Jedi Grind Tricks: July ‘10
• Scooter Newell •

Happy would be the word that best describes the summer months of the skateboard world. This month and last month there was just so much going on in local skateboarding that I’m not even sure where to begin. But in neighborhood news: Eastwood, Cocoa Beach, and Graffiti all had a FREE skate day in recognition of “Go Skateboarding Day” this past June 21. Florida legend and streetstyle pioneer Chuck Dinkins made an appearance at the CB Skate Camp. Dew Tour all-star Timmy Knuth got 2nd at the Damn Am, and flew home to make an appearance at the Graffiti Skate Camp. Adam Taylor got 5th place at the Boston Dew Tour Vert Contest. But one thing that always gets my attention is when a large company decides to get involved and give back to local grassroots skateboarding.

One thing that made for a nice summer kick-off was that on June 26, Oakley decided to give back to the local skate scene by sponsoring a contest at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park. The temperatures were in the upper 90s and the sun was in full effect without a cloud in the sky. In fact, it was a perfect setting for an event presented by a premiere sunglass company. Local Oakley representatives Rich Rudolph and Javier Rovira decided that a grassroots event with a huge prize budget would stoke out the local kids who live, eat, and breathe skateboarding. Any skate park operator will explain that it’s expensive to run a park in a quality manner, and even more to have the budget for events and prizes.

Year after year these events get better and better! And this was the second time Oakley got involved. Skaters from all over the Space Coast came out to compete in “From the Cradle to the Rail,” a contest that broke the traditional format that most competitions are modeled after. Usually these events are divided into various disciplines such as “vert,” “street” or “bowl.” This contest was a bowl, flow course and street contest combined, forcing the skaters to showcase variety in their talents. The skaters had two runs through the park with a timed limit of 75 seconds per run. Then a voice came through the PA system: “Welcome to Cocoa Beach Skate Park. Turn on your recording devices; this will be worth putting on YouTube!”

Anniversary parties have a certain feel to them, and even though the CB Park 5-year wasn’t due till July, it seemed like a celebration. The skate park was lined with parents and skaters and families and good vibes all around. There were even some park lurkers who don’t really skate at all, yet showed up to hang out and watch. Our good friend Ryan form Playbrevard.com was in the park taking pics for their website, which features all types of events around the area. The sponsored division was filled with lots of top-notch skateboarding from rippers such as Lea Taylor, Clint Beswick, Frank Schaffroth, Dylan Durkin, Matt Call, and more. But the highlight of the day was the 10-and-under division. Watching these skaters is like looking into a crystal ball and seeing the future of skateboarding. Mikey McAllister took the top honors putting together some solid runs. Randy Porter skated with the biggest smile of the day winding up in 2nd place. And Gunnar Rosenquist skated the entire park, throwing down some new moves he’d been perfecting over the two days prior to the contest. For sure the biggest applause went to Kerissa Porter, the youngest girl in the competition.

I feel like my mind seems somewhat “mindless” after a hot day in the sun, and it’s hard to remember it all, but other notable shredders who stood out were Dakota Hunt, Blake Kovarik, and Deein Coats, representing South Brevard with the GSZ crew. Luke Mollica, Mark Robinson, Sam Rooks, and Cole Dudley were ripping the park along with Ryan Hodges and Andrew Harned. Jonathan Morefield skated hard even though he had the flu. And Alex Henry skated awesome in his first competition.

Love for skateboarding is what one senses when one watches Matt Call, who had the biggest ollie gap of the day to 5050 on the big ledge with a nice display of bowl skills to top it off. Lea Taylor carved the cradle at top speed completely upside down. In fact, she has the best cradle carves out of all the locals! Dylan Durkin put down the fishin’ pole and showed that he still has the Cocoa Beach Park on lockdown. Frank Schaffroth executed legit layback grinds, airs, and hurricanes in the deep end with mad style.

You can look at it a bunch of ways, but skateboarding is not always about competitions, and I don’t like to write about them that much. It’s not about who’s best or who beat whom at a contest. Skateboarding is about life enjoyment and a personal satisfaction heavily rooted in “having fun.” And any time a large company like Oakley wants to jump in, get involved, and donate a ton of sunglasses, gear, and prizes for the local kids, well, that just makes skateboarding that much more FUN! Thanks goes out to Oakley and the elite staff of the CB Park for coming together to put on a great event for the kids.

Oakley “From the Cradle to the Rail” Results

10 & Under
1. Mikey McAllister; 2. Randy Porter; 3. Gunnar Rosenquist; 4. Nicholas Gilman; 5. Gavin Gilman; 6. Kerissa Porter

11-13

1. Mark Robinson; 2. Andrew Harned; 3. Cole Dudley; 4. Ryan Hodges; 5. Luke Mollica; 6. Alex Henry

14 & Up

1. Dakota Hunt; 2. Blake Kovarik; 3. Alex Sckunna; 4. Cody Ash; 5. Deein Coats; 6. Jonathan Morefield; 7. Michael Colletti

Sponsored/Advanced

1. Matt Call; 2. Dylan Durkin; 3. Lea Taylor; 4. Frank Schaffroth; 5. Shylo Tolliver; 6. Jaime Ceruti; 7. Sam Rooks

Best Trick

Street: Blake Kovarik — Nollie Bigger Healflip

Bowl: Frank Schaffroth — Eggplant; Hurricane

Bowl: Dylan Durkin — Backside Boneless; Beanplant Fakie

CJ Dixon

Summer is here!

