Jedi Grind Tricks

By: Scooter Newell

Article Category: Jedi Grind Tricks

I wanted to write something meaningful this month, as this is the first official entry where I’m not graciously thanking the editor for helping local skateboarding by printing this. Or maybe I just did thank the editor… Either way, I was thinking that I wanted to write something profound since we just celebrated “Go Skateboarding Day.” And then it hit me: Why do we need one specific day out of the year to go skateboarding? As skaters, we tend to live a lifestyle instead of following a guideline.

I’ve since decided that I’m against “Go Skateboarding Day.” Buck the system, right? That’s where skateboarding got its roots, right? Going against the grain, being the outcasts, standing against the establishment and all that jazz… Right? So why are we going to let an industry organization tell us when our holiday is. Our holiday is everyday. Each day we ride our skateboards is “Go Skateboarding Day.”

So now that I’m officially against the holiday, I remembered that I’d committed to judge a contest in Jacksonville on “Go Skateboarding Day” eve, Saturday, June 20 and slated to start at 11 p.m. to ensure that people were competing when the clock struck midnight on June usher in the big day. The event was way too much fun, and everyone had a great time. I even pushed around the park in the spirit of GSD.

By the time I got back to Cocoa Beach, it was 11 a.m., and I’d decided not to skate for the remainder of the day in favor of getting a boatload of naps in before dinner. Then, out of nowhere, skateboard legend Bruce Walker calls me, saying: “Kelly (Slater) is in town and wants to skate the park.” The first thing I thought was: “Yeah, right. That’s what Kelly said last time he was in town.”

Later that evening, Eddie Izzi and I went up to the park to prepare for the next morning’s skate camp, so Bruce and Kelly met us there. Upon our arrival, we saw that everyone had left and Matt was closing down. So for three hours, we skated and hung out, exchanging memories and stories; but most of all, we had fun — the reason we all started skating in the first place.

Even though to some degree we are still just four neighborhood friends skating the bowl together, I couldn’t help but reflect on how Bruce Walker has influenced generations of skateboarders and surfers. And as Kelly took a run, I thought about how he’s changed the way we look at surfing while making his mark as the best in history.

Then I realized it was my turn, and laughed to myself as I rolled in, thinking: “Go Skateboarding Day?”

News Rants

GSZ Wild Wednesday Champion for 2009 is Clint Beswick for Advanced, Chris Roque for Intermediate, and Wil “YooHoo” Heflin for the Beginners. Props to Dan and the Graffiti Crew for a fun series. Full results at: www.graffitiskatezone.com

Congrats to Matt Hannon for shredding in the Concrete Rodeo at Cocoa Beach. Jacob Welch was also ripping and took First in his division in the Rodeo.

The CB Park wants to thank Sam Rooks and Mikey McAllister for teaching at the Skate Camp. Big Props to Wade from Zorlac for hooking up the kids at the CB Park. Thanks to Sunseed and Cocoa Beach Surf and Skate for sponsoring the camp.

Josh Stundon is back in town!

Florida cable TV pioneer and skateboard supporter Bob Bevis has a July 3rd birthday. Sam Rooks also has a B-day on July 3rd.

GFL News: Congrats to Brad Horner, Rich Payne and Kurt “T” for taking First place in their divisions in the Grind For Life Contest Series 2009. Check full results at www.grindforlife.org. Mike Rogers is always up to something, so log on and help him help people with cancer!

Cocoa Beach’s Taylors to skate in Xgames! Dylan Taylor will skate the Xgames Vert AM, Lea Taylor will be in the Ladies Pro Vert, and Adam Taylor will be in the Big Air, Vert and Big Air Best Trick on the Rail.

Contests Out Of Town

Lea Taylor recently got 8th Place at Protec Pool Party.

Chris Baker wins at Back to the Banks in NY.

Timmy Knuth graduates high school and gets 2nd Place at Back to the Banks NY. He also finished 3rd at the Damn AM in Minnesota. TK Teamed up with Sam Rooks, Corey Falls, Clint Beswick and Jaime Ceruti to skate at the OSP Team competition in Orlando where they finished 4th Place. Then they all drove to Jacksonville and took 2nd in another team contest where they won a heap of cash and some beer. I took their beer. Watch For Timmy at the Maloof Money Cup this summer.

Adam Taylor skated the contest at King’s Island Ohio and took 4th Place. He also placed 2nd in Barcelona, Spain recently.

Congrats to Scooter Newell for winning the Luckiest Skater of the Year Award. He is getting married to local Chiropractor Dr.Christa Robben on July 18th.