The Hoffman Interviews

We're going to be interview these up-and-coming (ok, they're already here) rippers right here on WakeWorld. As is the tradition, we like to get the readers involved! What do you want to know about Shawna and Raequel (other than an explanation for that weird spelling of Raequel)?

Post your questions here and we just might use them in the interviews. Be sure to indicate whether you want the question directed at 15-year-old Shawna or 18-year-old Raequel. Thanks in advance for your input!

what their favorite trick is, or what their favorite wakeboarding movie is?

(Message edited by lfs56 on August 31, 2007)

Hows it feel to be "Big up and coming" riders?

How competetive are they against each other??

Do you plan to pursue wakeboarding as a career?

to both: Are you both excited to be role models for other upcoming female riders? Any plans to help start a "Maven" type team with CWB?

Shawna, tell us about Robby Carter's reaction when you through this into the back of my truck one morning where he was sleeping

Shawna!!!!!!!! Thats not very nice!!!!! N you had me fooled! I was thinking you were sweet and would never do anything mean!!!!! Poor Robby! I'll bet that was funny to see!!!

one helluva alarm clock!

i like Kevin's question

what are their goals for the 2008 season and in their pro career?

If Raequel ever wants to teach me how to stop OA 7's? and then go on a date

Kong, might have to cut her some slack "somebody" might have told her to do it

"What tricks can we be excpecting from you two in the future?"

For all of you that didn't know they kind of already have the girls team like maven

I was always curious how these young riders get their education. Do they go to high school like 'normal kids' and just ride evenings/weekends, or do they have private tutors like the young tennis pros. If they use tutors...how do I apply for the job?

Young riders? Raequel is 19. They have the best PR machine working for them I have ever seen.If I didn't know I would have thought they invented womens wakeboarding.

how many 18 year olds do you know are stickin' moby dicks? crow mobes? whirlys? 5s and 7s? how many of them are girls?

how many 15 year olds do you know are stickin' tootsies? ts bs 180s? switch heel 3s? how many of them are girls?

Wow, some bitterness. Why is that?

Take it easy buddy. I have no reason to be bitter. They have the best PR in wakeboarding.Whats wrong with that? No need to get hysterical

Chris, they work their butts off, riding all winter in 50 degree water to be ready for the season, they will push woman's riding to another level, they are relentess.

Don't act like I'm being "hysterical" and that you came on here with nothing but good intentions and to compliment the Hoffmans. Anybody reading this with any kind of IQ would know that you're being disingenuous (to grab a word off my Word Of The Day calendar). I was just wondering why you would say what you said, but if you don't want to answer, that's okay.

My daughter is friends with both of them. They have a great PR machine.What is the problem??? I had heard about them about a year before we met them.Again,what is the problem?

Ok.

By the way David my daughter is 15 and podiumed at the last 2 pro events.One of those being the Worlds.I know exactly what the girls are throwing down in competitions

It is becoming clearer, Chris you must be Nicola's dad, she is a ripper with her own big of tricks. Congrats to her on her Worlds run.

Not really sure what you're talking about since I don't recall mentioning what riders are doing in competitions.

However, your last post has made things quite a bit clearer (if that's a word). Considering the fact that I'm sitting here editing a piece on your daughter, Nicola Butler, which will be featured on WakeWorld in the near future, I think I'm going to need a mask and snorkel to make my way out of the pool of irony in which I'm swimming (damn, that's poetic)!

I somewhat agree Chris. I know a teen aged guy from the Nor-Cal area that rides way better than these young ladies. He most likely will not get 10% of the attention though. With that said, I saw the Hoffs ride at Villa Lagos a year ago when I went to watch my friend. They are absolutely for real shredders and seem like good people. I hope they do for wakeboarding what Shaun White is doing for snowboarding. The sport needs people like them before it jumps the shark. Don't believe me? Yeah, the strappers rocked X-Games this summer, oh wait...

I am sorry I said anything.Last thing then we drop it. I know people work really hard and I know the Hoffmans are really dedicated but wakeboarding should,like any other sport,be results based.By the way I voted for Adam Errington as rookie of the year (in the pros).