I remember the last summer before the turn of the century. A new skate park had opened in Merritt Island and I was tasked with creating a summer skateboard camp. I never went to a skate camp as a young skater. In fact, back then there were no skateboard camps offered, or at least none in Brevard County.

Like most young Cocoa Beach groms, I went to the City Recreation Center’s version of summer camp. We’d start in the morning playing basketball, volleyball or some other game that required far too much coordination than I had. I also remember lining up for our snacks, drinks, and lunches. The arts and crafts side of the camp was enjoyable because “Arts & Crafts” meant being in the air conditioning. If you were really lucky, you’d get to go to the City pool for the afternoon. That’s where the slide was. That’s where the diving board was. You could slide and fly through the air and make a perfect splash landing into the water. Nowadays, I wonder why anyone would even want water in their swimming pool. After all, you can’t skate in a pool full of water! Back then, I was about 8- or 9-years-old, and it was a great way to spend the long summer days.

Anyway, when given the chance to start a skate camp in 1999, I never knew what I was getting myself into. In fact, I didn’t even know what I was doing. It had been nearly 20 years since I went to a day camp, and now I’m supposed to run one? I went at it like I was helping one (more like 10) of my cousin’s kids skateboard — watch their stance, posture, arms, and the whole nine yards, and just try and coach them into skating a bit better.

Did I just use the word “coach”? There are no “coaches” in skateboarding, and there are no “coaches” at skate camp! Actually, that’s not true — we are coaches, just not in the traditional sense. We explain the use of pressure, gravity, foot positioning, balance, and strength to beginners so they can understand what their board will try to do if they’re not aware or in control.

Anyway, I always use the philosophy of “learning how others learn will make me a better teacher.” So I started to notice that some kids learned how to achieve a certain goal or learn a certain trick in a completely different way than others. While one beginner’s strength was turning, another’s was speed management. I quickly realized I couldn’t explain that “2+2=4″ in only one specific manner. In skateboarding, I may have to explain to one kid that “2+3–1=4,” and he gets it, while other kids find it easier to understand that “4″ is what you get once you subtract “8″ from “12.”

Either way, the goal is to get these young shredders to “4″ however they can get there. It usually results in numerous smiles, because the summer skate camp seems to have a great success rate no matter what the skater’s level. Over the last 12 summers I’ve had the pleasure of directing summer skateboard camps. However, it wasn’t until my fourth year of being involved in them that I realized I’d been missing some great aspects of the camp.

I was working for Graffiti Skate Zone in Palm Bay from 2002-2004 when I was awakened by a whole new and fun approach to camp I’d not yet explored. Dan Hatcher ran the camps with great energy and structure. He educated kids on companies, their products, their riders, and skateboarding in general. Then he’d hold trivia questions sessions every hour for prizes, rewarding those who remembered the info. The team kids would then break into groups and work with the beginners. This went on all day. All I really did was make sure that the kids in my camp skated as much as possible and learned as many fundamental maneuvers as they could to promote longevity in their skating. Dan was going further. He was also ensuring that the skaters knew where their product was coming from and who would actually benefit from the purchase. I was just trying to build great skaters; he was building a great, educated skate scene… while also building great skaters.

Since those days, I’ve directed camps for small city programs in California and Oregon to a well-budgeted camp at a Woodward Skate Park in Texas. Naturally, I stole many great ideas from the Graffiti Skate Camps and have implemented them into every camp since.

Skate safe this summer, and if you come to our summer skate camp in Cocoa Beach, make sure you’re ready to have fun. And please, crowd around the counter when it’s time for pizza, because standing in line at lunchtime really stinks. You can do that at school!

Skate Camps and News Rants:

Graffiti Skate Zone Summer Camps, Palm Bay: June 14-18; June 21-25; July 5-9; July 12-16. $79/week. Call 725-2588 for details.

Cocoa Beach Skate Camps: June 14-18; June 28-July 2; July 12-16. $79/week. Call 868-3238.

Eastwood Skate Park Camps, Rockledge: June 7-11; July 5-9. Call 633-0888.

Cocoa Beach Skate Park and Graffiti Skate Zone will celebrate “Go Skateboarding Day” on June 21. Both parks will be free of charge for the day with random contests, raffles, and prizes. Check out your local skate park and see what’s going on.

Happy late B-Day to Matt Hannan!

Adam Taylor just got a silver medal at the Chinese X-Games Mega Ramp Contest.

Check out www.grindforlife.org for info on the new GFL Colab/Benefit shoe made by DC Shoes.

CJ Dixon is on the road heading to the Damn Am in Minnesota.

Timmy Knuth is heading to NYC for the Maloof Money Cup.

Mike Rogers will also be in NYC for Maloof raising money to fight cancer.

Jedi Grind Tricks: May ‘10
• Scooter Newell •
sk8scooter@gmail.com
~
I’ve been spending a lot of time at my local skate park lately — pulling some shifts behind the counter, cleaning the shop, working on skateboards, changing bearings, informing new guests about our park, and hanging out with the skaters who’ve been there since it opened.

If you know me, you know that I love the “skate park vibe.” This is a place where we can hang out, practice our beloved craft, and just be skateboarders. Over the years my skateboarding journeys and adventures have taken me coast-to-coast and spot-to-spot, and I’ve skated tons of parks along the way… maybe even hundreds of thousands of tons, since most of the parks are made out of concrete.

