Meet Wesley Preston

Let’s get into it...

Not every day do you get an athlete who is eager to break the status quo. From ambitions to starting a sport picked up on the internet, to being on the internet himself. This young man has amassed 413k in followers on TikTok and went from rocking the World Chase Tag stage to performing stunts on the big screen. This Texan is bound for the stars; and we not talking just talking Hollywood… If you don’t recognize the smile, you might soon enough! Wes_Pres take it away…

Introduce Yourself!

Howdy! My name is Wes, I am a 21 year old professional parkour athlete and stuntman. I was born and raised in none other than the beautiful Lone Star State of Texas, however as of March 2021 I am now a resident of Los Angeles California. I spend my time training, creating fun videos for social media, and encouraging others to get involved with movement. Over 11 years ago I found parkour while watching YouTube. I’ve been obsessed ever since. Other than movement I deeply enjoy music, and am constantly trying to expand the number of artists I listen to. I hope you enjoy this little write up about me! Thanks Y’all :)

In an unforeseen 2020, what was your highlight of the year?

Although 2020 took a toll on us all, I was given an unbelievable opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine. My highlight of 2020 was competing in the first ever World Chase Tag competition held here in the US. What is World Chase Tag you may be asking?! Well, World Chase Tag or WCT is a professionally sanctioned tag competition. Yes, tag, the classic playground game we all played growing up has been brought to an international stage and is one of the fastest growing competitive sports, taking the internet by storm. Competing in WCT on team No Cap alongside my closest friends was definitely my highlight of 2020, and I can’t wait to go back!

What is your favorite aspect about parkour?

My favorite aspect of parkour has to be the feeling of overcoming an obstacle that is set in front of you, both the physical and mental aspects. The feeling of landing a trick you’ve been battling with for hours or even days is undeniably my favorite part of parkour, and is why I continue to train almost daily. It is also my favorite part of coaching parkour. Helping a student, whether they are young or old overcome something they once saw as impossible is so fulfilling and creates memories that last a lifetime.

How do you keep motivated?

Motivation is something I think all athletes battle with when striving to better themselves, and it can be a struggle to consistently be pushing forward. Personally I have found that giving myself what I call resets has been the most helpful thing I can do when feeling an immense lack of motivation. What that means for me is taking specific time off or away from training, posting clips, or interacting with social media as a whole. Forcing myself to take a step back and do other things allows me to get excited about what I’m doing all over again, which then usually allows me to produce my best content or training.

Who is your inspiration?

I have many different inspirations in my life such as athletes, family members, philosophers, and musicians. My primary athletic inspiration and honestly the reason I became an active member of the parkour community is thanks to Jesse La Flair. Growing up in Texas parkour was not widely know or practiced, so in order to get any useful information about parkour I turned to the internet. Thanks to Jesse’s Youtube tutorials and videos showcasing his love for movement I was inspired to become an athlete myself. Jesse continues to be a cornerstone figure of our community to this day, and I can happily say that now I consider him just as much a friend and mentor as an inspiration.

What are your career aspirations?

I aspire to pursue a career in stunts! The stunts community is very tightly knit and competitive, therefore it is very difficult to break in as an unknown. Although the journey may be challenging I am eager to show my skills and prove that I have a place in the stunt world.

p.s. My absolute dream gig would be landing a spot doing stunts for my favorite show The Mandalorian!

What do you do when you’re not training or making content for IG/Tiktok?.

In my free time I really enjoy camping. Theres nothing quite like talking a weekend trip out to the mountains with a few close friends.

What piece of advice would you give to the next generation wanting to follow in your footsteps?

HAVE FUN! Living in a way that is fun and fulfilling will not only bring you personal satisfaction, but it is also a great way to attract like minded people that can help you grow as a creative.

Your favorite piece of Jed North clothing? What do you have your eye on next to get?

I wear a wide array of clothing from Jed North, but the Quote Energy Oversized Tee has to be my favorite by far.. If you check my Instagram feed I genuinely think that it is the most common article of clothing I wear. In fact I have it on right now!! As for what I have my eye on... There is a lot of the new arrivals I'm excited to get, but the Magneta Warrior Windbreaker; that's the first thing I'm going to get!

Lets’ get personal!

Who is your favorite superhero and why?

Spider-Man all the way.. Specifically Miles Morales from Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse. I mean lets be honest, who’s got the most insane knack for all things flips, spins, swings, and crazy movement? Spider-Man!

What music do you listen to? Favorite artist? Song?

All I will say without getting too into my ideas on music is from now and again really take time to sit and listen to your favorite songs instead of having them just play in the background. As for favorite artists I would say some great ones to check out would be Tom Misch, Jacob Collier, Vulfpeck, and Still Woozy.

Favorite movie/tv show? What you watching now?

My favorite movie has to be Monty Python and the Holy Grail. That movie just never gets old for me. Currently I find myself watching YouTube more than anything. My favorite channel at the moment has to be Corridor Digital! A great channel that gives an inside look into the world of filmmaking, visual effects, and stunts.

Do you like travelling? If you do, where do you want to go next?

I love traveling! I have always wanted to visit New Zealand. There is something about the terrain there that has always been interesting to me.

One of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, Wes has been with Jed North Move since it’s conception. Providing great content throughout this past year; either through parkour, stunts, or just overall fun-filled videos, Wes looks to create a name for himself in an industry he only dreamed of being in. Look forward to seeing his journey on his page and some features on JNM. Head over to @jednorthmove on Instagram for more athletes showcasing their many talents.

Athlete- Wesley Preston IG: @wes_pres