Name: Nataly Conner
Age: 14
Where you are from: Napa, California
Where you like to ride: Lake Berryessa
Background Info: My name is Nataly Conner, I am 14 years old and I currently attend Napa High School as a freshman. I was raised on the water, and I started waterskiing when I was 2 and by the time I turned 7 I was wakeboarding. The water is my second home, it entertains me and everything draws me to it. What can I say, I’m a water baby! I live on 42 acres in the mountains of Lake Berryessa, five minutes from the launch ramp. I love to go dirt biking in the winter in Hollister Hills with my parents. I have a dirt bike track in my backyard that I should probably use more than I do. I love to hike in the mountains behind my house whenever I get the chance. I have a 2005 Master Craft X-Star that lives in our boat shed right behind my house. It is sacked out with over 2,000 pounds of water that is filled in the spring and isn’t drained until the winter, man that water sure has its journeys. I have two baby goats (Sugar and Sunny), two dogs (Sassy and Jaroo), and two cats (Wacky and Cry Baby). My pit bull Sassy is my baby, she travels with my family everywhere we go and she sleeps with her head on my pillow. She is certifiably crazy but she is definitely the cutest dog I’ve ever seen! I love to be crazy and have a blast, but I’m focused and serious when I need to be. My friends make my world go round, I don’t know what I would do without them. My most visited website is Myspace.com, some people say I’m addicted to it. Being a 14 year old girl is hectic and sometimes I feel like giving up, but wakeboarding is always there for me to fall back on.
Accomplishments:
            •           2006 Norcal WWA Jr. Novice 12 and Under Champion
            •           2007 Norcal WWA Women’s Intermediate Champion
            •           2008 Intermediate King of the Delta Series Champion
            •           2008 2nd place Norcal INT Jr. Intermediate (qualified for nationals but was unable to attend due to an emergency appendectomy)
            •           2008 became a member of the Norcal Hyperlite team
            •           2009 Norcal Hyperlite Team Rider
What is your set-up?
Hyperlite Syn/Tribute with Atlas Bindings
Accurate Handle and Rope
O’Neill Vest

What do you like most about wakeboarding?
There is so much that I love about wakeboarding. It’s the one thing that truly is mine, the one thing that I chose I wanted to do because it made me happier than ever. When I first saw someone wakeboard, I knew I wanted to do that some day. From the minute I strapped on my first wakeboard I knew I wanted to go somewhere with the sport. It’s the most amazing feeling when I’m on the water. The feeling of the board on my feet and the wind blowing my hair makes everything fall perfectly into place. Wakeboarding makes everything go away. Whenever I’m on the water, everything else doesn’t matter, everything that happened that day suddenly goes away and all I think about is what I’m doing on the water and how happy it makes me. The adrenaline rush that it gives me is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced in my life. The thing that most people don’t notice is all of the sounds you hear when you’re riding. All of the sounds complete wakeboarding for me, the sound of the water, the music bouncing off the mountains, the sound of me breathing deeply, and most of all the sound of my thoughts. It all is essential to ever single riding session of mine. The competitions make everything worth it. I wouldn’t work as hard as I do if I didn’t compete. Competing makes wakeboarding my sport, rather than just something I do in my free time. Free riding is my time to shine. It’s my chance to go out and have fun doing any trick I want. It’s full of smiles, laughter, singing, and goofing around. When I’m wakeboarding I know I can be myself, and I don’t have to pretend to be anything I’m not. Wakeboarding accepts me as a community and as a sport, and that’s all I want. The thing that I love the most about wakeboarding that most people hate the most is waking up early. I love getting up at the crack-of-dawn to go ride. I absolutely love the way the lake looks when we push through the butter to our favorite riding spot. Once we get there everyone crosses their fingers that someone else will go first, but my secret: I LOVE GOING FIRST! What’s not to like about it? You get the best water, you get to warm up before everyone else, and everyone gets jealous when you get the best ride of the day. But finally, I love how long it takes me to strap up to ride. It bugs everyone so much, and everyone makes fun of me for it. But I just take my time because I’m in to rush to get on the water, it’s not going anywhere. It gives me the chance to think about everything I want to do. I think about how much I love wakeboarding and how I wouldn’t trade it for the world. So basically, wakeboarding has stolen my heart and isn’t ever giving it back.

