the back just in a bikini, and me shirtless with a leather banana hammock...let your mind wonder.
4.You mentioned that "A company is as good as who runs it." Speaking of which, you've really turned UGP around...what is your position there?
A lot of people think that I run UGP, and if you don't know, I have done a ton of work in three years to get to this point. The crazy thing about a clothing company is we are working on Spring 2010. So any mistakes that are done at any point will not show for over a year and a half, as well current mistakes you see, were designed and out of our hands over a year ago. This is a constant headache that I finally dealt with about 6 months ago. I couldn't even funtion day to day trying to make this brand work. The clothes were coming out with a little mistake here, or a something something there. Trust me, the fall '08 line is back on point. To get to that took a lot of meetings and a ton of testing of garments. I am as happy as it gets now, cause I see the future lines being dialed which makes my position easier. My title is TM of the freestyle side of UGP. Don't get me involved in the race, I really don't know anything about race, but I do respect it more and more and I do want to know what is going, and will help out if they need me. My boss wants everyone to have a big part in the company. So i started sitting in on product development meetings, sales meetings, hanging with the warehouse shippers, getting to know the accountant, working daily with our webmaster, and more or less being as knowledgable and productable as possible. My mornings and afternoons consist of checking emails and getting news to our webmaster. Then team orders get typed in and hopefully shipped on time. Ever rider is different, they all have complaints, concerns, needs, wants, opinions, ideas, and direction of UGP. This is sweet and yet it can give me gray hair. This year I am going to some races to take photos or our team, get some ideas from the racers for products and improvements. UGP is trying to be on top of the web vids and team trips and rider promo. Another duty of mine is photographer for most of the ads, product, and catalogues. Filming and editing ties into all that as well. So my list of job duties is large but worth it. Everyone at UGP is putting in some extra credit cause we are back on the map again and plan to be around for a long time...believe that son...Ohh ya, i do ride for UGP as a team rider in case you didn't know. If you ever have any questions or concerns about UGP, please ask me. I want to clear the record with anyone that has a question.
5.Coffee? Accent to the day or addicted?
Each and every morning is coffee time. It seems to get me going and kick starts my day. I like the taste, its warm and soothing, and my body likes me for giving it this sweet nectar of the gods...
Afternoon coffee or evening coffee does happen, but not that often. I really have been getting some good sleep lately and don't need that pep late in the day. Being on this good sleep streak has to come to an end soon, so when it does, I will be hitting some nectar for that pick-me-up.
6.You're almost too busy...so how do you fit in Cooper, Mesh, and riding?
Once Cooper was born, I moved all my stuff home from Mesh, computer, desk, files, etc. This was to make more time for him and still get work done. Tell you the truth, I am on the computer more than a few hours a day doing work. It all can be done from home. I really don't need to be at Mesh doing this work. Taking care of Cooper and getting my computer work done has been smooth and fairly easy. He will sit on my lap and play with everything around my desk. This can back me up a bit once he finds the keyboard. He finds keys that will do some of the weirdest things on my computer. Good Job buddy...
Mesh is ran by three owners total. With me spending less time there, Brett and Simon have stepped up and we brought Billy and James on board with more responsibility running the bike side and counter sales. James has way to much knowledge on bikes. I am impressed that he is a fan of bikes themselves. Lot of us ride bikes, he collects them. He has 9 completes now, and tons of random parts that are waiting to be on #10 and #11. Every day he brings a new bike in the shop and everyone stairs at it, and they all have number names, like this bike is #3 and so on.
We couldn't do without Billy, he cleans, does orders, logs invoices, checks people in, and pretty much does what I use to do and more.
Riding has been stepped up since i take way less hours at mesh. My pool is empty, so that gets hit all the time. Street is really close by. My parking lot, for flat, is 5 minutes away. Vans skatepark gets hit once a week as well. So if I can hit Vans, ride flat one or two days, my pool and some randon street, and maybe hit the trails in Casselberry, that gets me through the week just fine. I usually take one weekday off so my wife can do her work, then weekends is mostly family time.
Being busy is the only way I know, specially with a kid. I have stepped down a ton at Mesh, but this summer I am gonna build some new ramps and try to be in the shop more so we have a good year. If you don't see me around, its not cause I slack, its cause I am under the radar a bit, I will be back. James and Billy will take of you just fine. Trust me, James will talk to you for hours if you let him. He is a wealth of knowledge and stories, ask him to do impressions...
Anyone with questions, concerns, or just needs something, email me and I will help you the best I can. Remember this, "skateparks are like open doors, your welcome to come in and take advantage of what you have..."
