Some stories start with a broken foot. For Zack Warden, that was all it took.

Growing up a self-described “military baby,” Warden moved frequently before his family eventually settled in the St. Louis area. In 1997, at age 9, he watched X Games legend Mat Hoffman shove a piece of metal into his shoe to stabilize a broken foot — then go out and dominate the competition anyway.

“I was like, OK, he broke his foot and still went at it,” Warden recalls. “From that moment, I was pretty much hooked.”

That spark grew quickly. Warden discovered the St. Peters BMX track and later Ramp Riders, an indoor skatepark in the Benton Park neighborhood, which help fuel what he describes as one of the best BMX scenes in the country. Older riders took the teenage Warden under their wing, and summers at the action-sports-focused Woodward Camp opened doors to sponsorships, and eventually, a path to the professional circuit.

Zack Warden

Action sports pro Zack Warden of St. Louis.

Warden rode for Hoffman’s bike company and made his X Games debut in 2007. By 2013, he had earned four medals in a single year and was touring internationally with global action sports entertainment brand Nitro Circus. That same year, he made BMX history, becoming the first professional rider to land a backflip bikeflip to late tailwhip over the MegaRamp.

Now, Warden is bringing that energy back home.

On April 4, 4 Hands Brewing Co. will host the Show-Me BMX Jam, a free community event featuring professional BMX and skate demos, a pump track for younger riders, and a street rail jam open to all skill levels. The day builds from family-friendly morning sessions to full-scale pro demonstrations on a mega ramp.

For Warden, the event is deeply personal. Despite its size, St. Louis still lacks a public skatepark — an issue he hopes to help change.

“Action sports gave me a community to grow and evolve,” he says. “A lot of people say action sports saved their lives. I definitely believe that.”

His goal for the day is simple: “I just hope people want to pick up a bike or skateboard, go hang out with their friends, and have fun.”

Author: Coby Spratte is a contributor to Terrain Magazine.
Top Image: Courtesy of Zack Warden.