Extreme sports enthusiast Scott Smith has broken 42 bones in his body over time. He’d rather his children, follow in his footsteps, would make softer landings.
That’s the main reason he’s behind a proposal to bring The Trick Pit to Driggs.
Partners Matt Prindle and Skyler Hansen, both 20, are ready to build The Trick Pit, an indoor action sports training center geared toward extreme sports enthusiasts and youngsters who just want a place to hang out, watch TV or do homework. Their goal is to establish their business in the Driggs, City Center.
“It’ll be like a skate plaza, with ramps and drop-ins,” said Prindle. “The main focus is the foam pit, so kids can come in and train without getting hurt.”
The facility will offer skateboarders, BMX riders, scooters, snowboarders and skiers of ever skill level some serious air time. They can try just about any trick or skill set, from going little to going huge, double backflips, whatever they want to try, all with a soft landing.
“We’ll have some other training resources, like a resi-jump,” Prindle said.
The resi-jump is a normal jump that’s filled with foam and covered in plastic.
“If you land on your shoulder you won’t get as hurt as landing on concrete,” he said, “and you can still ride out your tricks.”
“It’s the step between the foam and the cement,” said Hansen.
The partners also want the facility available to the Targhee and Jackson ski teams, Hansen said.
Smith said his youngsters, Garret, 8, and Brody, 6, are avid skiers on the Targhee Alpine team. Rather than take them to Park City, Utah to practice aerials, “this would be a place for kids to go and learn their aerials without breaking bones.”
“What we need is foam,” Prindle said.
“Our goal is to have a 20 x 30 x 6-foot foam pit,” Hansen said. “It would cost a good $15,000-20,000 just for the foam.”
“We can open up once we get that going,” said Prindle. “There are so many people in the valley that, this is what they do. Kids do sports, they don’t go to the mall and shop.”
The partners will offer their own expertise along with coaches who will teach backflips and other maneuvers.
“Everyone’s really excited about it,” Hansen said. “It should be really big.”
So will the space they need. The partners said they’re shooting for the north end of the Driggs, City Center.
The Teton Indoor Sports Academy occupies about 4,000 square feet in the north end of the building. Mayor Dan Powers said about 11,000 square feet remain available. The Trick Pit will bring its proposal before the city council Aug. 17.
“The space would definitely work for us right now, but I can see us growing in resources fairly quickly and eventually might need more space once we are established and start expanding,” said Prindle.
“I want to donate roller skis and hopefully, I can help get some money raised up, to make it successful,” said Smith,. “ I really want it to work for those kids. They want to make a pledge that it will be a drug-free environment. That’s the place I’m looking for, for my kids to be handing out.”
“We want a place where the parents don’t have to worry about their kids getting into a bad environment,” Hansen said.
Prindle said the partners want The Trick Pit to also be the hangout for kinds in town.
“After school, come down and do your homework. We’ll have couches, tables, TVs,” he said.
Smith, a consultant for excavation companies through his company, Dirtwork Solutions, said he will use his expertise “to help them any way possible, raise money, put prices together for season and day and half day prices, and help bring them into the business world.”
Smith said he grew up as an extreme skiing enthusiast, and has been involved in extreme mountain biking and whitewater kayaking. He’s pioneered many first descents down mountain-bike trails.
“I go and try to find new things to do, and now that all my bones are broken, I’m trying to get my kinds into this foam pit so they don’t have to break their bones learning, like I did.”
Eventually, the partners hope to market their own line of skateboards and accessories. Prindle, a freelance graphic and web designer has developed logos, graphics and a website, www.thetrickpit.com.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to help the guys out,” said Smith, “because they’re definitely good kids. I think this is the greatest thing, and I think a lot of parents and a lot of kids are going to get on board. It’s going to be a great environment because all the kids are into extreme sports, and this is the safest way to learn. I hope the community grabs it.”
“It seems like it might be a good fit,” said Powers. “They’re ambitious, on-the-ball guys. I think the potential is there.”
For more information and to help the partners get The Trick Pit off the ground, contact them at info@thetrickpit.com or visit their website at thetrickpit.com.

Searching for a softer landing

Passion fuels New business idea with Trick Pit

by Hope Strong

Watching young athletes defy gravity on skateboards, snowboards and skis often begs the question of when and how they stuck that first jump. The learning curve can be unforgiving it’s made of concrete or hard-packed powder.
Taking freestyle sports seriously during all seasons, two valley locals are putting the pieces in place to establish a facility for learning the moves necessary to accomplish heroic acts on all things with wheels an rails.
Matt Prindle and Skyler Hansen are two 20-year-old men who are currently exploring the valley for the best place to build their business, the Trick Pit, a safe and exciting place for athletes to improve their bag of tricks. Whether it’s on BMX bikes or boards, these guys are trying to set up a shop that will offer the opportunity to acquire the skills to inspire the confidence necessary to throw moves on things a little harder than foam.
“We fear the unknown, but that’s where are the treasures are – so don’t worry about failure.” Prindle advises the novice who’s about to huck his junk. “Worry about all the changes and opportunities you will miss our on when you don’t even try.”
A foam pit different from the Fifth Street Skate Park, will be open year-round and will offer a soft landing for those learning their edges a little better. Hoping to eventually offer a ski and snowboard element to their budding business, Prindle and Hansen will focus first on establishing a facility for BMX and skateboards.
Though the Trick Pit is currently looking for a home in Driggs ,the business assets currently consist of a setup purchased from a similar operation in Salt Lake City. Included in that is a resi jump, the halfway point between a foam pit and full commitment… the concrete. A resi jump is a well-known option in the bicycle of cyclists and skaters who are upping the ante on their tricks. It consists of plastic surface with foam underneath to cushion landing that are not yet perfected
While the Trick Pit will be geared towards raising the bar for aspiring, safety will be a priority with helmets and pads a must. Though Prindle and Hansen have their own gear, they’re working to get enough inventory to offer rentals.
“You can only go so far, so fast with money earned from mowing lawns and freelance graphic design,” Prindle said.
With a lot of the elements in place already, Prindle and Hansen are looking for a home. Options include the Driggs Community Center, as high ceilings and concrete floors are really the main requirement in order that jumps can be set up. Other options include the yellow warehouse on the old Stock Lumber property located just east of the Driggs Municipal Parking Lot just off Main Street or another large building located behind the Best Western. Anyone with additional ideas regarding location is encouraged to call Matt Prindle at 909-451-3789.
While these guys are getting set up this summer, you can visit their website, www.thetrickpit.com, to find out more information and get acquainted with the technology behind this new valley business. If you don’t do anything else, be sure to check out the three-minute video on the site that illustrates why a foam pit is a good idea in the first place.
While the boys at the Trick Pit hope to offer training camps in addition to video and photography workshops in conjunction with Teton Gravity Research, the first big step will be finding a home.