Garrett Reynolds and Brady Baker are taking their shared their shared roots in the Jersey Shore BMX scene to a new global league for action sports.
Both riders were drafted by teams in the new X Games League (XGL) sponsored by crypto vendor MoonPay last month. The first season in the organized league for action sports - skateboarding, BMX (bicycle motocross), snowboarding and skiing - will launch this summer.
Reynolds, 35, was selected 23rd overall by São Paulo in Brazil.
Baker, 23, was picked 27th overall and sent to the Los Angeles team. He currently lives in Northern California and attended the draft with red carpet festivities at Cosm Los Angeles. The league provides nearly $10 million in salaries and prize money for the 40 athletes.
Both riders graduated from Toms River North High and expressed their excitement to show out for the Garden State in a new format.
"I'm super proud to represent Toms River and New Jersey just in general," Reynolds said. "People with a really really good sense of humor, funny people, don't take anything too seriously but at the same time just super gritty, blue collar working people. Without growing up there, I don't think it would've shaped my drive."
"It's definitely my roots," Baker said. "Without living in Toms River and getting to go to the skate park and being part of that scene, I wouldn't not be where I am today. That whole scene, all those guys there - they know who they are - all the locals helped me out so much. New Jersey's my home."
There are four teams: L.A., Tokyo, New York and São Paulo. Each team has 10 players - five women and five men. The season begins June 26 in Sacramento, Calif. Teams will accumulate points throughout the season. The team with the most points will be crowned champion.
It's different than what most sports leagues look like. Even Baker didn't know initially what to make of it but said he's intrigued by the new landscape.
Reynolds said he at first believed the idea would "ruffle some feathers" but now he has eyes on winning it all.
"I think the first year is going to be a learning curve because it's new for everyone," Reynolds said. "If you're in a situation where you messed up your first three runs and you can put down a safety run and help your team get points, or you try the same line again and try to win - it's something in the future (where) maybe you talk to the coach, I don't know. I feel like that's so on us to make that decision and you just go with what feels right. I think we're exploring new territory so it's going to take a little bit to kind of figure out."
The Shore has been home to some popular skate parks the locals have frequented for years. Ocean County has had a number of hot spots. In Monmouth, professional BMX rider's Scotty Cranmer had a long-popular bike shop in Howell that closed last September. Cranmer's family also owned the Incline Club skatepark in Lakewood.
Reynolds went on to win the most gold medals in BMX history with 16.
"I grew up riding at Toms River skate park and Scotty's skate park Incline Club," Reynolds said. "And as I got further into street riding, I didn't realize this until maybe I was a little bit older but I was in between two of the coolest scenes going on which we had in New York - we had all the Animal (Bikes) wave going on in the city - and then you go to Philadelphia, we had like all the Little Devil (BMX) criminal mischief stuff and I think that's what got me into street riding.
"I think that's what really got me into street riding was kind of exploring the things I've seen in videos and I was essentially located in between two of arguably the most iconic BMX videos where they were filmed at. That kind of opened my eyes of like 'damn, I like to go see cities and see what they're about, ride new things and literally explore,'" Reynolds continued.
Though Baker is newer to the scene, he hopes to help bring the X-games to new heights in multiple ways.
Before his family settled in Toms River when he was 6, Baker lived in Ohio, Missouri and California. He was already doing BMX racing and Scott Cranmer's park was close to his family's home. He also spent time at Area 51 trails in Bayville, which reportedly dispersed in 2022. It was those times in his career when he learned ramp and dirt riding. He left Toms River right after high school, but says he always remembers those days.
Basker said he "wouldn't be where I am today without those spots."
"The riding scene was already built by that time for me," Baker said. "Coming in there were so many good riders that were already involved so for me being a younger kid. I had a lot of people to mentor me and look up to, learn what to do and how to become good at riding. By the time I was coming up, there was already a super good scene."
On top of riding, Baker is also investing in himself and building a practice compound - dirt, skate parks ResiRamps included - with the money from the X Games.