Just like basketball, to properly execute an alleyoop requires nothing more than a bit of finesse. So what exactly is an alleyoop? I’ve seen this trick mistaken for a simple backside/frontside air, and man what an injustice this truly is.
Let’s look at the alleyoop in basketball: One player sets up a shot that another player puts in the basket. Essentially, the alleyoop is merely one player “redirecting” the ball. In snowboarding, the rider continues to head down the quarter/halfpipe/hip but “redirects” their spin to the direction opposite their downhill edge. This is one of those tricks that is always better explained visually:
Once you start mastering the basics of airing opposite the direction of your momentum, you can start throwing in more complicated grabs and add extra steez to an already steezy trick.
The alleyoop is one of those tricks that doesn’t require any enormous amount of skill, and once you start to get them they look pretty damn awesome. As your ability to spin increases so can the difficulty of your alleyoops moving from 180s to 360s to 540s and so on…
Don’t forget that like many tricks, the alleyoop isn’t limited to only snow features. You can alleyoop a wallride, a pole-jam, a tree stump and even rocks if you feel so inclined. Remember, it’s only snowboarding and it’s only a snowboard so just have fun with it.
If it isn’t already, be sure to add the alleyoop to your list of must-learn tricks for next season and turn up the style points on some of your favorite features…
Thanks again for taking time to enjoy with me another one of snowboarding’s more fun to look at, fun to perform and just all around fun tricks. Stay tuned for more not-so-average “trick tips” here on the Ode To series at DesertsDontSnow.com.
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