Just to clarify my post which got jumped on a little, I said 'young' riders because to be that good at 15-19 years old means they've been riding alot for a couple of years. That puts much of their riding solidly in middle/high school, respectively. I was just curious how education works in the elite, young athlete realm, or if they went to high school and just busted their tails on evenings/weekends.

This is starting to remind me of a Little League game for 8 year olds. The parents are absolutely embarrassing! Keep up the great work Dave.

(Message edited by rvh3 on August 31, 2007)

Yeah, the tricks they throw are phenomenal when you consider what the other girls are doing, but there is much more to those girls than their riding skills. My wife and I have had the pleasure of spending some time with them on the lake away from their parents and they are truly very good kids with much more to offer than wakeboarding. Mark and Gina are great parents that work very hard to support the girls in whatever endeavor they choose to pursue.

Don't get me wrong here Chris, let the girls have their moment, Nicola's will come. And when it comes down to it, do the competitions and where you place really mean anything? Isn't it about riding and pursuing something you enjoy?

Isn't the idea of this post to come up with questions to ask them for an interview? Come on, get back on track....

I guess i would be considered part of their PR machine...one of the many people who have had the opportunity to spend time with them and get to know them...and they deserve every last accolade they get. No silver spoon there.

Back on track... what kind of music do you want to hear the next time we ride together?

If the Hoffmans have a good PR machine, it is only as a result of hard work and willingness to put it all on the line in order to learn new tricks and push themselves to new heights. It is my observation that most of their "PR" is by individuals who are as impressed as can be at the determination and drive of these very nice, personable young ladies. Good PR in this case has been earned by who these girls are. Some of us take exception to the insinuation that the positive press that they get is somehow undeserved.

"If I didn't know I would have thought they invented womens wakeboarding." That is a backhanded way of saying that their positive PR is above and beyond what they deserve.

And Chris, while they may not have invented women's wakeboarding, they are daily reinventing women's wakeboarding, and I for one am pretty impressed by what I see from both of them.

ask raequel if she has got shawna in somewhere that is eighteen and older because they look so alike.

Ok. I think I got it.How does anybody know what other girls are"throwing down"?Thats my argument. Its not posted so how do you know what they are doing?This is scary.Its like I'm badmouthing the pope

I don't know the Hoffman girls. Yes, they have gotten a lot of coverage. But why? Because they are an interesting story. Contest results are just a small part of it. When there is coverage, it's well read. People want to hear more about them. Which leads to move coverage. That's how it works. It's all about an interesting story and having those stories well read.

Chris, I don't know you or your daughter, either. It may not be your intention, but you're coming across as sour grapes. What makes Nicola interesting? I guess she must already be, since Dave said he was working on a story about her

Forget about my daughter.This was never meant to be about her.Anybody heard of Raime Merrit?? She consistently throws down Raley's,wrapped KGB's and heel and toe 5's. She is 14 years old.What about Victoria Kulp who won the Nationals in Junior Women with limited sponsorship? Their names deserve to be out there. That is all I am saying.What is wrong with that?

Yeah, the tricks they throw are phenomenal when you consider what the other girls are doing, but there is much more to those girls than their riding skills -norcalrider

I think this is what chris is talking about. It sounds like no one else in womens wakeboard is interesting or fun to watch or other girls don't work hard to get where they are. What about Amber being the only girl @ Worlds to transfer. Nicola throwing back to back 5s in both finals and semi's both times. Melissa, emily, and Dallas also had some very interesting qualities about their ride. I think the Hoffman's are very great riders and girls on and off the water. However it does appear to people not from California that the Hoffman's are the only girls in wakeboarding. I AM NOT DIGGING ON ANYONE ON HERE OR BASHING ANYONE ESPECIALLY THE HOFFMAN GIRLS. Just trying to politely let everyone kind of see what Chris is talking about in his post. There really are two sides to every story and if we only had one person's opinion what kind of board is this. It is great to have different views on this board. I am sure you will find someone that doesn't like David Williams or Wakeworld. Does that make Dave a bad person or the person pointing out their view bad? No it is just their perception thats what makes this country unique.
Hijack
On a side note what alot of people may not know about Chris is what he gave up for Nicola to get where she is today. Nicola came here in Feb 07 with a few basic inverts. So for in 6 months to accomplish what she has done is amazing and a totally different post. However Chris gave up his business in the UK to come here to give his daughter the opportunity. He came to a country where he knew absolutely nobody. Again not trying to make Chris out to be a saint but before you judge him because of his opinion try to know everything before making a post about embarrasing fathers. If my father when i was a kid gave up his entire life for me to pursue my joy of a sport...thats dedication.

