A 1-year-old from Park City, Utah, is gaining notoriety for her remarkable prowess on a snowboard, but also for her gleeful expressions while riding the slopes.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zgPFvAIlVQ]
The accompanying video shows Maeve Perry receiving her first lessons – and looking like a natural – from parents John and Melissa Perry.
“Just a little break from your day to see the cutest little one year old snowboarding at Woodward and Park City over the holidays,” John Perry wrote on Instagram.
Snug in her turquoise outfit, purple-patterned gloves and white helmet, Maeve executes a flawless first run into daddy’s arms. Later in the footage, as Maeve’s speed increases, her smile widens.
Quite possibly, however, eating fresh snow and soaring across the landscape in a chairlift with her parents and older brother, Johnny, were comparable highlights for the toddler.
John Perry told For The Win Outdoors that the footage was captured on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Woodward Park City and Park City Mountain.
“We try and give our kids the option to do all the activities we love together as a family,” he said. “My son, Johnny, learned to snowboard when we was 14 months old, the same week he learned how to walk.
“We get them exposed to being in ski socks, heavy ski gear and helmets first and then take them to the mountain. This makes it really easy for them to transition.”
Perry said Johnny helped Maeve prepare for her first snowboarding trip by pulling her around in the house on a board, in full gear.
The YouTube video showing Maeve’s snowboarding adventure has garnered 25,000 views, and Perry’s Instagram clip also has been widely viewed. Several media outlets have picked up on the story, helping to spread the cuteness.
Said Perry: “A lot of people also ask if we want our kids to be Olympians or go to the X Games and the answer is no. We just want them to enjoy snowboarding, hopefully as much as we do.”
–Video and images are courtesy of John Perry