What was your main motivation to be the rider that changed BMX with tricks like 1080, quadruple whip, among others?

Thank you very much for the kind compliments! So at age 18 years old, I actually started riding a box jump. Prior to that I never actually rode big ramps. I only rode small ramps that were usually anywhere between a couple feet and 6 feet high- those were my normal

 sized ramps. So when I finally built up the confidence to go very fast and use bigger box jumps, the tricks I did on the small ramps were pretty easy as I was used to doing them already. So let’s say a double tailwhip on a ramp that was only 4 feet high- then

 when I built confidence to go faster on a bigger ramp, the double tailwhip was pretty easy and then moved on to a triple tailwhip.

Then for myself, just like when I did tricks on small ramps, my biggest motivation was to do things that I never saw anyone else do. That was what I was most excited about! So completing the first 1080, especially knowing that a lot of professionals that I looked

 up to all my life were not able to pull it off, was my motivation to get it done. Just like other times that I pulled off tricks that no one else had done before. So there was some bonus at the end of a contest- if I pulled off a trick that nobody ever did in a competition, in addition to my other tricks, that I would place top 3 or even win a contest by pulling off my run!

In the darkest moments of your life than BMX, what role did you play and why did you hold onto BMX?

BMX plays a huge role! My darkest days were when I was 16 and my mom had died, in addition to my ankle being broken a month prior. BMX was my escape from reality. It was very crazy, I think about it all the time and I surprised myself how I came out of that. I

 really don’t know how I did or if I could imagine going through those dark days again, definitely doesn’t bring up good memories. But what it does do, is it showcases the friendships I made over the years which are very very important. And I am still friends

 with everyone from those days, which is going back about 17 years!

We all know that the period from 97 to 2010 was the most beautiful time of bmx...How was that era and what do you remember about it? 

First I have to say that it is a great era today as well! The riders are amazing and the progression has been crazy! And before COVID, the contests were consistent around the world. We did also just have BMX park in the Olympics, so I just have to say that to my

 eyes, it’s been amazing for the sport the last few years. The Olympics gave it a major kick in the right direction, and assisted in the creation of consistent contests worldwide!

My era was 2006-2011 and it was a great time! For me the first 2 years 2006-2007, my head was still in the clouds just being super pumped that I was riding with the guys that I looked up to all my life! And I was still starstruck as I was riding and hanging out

 with the best guys in the world- Dave Mirra, Daniel Dhers, and Jamie Bestwick to name a few. In 2008 was when it got more professional for me. I had a standard of how I had to perform and keep up with what I expected of myself, in addition to keeping up with

 what my sponsors expected of me, which is of course great pressure! And when I did the quad whip that year was amazing! But it’s definitely a game changer when riding your bike goes from just something fun you love to do, to being your full time job!

We all know your life as a super star but few know what it cost you to get there so what were your biggest challenges to become a legend in this beautiful lifestyle?

That is a great compliment, thank you again! Maybe to put it simply, I always wanted to progress with the things that I loved to do. I was never satisfied no matter what I was able to accomplish on the bike. Whether it was winning a contest or doing a new trick

 that had never been done before, I’m always thinking about what is next. And to never feel you are done, because in freestyle BMX as well as life today, we are never done! We just try to continue setting the bar higher and higher, and this mentality does take

 a toll on your mental state. To have the winning mindset can take even more of a toll than the physical side of your body. Most athletes I’m sure would agree with this, although some can have that winning mindset but their body is the one that goes first. 

To this day, what do you feel knowing that you fulfilled everything that the 17-year-old mike dreamed of?

I don’t think I could have even imagined how far bike riding could have taken me! I would definitely be very proud of myself for accomplishing a lot of “firsts”. Pulling off the first 1080, 720 whip, 360 triple tailwhip, and the quadruple tailwhip- and then

 being able to put those into contest runs so I could win the contests around the world and make a living doing it! Couldn’t even be able to imagine myself doing it, so it’s definitely living in a dream!

If you could talk with the 15-year-old Mike, with the 25-year-old Mike, what would you say to him?

Good question! Haha- well the 25 year old Mike would tell the 15 year old Mike “Okay man you’re about to travel the world, do tricks nobody has ever done, and win a bunch of BMX contests!” The 15 year old Mike would not believe it. 

There are many boys out there suffering from depression, strong drug addictions and living very badly, many boys who have not tried BMX out of fear, what message would you give them? 

Well I know firsthand when I was 16 years old with my mom passing away- riding my bike was what kept my mind off the negative and only focused on the positive of progressing and riding every day! However, there should always be a balance. And I got good at riding

 a bike because that’s all I did 7 days a week, 4-8 hours a day! Which I wouldn’t say is the most healthy mentally and physically, but it’s much better than the alternative for anybody suffering from depression. Any sport from BMX to skateboarding to football

 and hockey- putting that energy into something that can have a positive outcome and making lifelong friendships is always better!

Mike

 spinner was the rider who at my 12 years old caused me a feeling of immense emotion and was the one who started this passion for bmx, out there in the world there are many children and people who think the same of you as well What message would you give to

 the world so that it never gives up and never stops dreaming?

My message would be that anybody is capable of doing anything if they put their mind, time, and energy into that one thing and become hyperfocused/obsessed with that one thing! Especially sports that you are competing only against yourself like freestyle BMX

 and skateboarding, you are going to the skatepark and setting your own bar for what you want to practice and work on each and every day. For some people they love that, for others they prefer to have that pressure from a team sport like basketball or football

 where you need to work as a team and you don’t want to let anybody down.