I’ve probably said this a thousand times already, but the level of riding the younger guys are producing these days is unbelievable. 15 year old kids are throwing down some fully mansized tricks that I would have never even imagined when I was that age. I guess that’s just the progression of BMX.
Over the past year or so, there’s been a name that I’ve been seeing popping up in edits here and there. Every time I’d see Grant’s name, he would be riding even better than before and it was clear he was definitely somebody to keep an eye out for. Then the other week a bomb shell of an edit dropped welcoming him to the Odyssey team and I knew it was time to find out just who this kid from New York is. I was able to get ahold of him and we put together this interview that I would imagine is just an introduction to plenty more coverage that we’ll be seeing from him in the future. Let’s see what he had to say!
Name: Grant Germain
Location: Long Island, NY
Sponsors: Cult, Odyssey, Etnies, FTL
Years riding: 5
What was it that first got you into BMX? Any early memories come to mind?
I got into BMX just by riding around my neighborhood with some friends. There was a really good park around the block from us that we would go and jump off curbs and try feeble grinds and stuff, haha.
All right, so you’re a new name that’s been popping up lately. It was announced the other week that you’re riding for Odyssey. How did that opportunity all come about?
Well, I was just out in California on vacation and I was riding Vans skatepark one night, and I met the Odyssey Team Manager, Steven Campbell. We were talking and he ended up hooking me up with pretty much a whole new bike before I went home!
It looks like you made a trip out to California to film that welcome edit. Do you have any other trips or cool projects in the works with them?
Yeah, thanks again to everyone at odyssey and Veesh for sending me out! But no, nothing set in stone yet. Hopefully I’ll get out of New York soon though. It’s getting pretty cold out here!
You’re getting the hook up from Cult and Etnies as well, right? How does it feel having two well respected brands like that supporting you?
Yes, I am. It honestly is amazing! Huge thanks to Robbie and Povah for helping me out and keeping me fresh and rolling!
Do you have anything in the works with them at all? Trips, edits or anything?
Nope nothing really planned yet.
I know you just had your welcome edit drop for Odyssey, but have you been filming much lately? When can we expect some fresh footage of you popping up?
I try to film as much as I can, usually just filming with friends and stuff. I am good friends with Craig Passero and he has a DVD called Whammo. I have a split part in that with my good friend Billy Malkotsis.
You’re pretty tight with Volume’s Billy Perry, right? I’d imagine you are part of that Follow The Leader crew. What’s new with them? Are you guys working on any cool projects?
Yeah man! Billy is working hard to get some stuff out by spring and were going to be filming some promos for the clothing that will be dropping in spring. I also thing we may do a little mixtape!
Who are some of the riders that really influenced your riding? What’s one pro you really hope you get a chance to meet some day?
All of my close friends really influence me and motivate me, but I look up to Garrett Reynolds, Chad Kerley, Dennis Enarson. Definitely hope to ride with all those dudes!
You’re actually pretty young, right? How old are you?
I am fifteen years old!
How do the girls feel about you being a sponsored BMX rider and everything? I feel like high school chicks would dig that now days since it’s all over TV and everything.
I don’t really tell anyone I am sponsored or anything like that, but they know I travel and stuff they think that’s really cool. They’re always making jokes about how I’m never in school, haha.
How has the winter been treating you so far this winter? Where have you been getting most of your riding time in lately?
It has been sucking, it has been more rainy then anything lately and the closest indoor skatepark is like an hour away, sometimes we go there or we get a nice day and go to a skate plaza or our local park called Huntington Skatepark.
Do you have any trips planned for spring break or next summer at all? Where would you like to get to at some point?
Nothing is planned yet but going somewhere for spring break would be sweet! I have never been out of the United States, so going out of the US would be tight!
You spent some time taking online classes so you could live at Woodward West for a little while. How did you convince your parents to let you do that and what was that like? Could you see yourself doing that again before you graduate?
Yeah, it was seriously amazing, there was no question about “whether you were going to ride today” you knew you could ride everyday and it was sick! I have the most supportive parents and they were down from the second I even brought it up as an idea to them. Not sure if I will go back to Woodward, but I hope to move out to California soon, haha!!
That’s rad that your parents are so supportive. I know a lot of parents just don’t get it. Any reason why you think they’re so with you riding BMX?
They are super supportive, I have never been a “bad kid”, to really get into any trouble at school or with anything like that so they just trust me I guess. They don’t really hesitate when I ask to go on a trip or something so its sweet.
East coast versus West coast; which one do you prefer and why?
I mean I live on the East coast coast, but WEST COAST IS THE BEST COAST! The weather is perfect, the spots are amazing, and the girls are beautiful!
So I’m assuming your life is pretty much school and BMX right now. What else are you doing to fill your time? Do you work at all?
Yeah, pretty much. No, I don’t work yet. I’m not old enough to work, but I plan on maybe getting a part-time job or something like that in the summer maybe.
Are you really good at anything outside of BMX?
Not really good or anything, but I skate and snowboard from time to time and that’s real fun!
Have you thought much about what you would like to do after high school? College or anything like that? What could you see yourself doing someday for a living?
I haven’t really given it too much thought but hopefully still riding and traveling! I haven’t really thought about college but it’s definitely a possibility! I’m just having too much fun riding my bike at the moment, haha!
It’s Friday night… What are you probably doing?
Either at an indoor skatepark with some homies, or a high school party, haha. Sometimes even both!
What is one thing you could use more of in your life and one thing you could use less of?
More bikes, less school!
If you were old enough to buy a lottery ticket and won… What would be the first thing you would buy?
Ugh, probably something stupid like a really nice car that I’ll be able to drive in a couple years, hahaha.
What’s the last song you heard, movie you watched and website you visited?
Last song I heard was Hopes and Dreams by Wiz Khalifa, last movie I watched was Iron man 2, and last website was The Union!
Who or what are some of your biggest influences on your life?
Some of the biggest influences in my life are my whole family, my best friend Billy Malkotsis, all my real close friends, my girlfriend and anyone who supports me!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully still riding my bike having fun and traveling!
Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Huge thanks to Robbie Morales from Cult, John Povah from Etnies, Steven Campbell and Jim Bauer from Odyssey for everything they do for me! Thanks to my parents for everything they do for me as well, thanks to Veesh for filming/editing my Odyssey edit and letting me stay at his house, and thanks to all my friends especially Billy Malkotsis for doing everything you guys do for me!
Anything else you want to say?
Ride bikes, have fun and thanks to Kurt for doing this interview with me!
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