All these great skate destinations differ in size, construction, popularity, and management. One thing that always seems to remain though, is the local “young skateboard kid” or “kids.” Yes, I’m talking about the skaters who are so young that they don’t care which pro got kicked off what team for what reason. They don’t care about downloading the newest clip off the Berrics website. Their minds are not yet infected with skateboard marketing or brand recognition. In fact, they’re at the best age of their life to enjoy skateboarding — the “Look Mom!” phase.

This issue’s installment is dedicated to the mothers of all kids who skate — young and old. As we grow as skaters we tend to cycle through some phases — from going to the skate park with your mom and dad to getting dropped off at the skate park by mom and dad; from riding our bikes to the skate park to riding with friends who can drive to the skate park; from driving ourselves to the parks to eventually driving yourself and your kids so you can all skate. It’s happening more and more these days. Dad will be out there shredding it up with his 4- or 16-year-old son or daughter. I’ve skated with moms who can ride the bowl as good as their own offspring.

But it’s that first phase we tend to forget as we become older skaters with our own unique personalities and contributions to the skating community. It’s the phase where Mom (and/or Dad; we know it’s a combined effort!) actually hangs out at the skate park with you. Watching, smiling, wiping sweat, holding your Gatorade, taking pictures, waiting for you to do “one more run,” being your biggest fan, and carrying your board and all your sweaty gear to the car when you’re finished.

This beginning part is where most of our skateboard journeys are very similar. Chances are, we all had a parent or parents who supported our passion for skateboarding when we were young, and it really makes no difference if it was your mom or dad, or both. However, this May I’d like to give some props to all the moms of the world who support their young shredders — I know you wouldn’t have it any other way! I also want to say thanks to my Mom, Jackie, for getting me involved in skateboarding over 35 years ago. (And thanks for carrying my board and pads to and from the car, too!)

Happy Mother’s Day!

News Rants:

Grind for Life founder Mike Rogers just got back from NYC for an annual checkup. He is 7 years cancer free! His Doctor says: “Looking good, Mike! Keep up the good work and keep skateboarding.” MR will be at the ProTech Pool Party May 21-22, proving that there is life after cancer at this prestigious invite-only event. Follow Mike’s travels by logging on to www.grindforlife.org

The crew at Graffiti Skate Zone never sleeps. They’ve been spotted at such recent community events as The Brevard Youth Expo passing out freebies and hosting games. GSZ also put on a demo for the Ben Rocks 3 Fundraiser on the portable mini ramp. Get involved and check out www.graffitiskatezone.com.

On May 22 the Cocoa Beach Skate Park and Evasion Clothing will hold a super-chill BBQ and Best Trick Contest for cash. Hit up “Cocoa Beach Skate Park” on Facebook for daily updates and info.

By the time you read this, Adam Taylor’s new Pro Model Helmet will be out by Triple8.

Skateboard News? Send it in — sk8scooter@gmail.com

With the advent of our modern day super computers and personal digital assistants, anyone can be their own realty show star.

You log online to one of the mytwitface pages and inform the “viewers” of your show with the latest “news” like the shameless self promoters we are, skateboarders included.

However, when it comes down to it, the real coverage still comes from our industry magazines. One of our own beachside residents, Timmy Knuth, is currently featured in the new Transworld Skateboard Magazine’s “Check Out” section — a page that features up and coming AMs. As a kid, I would always read the “Check Out” section to see who the top AMs were, and they usually were the ones who would one day turn pro and be able to skateboard for a living. This is not some website where you can upload yourself and have reality show superstar status; this is a printed, internationally distributed rite of passage for great skateboarders. Congratulations Timmy Knuth!

Anyway, as I was about to write an article on “Soul Skateboarding”, I logged on to mytwitface to most likely tell my “viewers” that: “I’m trying to write my column, and I’m at a loss, maybe I need some coffee… LOL ,” but instead my computer made a beeping noise alerting a chat from Timmy…

7:28amTimmy: whats uppp

7:28amScooter: whats up dog!

7:28amTimmy: chillin bout to pass out you?

7:28amScooter: im racking my brain tryin to think of a topic to write about for jedi grind tricks article any ideas?

7:29amTimmy: not at this moment haha, ill be in fl on the 12 lets shred. ill be in town for 3 weeks

7:31amScooter: word 3 weeks… if you had to tell the skaters here back home where they need to skate out there where would it be? if they want to take a road trip, you know?

7:34amTimmy: dude long beach is such a sick skate scene now

7:34amScooter: Snoop grew up there… u ever shrizzed with that hizzead?

7:36amTimmy: cherry park, the city paved a concrete slab for skaters and skaters themselves built ledges, there are 7 perfect ledges and its the place to be… always a bbq, pros, good vibes and such a fun sesh. always good vibes and a good time.

7:37amScooter: sounds pretty sick… no Snizzoop?

7:38amTimmy: nah havent seen him around, i live in the sketchy part of town, i see a bunch of look-alikes haha

7:40amScooter: ha! its rainin like a beast here right now…

7:40amTimmy: why does snoop have an umbrella?… fo drizzle

7:41amScooter: that was probly the most well placed snoop/drizzle/umbrella joke iv heard/read

7:42amTimmy: haha yeah. lbc suckaaa. where i live is so sketch. its so tight. everywhere else i go feels to rich/to California. i went to hunnington beach today to film a trick – worst place ever.