My ? for the Hoffman's would be Do they ever plan on moving to an area that would allow them to ride year around in warmer conditions? Orlando or anyplace else?

What do they plan on doing after their wakeboard days are over? Would they take a job in the industry or completely something different?

READ THE TITLE OF THE POST,-
I don't even know Dave, but I can see that he is trying to help everyone in this sport and you guys are ruining it. My suggestion, drop the responses, don't say anything else, get back on topic and let him do his job. Start a new post if you want to give some other up riders props or positive PR, this is not helping them.

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quote:

By Chris Butler (xistential) on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 7:18 am:

Forget about my daughter.This was never meant to be about her.Anybody heard of Raime Merrit?? She consistently throws down Raley's,wrapped KGB's and heel and toe 5's. She is 14 years old.What about Victoria Kulp who won the Nationals in Junior Women with limited sponsorship? Their names deserve to be out there. That is all I am saying.What is wrong with that?

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nothing, except that the title of this thread is "the hoffman interviews," not "other female rider interviews."

my question for the hoffmans; when are you baking me more cookies???

joe, as soon as you do your slingshot review (and if you already did i haven't checked so don't get mad)

Yeah Joe that's what I thought the title was to. Obviously we misread the title....

joe,
i couldnt agree with you more... raequel when do i get some of those awesome cookies again??

oh and i have road with raequel a few and i want to know how in the world do you just keep stomping more and more tricks? !!

see before my last post i had not read all the other posts, but all i have to say is that raequel is really cool, i have never met her sister but i know they throw down, work really hard, take the falls and get back up and to answer who evers question it was about school i know raequel is a regular college student bc i had school with her, and basically they both throw down, and they learn tricks faster than anyone i have met. oh yea and they are nice.

"When you first started, what did your training regiment look like." (ie # hrs per week riding, tramp, coaching, etc.)

Chris- Are you just now figuring this stuff out. Hoffmans and Valdez I hear are both great kids and families. But they get a whole lot more exposure than others who have done more. I think it is a west coast deal. If you notice any rider from the west will get 4 times more coverage on here over other riders.

This is not an insult to any rider. It is just a fact. Nothing bad or evil but a reality.

Natalie, some of the resent list of riders interviews on Wake World.
Justin Harrlson, Texas.
Andrea Gayton, Mexico
Shaviere Josepha, Florida
Randall, SoCal
Shawn Watson, Florida
Don Barrows, Michgan
Anton Katorgin, Russia
Dallas, Florida
Jared Couch, NorCal
Kylie Logan, CO.
Chojnacki sisters, Florida
Chada Sharp, Florida
Ben Losch, AZ.
Christina Prtres, Ecuador.

Four times the coverage then other riders, doesen't look like that to me. Florida leads the way 5 to 2 over Cali.

when was the last time you saw an arkansas rider on here?

just had to put that in lol.


but back on task,

Ask them what its like sharing the spotlight with their sister, does it bug them, is it nice?

First- The Hoffmans are awesome riders. 7s and mobes puts them up there with ANYONE. All I am saying, and I don't mean David W as much as the posters, is that if your west coast you will get tons more stuff written that if you are not.

Randy, Florida 5-2 in write ups on the top riders. Yes but the ratio of the top (pros and vids) of FL to west coast is 20-1. Again- DW doesn't show too much west coast bias (especially considering where he lives ). Put a post or a pic up of a west coaster and there will be 75 responses.

Which means what? That west coasters are the predominate WW people. Maybe it's because we just got internet in the South.

PS: I can't wait to read the Hoffman interview. I hope she says something like "I am going to hand Dallas and AMber their lunch next year at the comps." But she won't. I heard she is a really nice person.

Hey Natalie,I wouldn't say too much if I was you.Its cool.The comp results over time will speak for themseves.Ask Dallas,Amber, Emily.............

