by Viktor Josa
Danny Josa was a student at McDaniel College Budapest a few years ago. The people who remember him probably also remember that he took his BMX sport career really serious. He managed to take his hobby to the next level during the years and is now an internationally sponsored pro BMX rider. He has been traveling for the last ten years between the American and European continents and riding at several professional contests. In this interview he will hopefully tell us about his adventurous life and possibly about his plans for the future.
1. Messenger: Hey Danny! Please introduce yourself, tell us about your adventurous life!
Danny: Hello, I am Danny Josa, I am 27 years old and I am from Budapest, Hungary.
I have been living in the states on and off for 10 years, but my current residence is Boca Raton, Florida. However I spend a lot of time in California as well throughout the year.
My number one activity that I love doing is traveling, either with or without my bike. Traveling around America is pretty standard during the year but other than that, my European travels go down over the summers. I am in Australia at the moment for 3 months then heading back to the States later on this spring.
In the past 10 years I have lived in Florida, Louisiana, California and Hungary. I went to high school in Orlando, Florida, then I moved to Lafayette, Louisiana to University. After I realized that I couldn’t manage school, traveling and bmx riding at the same time I decided to move to the mecca of bmx riding to Los Angeles, California. After living there for a while I decided to move back to the East Coast to Miami, Florida and become a resident there as I could go to school cheaper then anywhere on the west coast. I am on an Athlete Visa so I am 100% focused on my riding.
2. Messenger: Everybody who knows you, also knows that you are traveling around the globe. How does that connect with BMX?
Danny: As I mentioned before traveling is what I like doing the most. Of course it is awesome and it comes with a bunch of advantages, but hey, it has a ton of disadvantages as well. Most of my travels are related to bmx, either because I am going to a contest or just going to ride some spots and hang out with friends. Howver, some of them are for adventure and sightseeing purpose only. I don’t wanna call this my job because then it wont be as much fun as a hobby would be. Plus I don’t make nearly as much money with bmx as I would with having a real job. So I just let bmx riding be the biggest part of my life and a hobby/fun/lifestyle type of thing. Most of my friends come from the bmx industry as well, but not all. I know one thing for sure, that if I wasn’t in the extreme sport life and didn’t ride bmx I would not have as many awesome friends and such a tight connection with people as I do now being part of this amazing bmx vibe around the world. We are one big family!
3. Messenger: Is it possible to do an extreme sport like BMX and studying at University at the same time?
Danny: The life I live and I wanna live makes it impossible to do both at the same time. I am in the middle of my bmx carrier and I am only young once. I will only be capable to do what I do now on my bike while I am young. School can wait. I can go to school any time until the end of my life. Nothing is too late. I will go back to Uni and finish it when I am ready to go back. Not yet though. It’s super hard to focus on 2 things at the same time and to give 100% at both. My plan for next year is to go back to school and get it over with. I have about 35 credits left to go. I applied and registered for next fall semester to FAU (Florida Atlantic University) in Boca Raton, Florida. Once I am finished with school I will move back to California.
Hungary is clearly not the best place to be a bmx rider. It has 4 seasons and bmx requires good summer weather all year long to practice every day. This was the main reason why I moved to the States in the first place. California has got the most important criteria in bmx: it has amazing, good weather all year long, it has the most skateparks, it has the most contests. and Also, the majority of money to be earned in bmx is there which is why most of the pro riders live there. So it’s definitely the ultimate place for me to be. Even now when I don’t live there anymore, I still spend at least 2-3 months out of the year there.
4. Messenger: Some students and teachers still remember you from McDaniel College Budapest. Tell us about your studies at McDaniel!
Danny: Hahaha, of course they remember me. I was probably one of the craziest students in McDaniel College History. I went there for 3 semesters. Honestly I have good and bad memories from there as well. At first I was a Business Administration major then I switched to Communication so I don’t ever have to take accounting again, haha. Since I am not a big fan of the cold weather I wasn’t looking forward to go to school every day in the cold in the middle of the city, but in school experiences I have many good ones.
5. Messenger: Who was your favourite teacher at McDaniel, which was your favourite class?
Danny: My favourite and No.1 all time ultimate best teacher of mine is Mr. Hogan Hayes who already left McDaniel a couple years ago. Every class I took with him was amazing, super helpful and absolutely hilarious! Such an experienced and smart guy who is actually a younger man from America married to a Hungarian girl. Awesome combo!
6. Messenger: What do you want to say to upcoming students at McDaniel and for those students who are dream chasers like you?
Danny: Always have a goal! No matter what it is! There has to be something to work and live for. Take college as a socializing activity. You are surrounded by other students that are also there for a reason. To learn. The more people you know the more opportunities you have to learn and to experience. Also you are being helped by professionals (teachers, professors) to learn things in the field you are interested in. There is nothing to lose only to win! Nothing is impossible!
I would like to thank my parents for always being super supportive and for always being there for me whenever I need them. Thank you for everyone in this world for being alive and letting me experience and learn thing from them by their simple existence. Thank you for all my friends for being awesome and rad as. Thank you for the bmx community for having me become a part of you and live this amazing life I have. Thank you for my only brother Viktor Josa for being who he is!
