Current:Home > ContactHow Shaun White is Emulating Yes Man in His Retirement -Secure Growth Solutions
How Shaun White is Emulating Yes Man in His Retirement
View
Date:2025-04-12 12:12:42
These days, Shaun White is catching more than just air—he's also catching flights.
Since hanging up his snowboard after the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, the 3-time gold medalist has more than kept busy with a slew of post-retirement ventures. But these days, he's trading in the grueling training schedule for a little more spontaneity and some new scenery.
"I would get phone calls from people," Shaun exclusively told E! News of life before his retirement, "like, 'Do you want to come join us on this ski trip?' Or, you know, things that I would get hit up for, charity events or things, and I just didn't have time. And now I'm like the Jim Carrey movie Yes Man. I'm like, ‘Yeah, I'm there. Yeah, I'll do it. Bungee jump? Okay, let's go.' It's been so fun to just say yes, and to be present and be there with people."
Among the people and causes filling the 37-year-old's new chapter are girlfriend Nina Dobrev—who he noted has been "super supportive" during his transition from professional riding—and a new partnership with Park City's High West distillery to help amplify their Protect the West initiative. It's a cause close to the California native's heart.
"I'm from the West, and I'm such a product of my environment," Shaun explained. "I mean I snowboard, I skateboard, I surf. And there's only a few places in the world you can really do that. And I think if I were from somewhere else I wouldn't have had the life that I've had. So it means a lot to me to be leaning in and doing things to protect the West."
With more downtime, and fewer competitions, the world-record holder is also finding more room for a new role in his life: mentor. A role his company Whitespace, a gear and apparel brand, has been instrumental in helping him fill.
"There's a whole other side of it that I would say is probably more rewarding," Shaun noted. "We've been getting young, talented riders on our program and giving them product, giving them guidance, being able to be kind of in their corner to guide their careers. I did it a little if people wanted my help—I was there for them. But definitely not in this type of way, where I'm really rooting for their careers and trying to help be a source of mentorship for others, which has been really, really fun."
Especially for a newer sport that is just seeing its first superstars reach retirement, it's a whole new landscape for the athlete to conquer.
"I've always been an ambassador for the sport," he admitted. "But it's such a new sport, we don't have the jerseys hanging from the rafters yet. I feel like I'm moving into the role of that within the sport. Even with the other riders where we were competitors, we were gunning for the same thing. And now being in the same zone with them and not being on the hunt for medals, I can really kind of connect with people and competitors in the sport in a new way."
But on whether there are any moments of doubt about his exit from the professional side of snowboarding, Shaun is just looking forward to carving his new path.
"There hasn't been that knee jerk like, ‘I have to be back,'" he confessed. "I'm just thankful to be in this headspace where I'm at in my life and career, because I feel like I've been able to do a lot of work on myself. And it's really helped me kind of step into this new chapter with a bit of grace. It's been something that has been on my mind for some time, but you never really think about it until you're crossing that bridge and go, ‘Oh wow, this is that moment this is so surreal.'"
As the Olympian put it: "To be where I'm at today and just being happy and being content with certain things, it's been such an amazing feeling."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (76913)
Related
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- China is building up its nuclear weapons arsenal faster than previous projections, a US report says
- Financial investigators probing suspected contracts descend again on HQ of Paris Olympic organizers
- Lupita Nyong’o and Boyfriend Selema Masekela Break Up After One Year of Dating
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- Aid deal brings hope to hungry Gaza residents, but no food yet
- AP PHOTOS: Spectacular Myanmar lake festival resumes after 3 years
- Alex Ovechkin, Connor Hellebuyck, Seattle Kraken among NHL's slow starters this season
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- AP Week in Pictures: Asia
Ranking
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- After rainy season that wasn’t, parched Mexico City starts restricting water
- Major US Muslim group cancels Virginia banquet over bomb and death threats
- Arizona’s Maricopa County has a new record for heat-associated deaths after the hottest summer
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- 3 are indicted on fraud-related charges in a Medicaid billing probe in Arizona
- Sylvester Stallone Mourns Death of Incredible Rocky Costar Burt Young
- Garcelle Beauvais teams with Kellogg Foundation for a $90M plan to expand ‘Pockets of Hope’ in Haiti
Recommendation
Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
Russia’s foreign minister offers security talks with North Korea and China as he visits Pyongyang
The Rolling Stones say making music is no different than it was decades ago: We just let it rock on
Surprise! Taylor Swift drops live version of 'Cruel Summer', 'pride and joy' from 'Lover'
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
4 dead in central Washington shooting including gunman, police say
Peckish neighbors cry fowl but mom seeks legal exception for emotional support chickens
European court says Italy violated rights of residents near Naples over garbage crisis