We’ve written many times before about the therapeutic outlets people can find after overcoming an addiction. Everything from art to ice climbing have been brought to the forefront. And one other interesting recovery alumni subset has shifted its focus towards extreme sports. Thanks the org “Sober And Stoked,” several treatment centers are exposing their patients to hobbies like surfing, skateboarding and BMX mountain biking.
Based on the east coast, “Sober And Stoked” has been gaining nationwide attention; thanks, in part, to their charismatic founders Scott French and Eugene Stiltner.
Both Stiltner and French hail from Ocean City, Maryland and openly battled their own addictions during their teens and 20s. They found extreme sports to be very therapeutic after going through treatment, especially since these activities promote health and fitness.
“For both Scott and myself, when we got sober, it was so important to go surfing, go snowboarding, and just be active and live a healthy lifestyle, to have some level of replacement from the craziness of addiction,” Stiltner told the local outlet, The Dispatch. “It was a source of positivity for us. It drove us both.”
After bonding and seeing the success of these hobbies, they formed “Sober And Stoked.” Now a year and a half old, the org has already held multiple major fundraisers; donating surfboards, bikes, snowboards and even music instruments to local treatment centers throughout Maryland. Their latest program (which was covered in The Dispatch article) is entitled “Gear Donation Drives on the Eastern Shore.”
The duo have also built a successful online presence, launching a comprehensive website and multiple social media accounts. Their Instagram page is also a haven for extreme motivation, with pictures showcasing their thrilling U.S. adventures.
French emphasized his role in the mission as well and the ongoing gratitude they feel when it comes to helping those in recovery.
“It has been a dream of ours to continue to find a way to give something back to those that are battling addiction, or are in the often-fragile stage of early sobriety where the smallest setback can lead the person back into addiction,” he explained. “Both Eugene and I are committed to creating something with a lasting impact that can help people see how exciting sobriety can be.”
We, of course, always welcome active, healthy outlets for those who have recently conquered an addiction. For a little more motivation from the “Stoked And Sober” guys, we highly recommend visiting their Instagram page.
Skateboarder doing a skateboard trick
