When you talk about Australian snowboarding Ryan Tiene is a name thatcomes up pretty quick. Tiene started competing when he was 15 and madewaves pretty quickly on the international scene. Over the last 15 yearsTiene has travelled the world snowboarding everything from parks tobackcountry everywhere from Whistler to Japan.Tiene has slowed down on the competition side of things and is now isready to pass on all the knowledge, experience and passion on to thenext generation of snowboarders. Turn and Burn Snowboard Camps is Ryan'snewest project and it is a game changer. The vision is to 'not onlymould young athletes into great snowboarders but also nurture them intogreat people'. Such an incredible chance for younger boarders to learnfrom one of the best in the industry.Tiene has been part of the Rhythm team for 6 years and that is becausehe is down to earth, driven and passionate about snowboarding. We had achat to Ryan to find out more about the next chapter for his career.

This isn't your first gig coaching, you were the head coach of theMountain Academy Snowboard Park Program and have coached in Colorado.You obviously feel really passionate about teaching young people, do youhave a favourite thing about coaching?

Yeah I've been doing stuff for years, some guest coaching here andthere, Torah Bright mini shred, Futures etc but last year I took up afull-time head coaching job in Colorado and then coached the Academypark program at Thredbo. I think my favourite thing about coaching iswatching kids that are really scared to try something when you as acoach know they can do it and they will be fine! When they overcometheir fear and land. The pure joy I see on their faces when they dosomething they think they can't or are really scared to try!

You have a team of coaches at Turn and Burn, who is on your team?I have a great team with me Oscar Alston, Troy Sturrock, Rebecca Middlinand Jackson Holtham and we are adding some more coaches for our Ausseason programs!

Is there something that makes your camps different to other snowboarding camps?

I think our camps are more of an experience than a lot of camps outthere. Coming from a pro background I know a bunch of pros so I'm ableto get them to come guest coach and hang out and snowboard with thekids. I have made my camps with a 4/1 coach-athlete ratio so the kidscan get the most out of the camps, some camps out there have 8+ and Ifeel kids can get lost with that many in a group. One other thing I'mpassionate about is not having coaches that can't snowboard at a highlevel themselves. I'll use myself as an example here but when I'mtalking to a kid about trying a trick or doing something new I know thefear and what's going on between the ears and we can also show the kidshow to do trick not just tell them and I think that's key!

Are the kids just learning how to snowboard better or is there more to it?

Not at all, I mean that's what they are there for but that's not allthat I want from my camps, the most important thing for me is that everykid goes home so stoked and happy. I want to make sure everyone thatcomes to our camp is going to be a snowboarder for life!

We've seen the Instagram page and the videos you have made after the camps, you obviously place an importance on social media?

I've come from that world and realise the importance of social media andI find it fun. I also know that all kids want to post stuff and showtheir friends and family what they are up to. If I can supply that andthen more people see what we are up to and hopefully that helps get morekids on our camps.

Are you still competing or has your focus changed to coaching full time now?

Focused has changed a little for sure I'm not making as much money as Iwas a few years ago so it's hard to do what I was doing with not muchfinancial backing.

You have featured in a lot of Australia snowboarding movies, will you still be filming coming into the 2018 season?

I'm hoping to do something in Aus this year I really want to make asplit boarding mini movie in Aus but it just a matter of if I can findthe backing to hire a filmer etc but it's something I really want to do.