“ The Anonymity of It” Adaptive Snowboarder Who Hid His Identity Takes Pride in Getting ESPY Award Nomination

23-year-old para snowboarder Zack Miller has been unstoppable in his athletic career. The two-time world champion has achieved a series of medals and titles. However, Miller’s success path was never a cakewalk for him. Initially, when he began snowboarding, the Silverthrone native used the sport as a means to hide his identity. However, recently, when he got nominated for the prestigious ESPY Award, he felt extremely proud of his journey.

On June 29, the news website Summit Daily released an interview about Zack Miller’s snowboarding journey. In the conversation, the adaptive snowboarder revealed his thought about going anonymous through the sport.

Zack Miller faced a tough adolescence

Miller was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was born in 1999. As he grew with his health condition, he entered into a tough phase of his life as a teenager. It was clear that he was different from other kids. He expressed in the interview,  “My classmates didn’t really understand. I looked normal, but I just didn’t act normal. I wasn’t normal. It was difficult for me.” Miller realized that besides his special abilities, he also had to battle societal judgment.

However, at 13, he was introduced to snowboarding. After a few attempts at the Winter Park Resort, he fell in love with the sport. He also realized that the gear used in snowboarding would be an ideal option for him to enjoy the sport and stay anonymous.

He shared in the interview, “I think that was the part that I kind of enjoyed about it the most — the anonymity of it.” The snowboarder added, “No one can tell who you are out there. I fell in love with the freedom of it and how it kind of hid my identity a little bit.”

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Even though the para snowboarder wanted to keep his identity hidden, his talent was enough to bring him global recognition. Recently, he got nominated for the “Best Athlete with a Disability” award at the 2023 ESPYS award show. Miller also expressed his happiness about his nomination.

Zack Miller shares his inner realization after getting nominated

Miller was supremely honored to know that people like Nikola Jokic, Max Verstappen, and Mikaela Shiffrin have also been nominated in the same award show. He expressed that he would set alarms to watch these people perform in their respective sports. So, getting nominated beside them has given him the greatest encouragement.

He shared that it would not matter if he wins his nomination, he already feels grateful. Moreover, Miller realized that skateboarding was no more to hide his identity. Instead, it is to add value to his existence.

Indeed, Miller has courageously battled against the odds and emerged as a talented skateboarder. His progress shall soon place him at the top of the snowboarding world.

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