7:44amScooter: the HB? my friend K-Mac lives there… what was the trick?

7:45amTimmy: it was a nose grind on some bump to bar

7:46amScooter: nice, is there a video coming out soon with a TK part?

7:46amTimmy: im actually filming to hopefully have a “mag min” on theskatebaordmag.com website

7:47amScooter: nice, that would be some great coverage

7:48amTimmy: yeah be so sick… have you seen the new Transworld?

7:48amScooter: no, i only read FTK. Ha.

7:49amTimmy: yeah i got a “check out” in the new Transworld… pretty hyped on that

7:49amScooter: no way!, thanks for telling me. im gonna go out and buy it today

7:49amTimmy: haha. i havent even seen it yet

7:50amScooter: oh, is it not in newsstands yet?

7:50amTimmy: yeah it is. i havent been anywhere to buy it. haha

7:57amScooter: looks like i got an idea for my article, its due today. you got any shouts to the space coast?

7:58amTimmy: dude, all the homies, dan, you, parents, everyone at gsz

7:59amScooter: werd, have fun in cal, see you back in FL soon!

News Rants:

Mikey McAllister turned 10 recently.

Josh Hudson has been seen at the Satellite Park lately.

The crew at Graffiti Skate Zone hosted Palm Bay’s 50 year celebration with two skate contests at two parks in one day! Check for pics and results: www.graffitiskatezone.com

MR is back from Clash at Claremont contest in California. Check results www.grindforlife.org

Sk8 rel8d news? Send it to Sk8scooter@gmail.com

I mean it. I can seriously laugh at so many aspects of my life. From my looks and my goofy skate style to so many other things I do. Like when I stay up until the wee hours when I know I have a long day ahead of me the next morning. Or when I start a load of laundry only to forget about it until a day or two later and end up having to rewash the load again because of that brain burning odor. For some reason I never learn.

Anyway, on to something serious: The Olympics. I may need some help with this one because I don’t have a television. I mean no cable, no rabbit ears, not even the cumbersome modern, black box equivalent of rabbit ears. So I’m stuck with a DVD player and an occasional romp to the end of the world and back with Jack Bauer on HULU. I had the luxury of not seeing any of the openers or even the “cool snowboard entry to the arena,” but seeing snowboarding in the center ring at the Olympics leads me to foresee a very upsetting future for skateboarding.

It’s already been pitched years ago and the big money dudes who don’t skate at the top of our small food chain are the ones who are trying to pitch it. And you know, it will most likely happen. I can see it now: skateboarding in the Summer Olympics. In fact, “the Flying Tomato” can be the crossover media star who propels the vert discipline. We all know him and love him, and wouldn’t we just love to see him and Bucky maybe bring the Birdman out of retirement to make the Dream Team? Well, wouldn’t we? And we know that Brazil, Australia, Germany, GB, and tons of other countries would all have ultra-talented skaters on their teams.

Of course the formula is there for the “athletes.” And that is what will set it all in motion — all these great nations sending their best to compete. Even though it seems like a no-brainer, it just wouldn’t be right for skateboarding to become an Olympic sport. …Unless of course the Olympics were pulling less ratings than “The Chevy Chase Show” and they needed to make a dollar. And we all know that the majority of the TV audience share watched “American Idol” instead of whatever Olympic event was on at the same time. Well I know this, ’cause I saw it on Facebook, so it must be accurate. And it most likely is.

Let’s face it, the Olympics aren’t what they used to be, ratings wise. I’m sure the events are still as competitive and the athletes are just as talented as ever. It’s just, well… that whole Facebook-”American Idol” thing I read. So when it does happen, it will happen for ratings, not to promote skateboarding. Yeah, there may be an increase in local skate business for a short time, just like the X Games-era boost. But at what cost? Of course it will most likely go hand-in-hand with some corporate athletic shoe company that devised a small (on their scale) skateboarding division to try and win the back market share that was reduced worldwide when authentic skateboard footwear brands became the craze for kids in schools everywhere within the last 10 years.

It really boils down to using an image of an Olympic skateboard athlete to boost the revenues of corporations that don’t care about our parks, shops, and skaters. We don’t need the Olympic format to better the world of competitive skateboarding. Besides, it’s so insulting to watch the televised world-class athlete competition (the Olympics, if you’re just tuning in) and think that they got to be where they are because of a well-balanced diet of Big Macs.

News Rants

Annual “For the Love of Skateboarding”/Palm Bay 50-Year Anniversary Skate Contest to be held at two locations: Graffiti Skate Zone and the PBFB. Check www.graffitiskatezone.com for details, or call the Park.

Mike Rogers pulled off a nice event at Eastwood to raise money for Cancer. Check out www.grindforlife.org for results.

Words of Wisdom: “There are two types of skaters, those who skate and have fun, and those who don’t.” — Klover

Start Shreddin’ the News… You know, send all H8 mail and Sk8 news/events/info to: sk8scooter@gmail.com

JEDI GRIND TRICKS
By Scooter Newell

If there’s any one thing that’s important to skateboarding it’s the local skate scene. Not the skateboard companies. Not the shoe companies. Not the X-games. Not the videos. Not even the newest magazine ads or articles (except, of course, this one).