How can the Hoffmans get in the hunt for rookie of the year? The older is 2nd. year pro, the younger is still riding AM in "some" comps....Nicola Butler is without hesitation Female Rookie of the year!!!

They should have had male and female rookie of the year....Adam for the male rookie and Nicola for the female rookie....She podium at Portland and at Worlds and is ranked 7th on the PWT and she is only 15 years old!

Natalie,On WW there is the most CA posters and this has been discussed and joked about that it should be called California WW or something to that effect.Now when we see a rider from CA,people that post/live in CA most likely know this rider personally or rode with them so yes there will be more post on a west-coast rider then somewhere where people hardly know their name....but is that more exposure or just a popularity contest on WW?Like stated,David Williams is not just reviewing WC riders.
I think you are just referring to people on WW.I believe there is more exposure then just WW tho WW is pretty awesome place sometimes.

I think that you also have to take into account the fact that Nicola Butler didn't show up on most people's radar until July of this year. With Rookie of the Year voting taking place in August, you really can't expect her to have garnered that much of a following in that little amount of time. Her podium at Worlds took place after most people had already voted. However, from the footage I've seen, this girl rides a lot like Dallas and is going to have plenty of time in the spotlight over the years to come!

Also remember that if this voting was based on contest results only, then there would be no voting. I'd simply be able to calculate the results and Nicola would be the winner. However, the voting is in place to take into account other things like the fact that Joe Voter met Raequel and Shawna at Spring Ride in April of 2006 or they saw Raequel and Shawna ride in The Chick Flick or they ran into the Hoffmans at local events repeatedly over the last few years or blah, blah, blah. The fact is that the Hoffmans have touched a lot of people in the wake community over the years that they've been involved. You can call that a "PR machine" or you can just call it two nice girls that enjoy riding and meeting other wakeboarders.

HH99, Nicola rode in amateur events this year as well. That doesn't preclude her or Shawna from being in the running for Rookie of the Year. To my knowledge, Raequel had not ridden in a pro tournament prior to last years Riders Choice voting. As long as they haven't been in a pro tournament since the last Riders Choice Awards and they have been since, they will be in the running.

This is my first time checking out the discussion boards, i never realized how intense they got. good stuff. Making it in this sport is all about consistency whether it is with your riding or public relations. Contests seem to showcase the consistency of riders. I think they got the harder of the two on lock, PR.

My ?s are for the older of the two... Now that you have some big tricks do you think you can incorporate them into two passes? and then hit that run three times in one weekend?

Blah, blah, blah........That says it all!

HH99, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you've got a daughter riding competitively and that she's not getting the attention you believe she deserves.

Back on topic...

Raequel, what does Shawna do better than you both on and off the water?

Shawna, would you be as serious about wakeboarding if you didn't have your big sister along for the ride?

david, was that you thinking out loud? ;)

Not that Dave needs anybody to stand up for him but I would have to agree.

Yes, it was and I apologize. I've got to learn to keep my trap shut sometimes. Let's just get this thread back on track so we can get a good interview going. Who knows, maybe we'll have a thread with questions for some other ladies soon!

I was going to post something, but it wasn't very positive toward some, so i'll just keep it to myself.

Their real cool. Question is "when do I get to ride the new Epic wake?" Great people to hang with, solid family, and the best thing is they are so modest about their riding, and I appreciate that more than anything. They may be the womens version of Parks and Shane. See you girls this weekend at Spanky's rail jam.

i remember a great rider interview a while back when the ride said, he was happy that his parents never got into the sport. am i the only person that appreciated that comment?

remember when wakeboarding was about wakeboarding?

from what i've heard, the hoffman's seem to represent the sport nicely and i wish them luck.

The Hoffman's don't need a PR machine. Their PR is self generated by being two of the coolest girls around. They are amazingly talented and down to earth girls that have earned heaps of respect out here on the west coast. In turn it has gotten them a ton of exposure.

PR Machine.... Ha, ha.. That's actually pretty amuzing when you think about it. They're as grass roots as it gets. They've just gotten corporate support in the last year or so.