It is intimidating to learn new tricks. How do you conquer your fears, and push yourself to constantly improve your riding?
I get really intimidated when I go to learn new tricks. When I first started riding the progression was consistent, and then I got to the point where I was afraid to progress for awhile. The fear of getting hurt went through my head every time I went to try the new trick. So I would “chicken out” and just ride. I’m still learning how to overcome all of my fears on the water. What really helps me is thinking about how I got to the point I’m at today. You won’t get any better until you make yourself better. Progression doesn’t come naturally, you have to work for it.

Would you rather…be known for your style, amplitude (how big you go), or technicality?
I would rather be known for my style. For me, my riding is all about my style. Anyone can muscle their way through a trick, but it takes something special to add flare to a trick and make it your own. A rider’s style is unique. Other riders will always have the same tricks as you, but when you add your style, theirs will never be the same as yours.

There are more girls getting into wakeboarding now than ever before. What advice do you have for other girls that want to improve but are intimidated by the boys?
This situation goes both ways. Girls get intimidated by guys that are better than them, but guys get intimidated by the girls that are better than them. In my personal experience, the guys have pushed me to do better in competitions. Just don’t let the guys intimidate you, in the end we’re all out there to achieve one goal: to have fun. We are all doing what we love so learn from them and let them challenge you to be better.

A lot more focus is being put on designing girls products lately. If you were allowed to design your own product line, what would it look like?
I would make it shiny and sparkly with bright neon colors throughout the pattern. The board would be a continuous rocker because I love fast boards. Of course it would be Hyperlite, and that’s the way I would paint my Tribute/Syn inspired board.

Would you rather…ride like Raquel, Shawna, Amber Wing, Dallas, Nicola, Shelby, or Emily?
Raquel. She’s an amazing rider and I’ve always looked up to her. She rides with the boys and goes big. I’ve always aspired to ride like that, and one day I hope I can ride just like her.

Name one pro wakeboarder you would like to meet and why.
I would really love to meet Dallas Friday. She’s gone through so much in her wakeboarding career and I think it would be really cool to hear all of her stories and how she started wakeboarding. I really think I could relate to her, and learn from her as well.

Would you rather… be pro for a year and never be allowed to wakeboard again…or be able to wakeboard for the rest of your life but be limited to only grabs and 180’s?
I would rather be both but if I really had to choose I would pick being able to wakeboard for the rest of my life but being limited to only grabs and 180’s. Sure, being pro for a year would be a blast but when you really look at it, being able to wakeboard for the rest of your life is a lifetime of memories that you would never get with just a year of being pro. Being limited to certain tricks might be hard at first but in the end it’s all worth it because you’re still doing what you love.

What are your goals for 2009?
I want to progress majorly, I don’t want to stay in the same spot I am now. I want to get better and stand out a lot more. I want to continue on the road I’m going on and have each ride be another “Progression Session”.

Would you rather…only be able to spin or only be able to flip?
I would rather only be able to spin. In my opinion, spinning adds a lot more style and flare to a person’s riding.

Would you rather…ride the Delta in January without a wetsuit or try a raley?
This answer is a matter of being hardcore or progressing. How about trying a raley in the Delta in January without a wetsuit? That would be my choice.

What tricks did you learn last year?
I really improved my riding and I learned some little things, like a tic-toc and a switch toeside wake to wake 180. I also started working on a toeside front roll.

What tricks would you like to learn this year?
There are not really any specific tricks that I would like to learn.  If it’s a trick that I can’t do, teach me it. I’m willing to learn it all.

Who would you like to thank?
My parents, Jon Haddox, Dan Rajeski Jr., Joe Sassanrath, Mike Schwenne, Dan Bright, Jake Weaver, Norcal Hyperlite, West Coat Camps, the Wirth family, the Petritis family, the Ingolia family,  and most of all the NLB.
Oh and my puppy Sassy for watching me ride