Parks Bonifay | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 68

Explicit content warning

10/01/24 • 152 min

It would be hard to argue that anyone single person has done more for the sport of wakeboarding, both on the water and off, than Parks Bonifay. You can tell he lives, eats, and breathes this lifestyle, and it shows. Parks was the youngest person to ever waterski, invented several tricks, filmed tons of video parts, won even more contests, and has pushed the boundaries of what is possible on a wakeboard. While a lot of riders might step away from the scene as they end their riding career, Parks has embraced the sport, continuing to keep up with the evolution of wakeboarding. You can feel the passion in his voice when he speaks about riding, Parks is truly a gem in the watersports industry. Ski baby, ugly board graphics, Byerly, knee injuries, getting banned from the masters, MTV cribs, Jackass, video parts, barefooting behind an F1 car, Ronix, Wakelab, and the future of the sport. Hear all that and much more in Episode 68 of the Grab Matters Podcast!
Follow Parks: https://www.instagram.com/parxxx/
Chapters:
00:00 - 2:00 Intro
2:20 Ski Baby
10:00 Why is Parks still involved?
12:00 Shifting from athlete to ambassador
13:50 Why is wakeboarding special?
16:00 Waterskiing
17:20 Ski baby
21:00 First time wakeboarding
27:00 First sponsors
30:00 X-Games
33:30 LF’n Wheel of Questions
38:20 Freemotion
44:40 Hyperlite
47:10 Shane Bonifay
52:20 Byerly influence
56:50 Biggest win
59:55 Knee injuries
1:10:00 Contests
1:13:00 Banned from Masters
1:18:40 Question from Raph Derome
1:25:30 Wakelab
1:28:30 Rail riding
1:39:30 MTV Cribs
1:42:10 Driftline “Deserves Some Love”
1:43:00 Parents inspiration
1:49:20 Jackass
1:54:45 Ronix
1:58:25 RedBull
2:11:00 Currently
2:14:10 Setup
2:22:00 Future of wakeboarding
2:29:30 Thank you’s
Links:
Parks Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjqjl0Qal44
Wakelab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpcZJDcFkWw
Incomplete: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W-SKoK8zrI
Shane Bonifay Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNnN6UOeVOo&t=7685s

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Previous Episode

T.J. Giesey | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 67

Back to back weeks with wakeskaters on the pod? You're damn right. T.J. has been around the wakeskate scene for what feels like forever. Getting started wakeboarding behind a small Boston Whaler, T.J. quickly shifted to wakeskating once he realized he and his friends would need a much bigger boat if they wanted continue to progress on their wakeboards. From there T.J. made the move from Miami up to Orlando to continue to entrench himself in wakeskating. Riding with the likes of Andrew Pastura and Nick Taylor T.J. has had some impressive wakeskating in his own right, including a killer section in Human Rocket. Wakeskating.com, Sfumato, blunts on a wakeboard, winch etiquette, owning spots, The Wakeskate Tour, Suwannee, and kickflipping wakeboards. Hear all that and much more in Episode 67 of the Grab Matters Podcast!
Follow TJ: https://www.instagram.com/tjgiesey/
Chapters:
00:00 - 2:00 Intro
7:00 Getting into wakeboarding
18:25 First wakeskate
20:00 Wakeskating.com
27:15 Sfumato
28:30 First contest
36:00 Moving to Orlando
45:00 First time in Europe
50:30 Best thing done on a skate
52:12 LF’n Wheel of Questions
1:13:30 Blunts on a wakeboard?
1:15:40 Sponsors
1:19:00 Riding crew
1:21:50 Riding with Andrew
1:28:17 Driftline “Deserves Some Love”
1:30:30 Water Monsters/Remote
1:46:30 Suwannee
2:00:00 The Wakeskate Tour
2:02:00 Suwannee build
2:30:34 Wakeskating currently
2:38:20 Is wakeskating too hard?
2:45:00 Winch etiquette
2:58:00 Best premiere
3:03:00 Winching “tips”
3:09:00 Gas Vs Electric winches
3:16:30 Kickflipping wakeboards
Links:
Human Rocket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRoEu0a3iWQ&t=921s

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Next Episode

Gavin Stuckey | The Grab Matters Podcast - Episode 69

Gavin Stuckey is easily one of the biggest names in cable wakeboarding right now, meaning one of the Stuckey brothers is an odds on favorite to win just about every contest they enter. However, Gavin has separated himself from his brother Trent in both his riding style as well as the videos he puts out. After having an incredible 2023 season, the rumors started swirling whether or not Gavin would leave the brand he has been with his entire career, Ronix. After some back and forth, Gavin ended up moving over to Liquid Force, and we dive into the “why” behind that decision. We’re also talking Gavin’s early influences, Points Chase, the Stuckey custom Unit feature, Status, Grounded, his relationship with his brother, competitive mindset, and how the Stuckey’s afford to travel throughout the year. Hear all that and much more in Episode 69 of the Grab Matters Podcast!
Follow Gavin: https://www.instagram.com/gavinstuckey/
Thank you to our sponsors:
Liquid Force: https://www.liquidforce.com/
Grab Matters Merch | https://www.grabmatters.com/shop
Website | https://www.grabmatters.com/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/grabmatters/
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@grabmatterspodcast
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/grabmatters
Hunter Thane | https://www.instagram.com/hunterthane/
Chapters:
00:00 - 3:00 Intro
5:00 3 Types of rail hits
8:50 Getting into wakeboarding
13:00 Points Chase
16:00 Early Influences
17:50 Guest Question from the Cohen Brothers
39:20 LF’n Wheel of Questions
52:30 Custom Unit Feature
56:00 Guest Question from Momma Stuckey
1:07:45 Ronix
1:21:00 Breakout years
1:23:40 Status
1:30:15 Guest Question from Johnny D
1:36:40 Leaving Ronix
1:50:00 Setup
1:55:00 Relationship with Trent
2:03:30 Guest Question from Trent Stuckey
2:12:00 Contests
2:19:00 Flipping couches
2:21:40 Patreon Questions
2:28:00 ROTY Board
2:32:00 Thank You’s
Links:
Sincerely Trent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3MPpLs93Zg&t=483s
Status: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxTL1wDKbtg
Forty Eight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afaAkZ-G1NM
Grounded: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQDEwKZ7YRY