If you are a sponsored athlete in snowboarding, where does that place you?

Question

What are the definitions of being a rookie, an amateur, semi-pro and professional snowboarder?

Answer 1

A sponsored snowboarder is a rider who accepts products from a sponsor to use while riding or at certain functions.  The rider is a representative for that company's product.   Sponsors usually requite appearances at competitions and events.  The sponsor pays for some or all expenses for the comp or event.  

A rookie is a beginner.  In terms of competing, this would be the first season.  You could have a rookie season as an amateur, and then have a rookie season as a pro later on.

An amateur is someone who competes, but is not paid to do so.  An am can win prize money. You could be sponsored or not sponsored.  

A semi-pro rider is someone who is paid to ride, but does not make a living at riding.

A pro is someone who makes a living at riding.  

Semi-pro and Pros are sponsored.

Answer 2

I would say that a rookie would be someone 1st year sponsership or something.  

Amateur and Semi Pro are the same thing. Both get paid. But the pro gets paid a bit more.

Answer 3

Rookie- Can snowboard and turn and brake and take small jumps and do a handful of tricks.

Amateur-A few yrs experience, knows how to ride in powder but hasn't perfected, also starting to experience the terrain park and landing most average tricks tricks like 360 grabs and rail/boxes.

Semi-Pro-Prob over 5-7yrs experience and is competing in events and has mastered all basic tricks and is moving into perfecting inverted moves and big spins with pretty darn big jumps.

Pro-Again anywhere from 5-7yrs up prob, has inverted, 720 grabs and rail combos downpacked to a science off of some monster jumps and cliffs and can consider it a paying job and has commitments to respecting there contract for so many races a year plus other clauses.

All in my opinion