What we’re talking about here are the individuals who make up your skate scene. The skaters — from the rippers and the old guys, to the girls and beginners — the park operators, the core shop owners, the photographers and videographers, and the biggest factor in the scene: the parents. Yes, the parents.

I decided to roll through Brevard County and stop into a few skate shops to check out the different local scenes. Even though I only put about 30 miles on the X-wing (which is what I’ve always called my car; and now I write a column called… hmmm, strange…), I noticed a vast difference in these four scenes. Some stores are selling a lot of one type of board while down the road a different brand is the more dominant seller. It was the same with shoes. Some skate brands fly off the shelves in one area and a totally different but comparable brand is the hot item at another. It’s obvious that these different shops, while mostly supporting the same companies but pushing different ones, are contributing to a real, organic skate scene. If every skate shop pushed the same exact product then they may as well go “corpo” and call themselves “Sk8-Mart.”

All four shops had skaters hanging out inside. Some were just lurking, some were working, and some were shopping or upgrading some part of their boards. Each shop had some kind of activity going on — someone trying on shoes, grip-taping a skateboard, or prepping to enter the park and skate. O.K. So what? you might say. Different parks and shops have different people and scenes. So what’s the big deal? The big deal is that without you, these scenes can actually die. Now of course you can just skate, and skate your way well away from people and never reach out to the skate community for the rest of your life. But that’s something you’ll be bummed out about down the road. It is your time and your scene. Get involved!

If you own a shop or park, then ask skaters what they want when it comes to products, events, contests, video premieres, etc. Parents can get involved at contests running registration or tabulating scores; just ask the shops or parks how you can help out. I would say start a skate park carpool — but many of you already have that one down. Photog’ and video dudes: start a skate film and video festival at your local park. The park guys are busy, so you’ll need to do most of the promoting and logistics yourself. Work for it!

You don’t have to own a shop or a park to be a major part of your skate scene. Ask the shop people if you can volunteer at their events, contests, sidewalk sales, etc. Take pictures of your local shop crew skating or just hanging out after sessions. Get them printed and bring them to the shop. Support local contests, even if you don’t compete. Make a video with some friends and drop off DVD copies at local skate shops. Start a local magazine — print it at home or bust out some nickels and go to the corner store and make copies. Interview your friends. Start an online blog or web page. Make stickers. Research some skateboard history on the ol’ google machine. Document the times you have while skateboarding. Write a book about it.  Teach someone how to skate. Most importantly, get out there and take part in your skate scene in some way, shape or form.

For some reason, this guy who was a friend of my parents made a skateboard and gave it to me when I was a 3-year-old pre-grom. He died in a lobster diving accident shortly after. His name was Warner. I never got to thank him or tell him how much that skateboard has changed my life. I always looked at skateboarding as the “sport of kick-downs” because of that gesture.

During my four-shop cruise I was stopped by a skater named Robert Bowling. He wanted to thank me for giving him an old, beat-up board when he was starting out and didn’t have a sufficient one to ride. That was over 8 years ago, and he said he just wanted to thank me. Of course I was stoked to know that he was thankful for the board and happy that he gave me a shout after all these years. And I probably should have told him this in person: You’re welcome, Robert. Just give an old board to someone else who needs it when you have an extra one. And help our very important local skate scene grow. Just like Warner did.

News Rants

* Grind for Life contest at Eastwood Skate Park on February 27

* Congrats Sam Rooks for getting hooked up with 1031 Skateboards.

*Local skate band Arkaydia just finished some shows on the sunset strip in L.A.

* Bruce Walker Premiered his film “The Payoff” at Surf Expo

Words of Wisdom: “Think and therefore you shall be thinking” –- Que Es.

Shred the Word…

Send all Sk8 Mail and H8 mail to sk8scooter@gmail.com

I guess these ancients believed that Janus, who had two faces, could see backward and forward at the same time, and on December 31st they imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new one. So traditions began — giving gifts of branches, fruit, nuts, coins, etc. … Eventually, a couple of thousand years later, that led to people giving skateboards and skateboard accessories as gifts to one another.

So here we are in the year 2010. Honestly, as a kid, I thought I would be ripping on a floating skateboard by now, but no “hoverboards” have been invented yet. These days, most airplanes and cars navigate themselves, robots work assembly lines, cell phones handle all my Facebookin’ and computer functions, and my computer allows me to send in my article without having to buy stamps or, even worse, make a trip to the office and have a possible run-in with the editor.

It is comforting to know that the very primitive essence found in skateboarding has continued to be the common standard throughout the years. Sure, every other six months or so some weird guy from some start-up company introduces the next big skateboarding fad — wheel lights or motorized units with a speed control triggers. I’m not even going to get started on those “snake-board” things… Now I am kind of diggin’ the electric, motorized skateboard — that is pretty cool. However, they weigh as much as the sun and would only be useful for getting from Point A to Point B with as little exercise as possible.

Thankfully, most skateboards are made for actual skateboarding, not gimmicky activities. Over the years there have been revolutionary breakthroughs in wood constructions and molds for shapes and concaves and strength, and the use of better materials for truck construction has enabled better grind surface and superior turning capabilities. In addition, urethane wheels have been mastered and re-mastered, and modern technology has no doubt given us better bearings. All of these advances have ensured a better skateboarding experience, but it still remains virtually the same as it ever was — a plank deck with two trucks and four wheels.