Chris, be careful. You're going about getting your daughter attention in exactly the wrong way. That is why the Hoffman's have been so successful. They let their riding do the talking and their parents have never pushed their presence here or anywhere else. Let it go.... Just be glad there are girls out there pushing wakeboarding. Maybe one day these talented athletes will make a respectable living wakeboarding.

The Hoffman girl's are great rider's and girl's.They have great attitudes and are good for the sport, love to watch them ride. Hey Randy what kind of snake was that?

That's a Victoria Slough Snake. Very common to see them swimming around while you ride in Vics.

"You're going about getting your daughter attention in exactly the wrong way. That is why the Hoffman's have been so successful. They let their riding do the talking and their parents have never pushed their presence here or anywhere else. Let it go.... Just be glad there are girls out there pushing wakeboarding."
Exactly what I have been thinking! Well put Evan!!

Question--What do you girls do for fun when you are not on the water?

How do you like being part of the CWB Family?

This thread is hilarious

I don't base my opinion of someone on their father.


Q-If/when you get a pro model board what kind of board would you design, ie graphics, 3-stage or continuous?

Now that they're riding for Epic, when do they get their Epic boat or do they not?

Having to drive probably the equivalent of the length of florida and still being the first ones to show up for a 7am video shoot 3 years ago says it all in my mind. (with no guarantees the footage would even get used BTW.)

The girls have put the work in and this family has put the time in, they are getting nothing more then their due.

Hey CIE, for the very, very, very, last time. This has nothing at ALL to do with my daughter .You are about 4 days behind. Think you can let it go now.ALL of us on the East coast have got the message. LOUD and CLEAR. OK??? What do you want from us .Sackcloth and ashes?

how much of their time do they spend riding with their family, and how much time with coaches etc?

do they prefer comp, or freeriding?

Chris.... I was away from the computer for the weekend, but heard of this thread through the grapevine (small world isn't it). I came on here to check it out. Sorry if I'm four days late. This isn't directed at any coast. I think the east coast/west coast thing is absolutely rediculous. There are great riders the country (world) over. All this has to do with is you coming on here spouting off at the mouth, er keyboard, with inappropriate comments. It's really not what this thread was even supposed to be about. People get exposure for a lot of different reasons. There are, and always have been athletes that haven't gotten their fair respect. A lot of it is for a reason. You earn respect. You don't create it through a "PR machine".

Allow your daughter all the chances you can give her. Keep a positive attitude and encourage one in her. If she's really the rider/person you think she is then she'll earn her own place in the wakeboarding world. I've seen a lot of parents ruin their kids potential by being overzealous.

I'm not trying to attack you. I'm just giving a heads up, from my experience, that this is a very public forum.

Allright... I'm done.

Dave, Ask the girls how they're so fearless. What gives them the courage to get beat-up and keep trying.

You have got no idea what I've sacrificed to give my daughter her chance. Anyway thanks. I'm also done

this is starting to sound a bit like the level 10 gymnast thread!

I don't think Chris is making inappropiate comments. I truely think he spoke what everyone (except the people from CA) have thought for a long time. No disrespect for the Hoff girls by any means. It is great that they can get the PR they do especially for women's wakeboarding. Any positive PR for women's wakeboarding is exactly what the sport needs. I can not speak for Chris but I have heard people remark many many times about how much PR they get. Truthfully isn't every girl or man dedicated to this sport. I have heard some stories of Dallas' training and comitment for the sport and I don't think it is that much different than what the Hoffman girls do. I understand they are very nice people but isn't every girl wakeboarder a nice person off the water? I just think there are other girls (however not many) doing the same tricks and same personality as the girls and being the same age or younger. When you read threads about the Hoffman girls it just reads to an outsider that they are the only girls out their doing anything for womens wakeboarding. I understand this thread is about them and again congrats to them, but it is even in other threads that come across this way. Maybe Chris should have picked some different words, or maybe some of us should step back and look at both sides also. Isn't this what discussion boards are about is opinions?
AGAIN NO DISRESPECT TO THE GIRLS. KEEP UP THE POSITIVE PR FOR THE WOMEN!!!!

"Isn't this what discussion boards are about is opinions?"

yes, this is what discussion boards are for. however, this particular thread is/was about an upcoming interview with the Hoffman sisters. since Chris came on, it veered away from that.