7.You mentioned riding flat...do you still fit a little bit of it in?
Riding flat does happen, but it's the most inconsistant. Recently there has been a few people wanting clips for videos. They only want a clip or two. Then they say, "it doesn't have to be the best, just anything, I know you got something." That makes me excited yet frustrated as well. If I do give someone a clip, I want to be happy with it. I haven't filmed a flat link in soo long. Freimuth usually did the best filming. He always put me in the right frame of mind and I got shit done. We don't see each other much, so I hesitate on filming. I do have some new tricks, but they more or less are personal to me. Having everyone see them or getting them out to the world isn't my first priority. My lot is only a couple blocks away from my house, so its sweet putting in some time here and there. I truely wish I had more shows. That seems to be when I ride the most. Its funny cause I don't practice show tricks much, maybe a few minutes. It always leads into something new I get stuck on for most of the session. So as long as the weather is this good, I will get in as much as possible, cause the summer is coming and I can only ride just before dark then. Night riding isn't my favorite. So to answer the question "how much flat do I fit in", enough to make me happy and keep me learning new lines...
8.And your pool? Is it drained every year to ride? How do you feel about the new versa pool edit you did...(personally, one of my favorite videos).
Every year the leaves fall and it is truely a pain in the ass to keep my pool clean. The water gets a bit dirty and cold as hell. No point in keeping up with it, wasting all the money in power, and making it turn ghetto. Good reason to keep it filled is when people get drunk and dive in to find out its freezing and dirty. That is funny. Bad is when they jump in and there is no water. Kinda like that say no to drugs ad. When your on drugs you will jump into an empty pool, and that is bad. Say no to drugs and jumping in empty pools head first. If you own a house with a pool and you haven't ridden it, give me a call. I will gladly drain it and session it with you. You owe it to yourself to give it a try. It would bum me out if you haven't even tried to ride your pool if you have one. It really isn't much work with a few people.
The Versa edit came out sweet. That was a battle though. Pool was empty. Then it rained, then empty, then rain. Then I freaked out and broke my pool pump cause it was becoming so much work. Then the weather was gonna be dry for a week, so i dried and cleaned it out one morning. Rode it and decided to tri-pod the camera and see what I could get out of it. Next thing I know tricks were never ending and it seemed like enough for a section. Then it started raining again. What the? So with a little time, tri-pod, recharging my batteries more than a few times cause they died and I didn't know it and had to re-film tricks, some patience, and a sweet pool that keeps getting better every year. I am really happy with the video so I celebrated with a smootch with my wife as my banger trick in the edit...there you go. Versabmx.com got their first edit on the new site.
9.How often do you tri-pod your riding? I know it's hard for you to get people to film...ever wreck bad while filming by yourself?
Tri-pod filming is sweet and it will never get old to me. When assembled right for an edit, it can have a different look that I really like. Sometimes there isn't anyone available to go behind the lense. Or there isn't time to make calls and coordinate. Tri-pod is a real personal thing, little creepy, but very effective and satisfying. But not all riding can be done this way, unless there is a helmet cam section, which would be sweet. That might be next, shit. No one take my idea. I am working on that starting today...
I crashed more than a few times in my pool when I was filming that session that is on the versabmx.com site. Putting the crashes in that edit was necessary. Some tricks or sections need a few mishaps to put it all in perspective.
10.And to wrap up this interview...what is Chad "The Goat" doing this year? I heard it's a world tour with Scooter.
Started the year with a BANG, will end in a blaze of glory... This year is going to be eventful. Few road trips to the northeast and the northwest. Go to my sister-in-law's wedding in Toronto during the biggest gay festival in the world. See wrestlemania 24 live. Jump out of a few planes. Ride some roofs. Enjoy sushi in Japan. Finalise my shoe for UGP that should be out in the fall. Kiss my baby. Kiss my wife. Be a good person and get a new tatoo...that's all for me this year. If Scooter wants any part of that, give him my cell #...could use a co-pilot for some, not all.
The best comes in three's...
3 best:
1.riding spots Mission Skatepark, Mesh Skatepark, my backyard pool
2.riding videos Baco, End Search, early road fools
3.movies Snatch, anything with Christopher Walkin, Fubar
4.restaraunts sushi, Jasons Deli, Ikea restaurant
5.food sushi, soup, smoothies
6.songs sad, ballads, not idiot music
7.bands not idiot music, beatles, led zeplin
8.aesthetically apealling ladies dark hair, nice hands, big lips
9.books Russel Simmons, Bukowski, Irvine Welsh
10.places to visit....Pyramids, Spain, South america |