Luckily, nothing has attempted to, or ever will, replace the physical strength, balance, brain activity and downright human interaction required to ride a skateboard. So this year, skate to the beach to check the waves; skate your favorite spot; skate to the corner store; skate with your dog on a leash (they love it); ride a long board or ride a short board; make your own board; give a kid your old one; skate with your son or your daughter; skate with old friends; learn a new trick…or don’t learn a new trick; take lots of pictures…

2010 is the year of no hoverboards for skaters in general. But if I had to pretend to be Janus for a few minutes, I would look at 2009 as the end of my first 35 years riding a skateboard, and 2010 as the beginning of my next 35 years riding one.

So far, 2010 is looking good! 

Here are some random thoughts, inspirational quotes, and New Year’s resolutions from beachside skaters for 2010.

“I just skated the super fun “Banzai Skatepark” near Pipeline on Oahu’s north shore. This public park is small, compact, and very well designed for carving and flow. Surfers fit in well here. There’s a good crop of young rippers as well. Reminds me of Cocoa Beach Skatepark. Looking forward to 2010 so I can skate some of the newer Florida skateparks I haven’t been to yet.”  – Bruce Walker Skater, Boardriding Industry Pioneer

“Shred or be shredded.” — Mike Wittman Skater, Graphic Designer

“Every skater has their unique style, but all skaters share the lifestyle.” — Chastity Turner Skater, College Student 

“Live Strong, Stay Strong, and Never Give Up.” — Mike Rogers Pro Skater, Grind for Life Founder

“My goal for 2010 is to wash my Pro-Tec knee pads. It’s been 5 years, and they’re really starting to stink.” — PJ Byrtus Veteran Skater

“Dude, I just died on that ledge!” — Michael Wolfe GSZ Skate Team

“Big transitions with a couple of feet of vert.” — Wade Ulrich Veteran Skater

“The man who says he can’t do something and the man who says he can do something are both usually right.” — David Morefield Skater, Video Producer

“Don’t listen to the negative things people tell you when you’re doing something different.” 
– Adam Taylor, Pro Skater

“Hey, West Coast — joke’s on you! Florida skaters rule!” — Gage Boan Skater, Student CBHS

“Skate or die… every try! If you wanna rip…come to Gus Hipp!” — Christopher Chambers Skater, Eastwood Skate Park Owner

“2010: skate harder, finish a video part, and travel as much as possible.” — Timmy Knuth Pro/Am Skater OG GSZ Crew

“Skate fast and shred hard.” – Sam Rooks Skater, Student CBHS

Email any skateboard related news, events, contests, and hate mail to Scooter at sk8scooter@gmail.com

Shred the Word

I had already picked it out. It was dialed in with rails, nose guard, and skid plate on the tail. This was a life-changing moment for me because this would be my very first wide board and it had a kicktail. It was a real “industry” skateboard, about 10 inches wide by 30 inches long with factory custom grip tape. It was actually a semi-sub industry board that was manufactured from a roller skate company I think, but at age 11 it was perfect. I had two skateboards up until this point and got my first when I was 3 years old. Both were handmade.

Who cares, right? Well, the board — it was the “Zoner” model — holds so much meaning for me simply because of where it was purchased. My mom took me to a place called Sloan Skates in Cocoa Beach. It wasn’t a regular store. This place was not even a shop or a leased section of a building. It was an old red school bus converted into a skate shop. It even had a radio playing inside, thanks to an extension cord into plugged in to the tourist shop that used to exist where Walgreens is now located. The guy that ran it was a one-man show named Tony. Skateboards were hanging from the roof as you climbed in the bus and plastered all over the inside were photographs of skaters ripping at parks like Kona and others around Florida. Sloan Skates was the epitome of the small budget, do-it-yourself mobile skate shop. I learned how to ollie on that board.

Hmm… Still kinda makes you think, “who cares?” right? O.K. What I’m getting at this December is the importance of purchasing from local shops. Getting my first “real” skateboard at a grungy little one-man shop subconsciously instilled a belief as to how I spend my money on skateboard equipment — by supporting shops that care and will go to any length to ensure that skateboarding continues to help kids by providing customers with quality products. When I look back, I have to give my mom some props for throwin’ down 80 bucks at a school bus shop in the parking lot of a supermarket. She always believed in supporting the local stores for all facets of our household spending, and I suppose I’m the same way with my skateboard products.

Over the years I’ve had the displeasure of seeing kids come to skate parks and shops with a board they purchased from a Wally World or Gooniez or somewhere in a corporate mall store with bearings missing from the wheel assembly; trucks installed improperly or backwards; poor turning components in the truck assembly, and other great silliness in the name of not caring about skateboarding or the customer. These are serious safety concerns when riding a board. It stinks to know that an improperly assembled board could lead to control problems, possibly resulting in injury or worse. Then you have one frustrated beginner who no longer embraces skateboarding. That’s no good.

So please don’t be afraid to swing in to a real skate shop this holiday season if you’re shopping for a beginner skateboard. Our lovely beachside home has a lot of great skate shops, as well as surf shops supporting the local scene. And some of these small skate shops are the largest supporters of local skateboard contests, as well as pro demos and other events. They are keeping skateboarding alive in the real world.

Please let the skaters behind the counter know that you’re shopping for a first-time board as a holiday gift. The employees may have holes in their shoes from skating all day, but they know their skate product, so hit away with questions or ask them to just give you the lowdown. I guarantee that any of these real shops can get you set up on any budget, from beginner gear all the way up to the pro-name skateboards. All boards purchased in skate shops are of superior quality to the poor and upsetting alternatives you find in other mainstream stores.

Here are some tips for knowing whether you’re in a shop that deserves your holiday business:

The owner is a regular employee of the shop, working the register, helping customers, and one who actually skates or supports skateboarding.

The employees who work there are NOT wearing a uniform, especially a blue apron.

The skate shop is at an actual skate park.

The employees can describe each and every product and its function, company origin, and that product’s latest team video.

This info may be nothing new to you, but I am ready to risk it and get this printed in all 500,000 copies just to reach that one parent or grandparent out there who has never been skateboard shopping before. Our little grungy skate shops are here to help you. We were all beginners at one time and know what’s right for your skateboard gift.

So it doesn’t matter if you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Festivus, make that holiday skateboard purchase from one of these little shops. They’re there because they love skateboarding and they want your beginner grom — grandson, granddaughter, son, daughter, niece, nephew, cousin or friend — to love it too.

Happy Holidays,

Scooter

So, believe it or not, I got an email about five hours after last month’s Resident went live online regarding my October article. It was from Katie at the Dew Tour who was kind enough to hook me up with media credentials so I could be one of a million vulturesque paparazzi trying to feed their families on the freshest road-kill of the century: “Action Sports.” Anyway I was excited that Katie went out of her way to get me a media pass because both Timmy Knuth and Adam Taylor were competing in the competition.

Due to my other job, I was only able to make the skate park finals on Saturday to watch Timmy skate. When I got to the O’rena and was walking in to get my “super-duper important guy” credentials, I bumped into Bucky Lasek, who was getting all cellular with someone (or maybe he was faking a conversation to avoid me; have you ever pretended to talk to someone on your phone to avoid looking totally alone or to avoid talking to someone you can’t stand in person?), so I gave Bucky a fist bump and kept on walking. Upon receiving my badge –which is a nice laminated pass with a neck lanyard to ensure that you look way more important than the average action sports enthusiast — I made my way to the skate course.

The Dew Tour folks went all-out in producing a huge set-up. This contest arrangement was indeed one of the most amazing set-ups I have ever seen. The park looked way too nice to just hang out in the “Media Zone,” plus, I wanted to talk to Timmy Knuth before the contest.

The park was built on a platform that was elevated about, oh let’s say, waist high and set back about 3 feet. Parallel to the course is the media platform. Off to the right of the media entrance was an opening into a small area between the two platforms. Maybe someone was supposed to be posted there on the left side, but there was no one, and there were no signs saying “Stay Out of Here.” I hung out for about five more minutes, scoping out my path from where I was standing all the way to where I would set up my perch on the course.

Then I realized that it might not be cool to “sneak” all the way on to the course. But then I remembered that I was here to write a story. I owed it to Katie and the entire Dew Tour to get myself as close to the action as possible. So I told the guy next to me that I needed to get out there for a better view and he looked at me like I was a bit loopy.

My route was perfect. I waited for Paul Rodriguez to land a nollie into the bank and I hopped up onto the park, ensuring that I didn’t drop any foreign objects or change onto the course (I’ve always been a stickler for safety). I made my way up the step-up gap and over to an area free of any banners or signage. I was cautious of the production crew so as to not get in the way of “money shots” bearing the logos of the many corporate sponsors.

Timmy, a local from Melbourne who pretty much grew up skating at Graffiti in Palm Bay, told me the course was super fun, and we talked for a few minutes about the event. With all the hype, television crews and a couple of thousand people lurking around, Timmy still found it appropriate to show me some weird new flip-trick he was working on. “Check it out…,” he said, popping his board up and flipping it into yet another creative Knuth-style trick. He came dangerously close to landing it, but you could tell he wasn’t really trying either and simply goofing around. He continued to roll around in practice pulling “switch backside nose-blunts” on the flat rail among a ton of other tricks. He looked relaxed and was skating consistently.

By now the Dew Tour folks had been onto me for quite some time. In fact when I initially “snuck in,” I was shadowed then approached and told that I wasn’t supposed to be out there on the course. I immediately explained that I was Timmy’s Team manager and I was writing a story with Katie’s permission and needed to get close. I know how to handle these marketing intern-looking types by using words like “team manager” and providing a consenting name from within their own organization, all while exuding the utmost confidence. Then I froze as she radioed back to base for confirmation. I knew I was busted and that Katie was gonna have me tossed out of the O’rena.

Then, through the squawky talkie transmissions, a voice of approval confirmed that I could in fact remain on the course until the contest began. Fair enough, I thought, and as things started up I told Timmy to rip it up and have some fun as I made my way off the course.

Knuth ripped! His run was o.k., though not his best. He did land some key tricks and then began destroying the course in the six-man jam, executing tricks like a kickflip-to-backboard slide; some kickflip krooked grinds; kickflip frontside board slides; huge trey flips over the gap, and that switchback noseblunt. When it was all said and done, Timmy got 9th in Orlando and 11th overall for his rookie year on the Dew Tour.

Thanks a bunch, Katie! See you next year!

(Naturally, I snuck back on to the course to congratulate Timmy prior to driving back to the beachside).

JEDI GRIND TRICKS
By Scooter Newell

I recently decided that Hawaii was a fine destination for a skateboarding adventure.

Well, actually, that Hawaii was a fine destination for a surf trip/honeymoon with my lovely wife. However cool that is, I did the unthinkable: I brought my first love along on the trip. I knew I could pull it off. I knew that if I was calm and cool, I could bring my board and turn it into a skate trip.

Of course, I (we) live in an area that is drenched in skateboard history, pioneers, and culture. And I know that there are other lands with other skateboarding histories and they all have something to say. But this time I was eager to dig up early Hawaiian skateboard history, and I knew the sport would somehow speak to me while visiting the islands.

Growing up as a beachside resident, I skateboarded about 15 hours a day and didn’t surf too much unless it was clean, glassy, and warm outside — which means “May-August warm” outside, not “everyday warm” outside. And on those days we would raid Bruce Walker’s garage, outfit ourselves with appropriately-sized Ocean Avenue boards and surf 15th Street. We had so much fun before the turn of the century. So my surf skills are kind of not there, but they are there enough to know that there’s a reason I don’t write a surfing column. I’m not sure what that meant, but I’ve always considered myself a beginner surfer.

Even though I was a first time visitor to the Aloha State, I knew exactly where I needed to go to get in touch with the island’s collective skateboarding conscious. I decided to check in with the Mother of skateboarding: surfing.

After a short 13-hour flight, we landed, and were instantly outfitted with two Quiet Flight 9′6″s by our buddy Eric, and ran to the beach to get our first Hawaiian surf session. So here I am paddling about what seems like three miles (actually, only a few hundred yards) off Waikiki Beach at a spot called “Pops,” talking to the Mother of skateboarding (surfing), and realized that we she had so much to share.

For instance, while skateboarding, you can carve around, gain speed, and perform gravity-defying maneuvers, much the same as in surfing. You can skate with raw power and aggression — and you can surf with raw power and aggression. If you fall off your skateboard, you slam onto hard concrete. If you fall while surfing in Oahu, you splash through crystal clear warm water…before slamming into a coral head 14 inches under the surface that’s harder and sharper than concrete. So: very similar.

If skateboarding is the younger sibling of surfing, and if surfing was born in Hawaii, then skateboarding has to have roots there. Maybe it was even born here as well! As my wife and I paddled out each day, I noticed the locals of all ages — and there were probably just as many girls as there were guys. The girls were ripping and the locals had mad style. Now of course I know that longboard surfing is one of skateboarding’s earliest influences, but I was witnessing it firsthand as the Hawaiian surfers commanded the head-high rollers at Waikiki. I was definitely onto something — the trail of where skateboarding’s origins. I continued to surf Pops for the next five days with my wife, and all the while I couldn’t help but think that if the ancient islanders invented surfing, then they had to have dabbled in an early form of skateboarding.

We ended up on the north shore for the last few days of our trip at the famous Beschen Compound. Our good friend Eric and his wife Jessica let us stay in the studio next to theirs. I guess the Beschens were the ones that actually let us stay there, so big thanks to the whole Beschen family! Anyway, their compound is actually a skater’s dream in a surf heaven. They had a 20-foot wide mini halfpipe with skatelite and metal coping. It was perfect. The patio was also complete with a concrete wave about 2-feet tall and 40-feet wide. It was amazing to wake up and see the powerful breaks at Rocky Point just across the street from a private skate park hotel. I skated the ramp and the wave with some of the local kids, and they were all ripping; they all had smiles when they skated the ramp and most skated without shoes. I thought to myself: these kids are the next generation north shore surfers, skating the ramp with us. There was a definite feeling that skateboarding is like breathing and walking to these young locals.

Coda Beschen

I’d like to call it ultra-appropriate that a journey to Oahu to search for the origin of the skateboard brought me to a hidden, private skateboard wonderland. It was darn funny. I’m not sure if I found any sort of an answer as to the origin of skateboarding, and by choosing not to inquire or ask the locals any questions about early Hawaiian skate history, I may never know. But I kind of like it that way. I guess I’ll just have to go back someday and pick up where I left off: having a great time — the time of my life — surfing and skateboarding with my wife. (…Well, not the skateboarding. I’m on my own there).

NEWS RANTS

Mini Ramp Contest! The Monster Mini Ramp Jam is going to be at Graffiti Skate Zone in Palm Bay on October 31. Come out to Brevard’s Original Skate Park and enjoy this 8th annual event for all ages. More info at: www.graffitiskatezone.com

Adam Taylor got 9th Place at the SLC DewTour. Adam also finished 3rd in the MEGA-Ramp contest in Brazil. Watch for Adam this month at the Orlando Dew Tour Finals.

Timmy Knuth, a rookie also on the Dew Tour, took 16th in SLC in the pro division. He will also be in O-town for the finals in October.

CJ Dixon finished 6th Place in the Free Flow finals in Salt Lake, one of the biggest AM events nationwide.

Congrats to Dylan Durkin for his recent coverage in FTKmag, and props to Adam Taylor for getting the Trick Tips in the same publication.

Email any skate-related news to sk8scooter@gmail.com, and Shred the Word!

Right now, there are hundreds of skaters all across Brevard County who are fully bummin’ right now. Yes, it’s that time of year again, and the kids are back in school!

There’s about to be a whole new set of book covers (do kids still use books?) and folders adorned with new skate art, logos, dream parks, and ramps from skaters minds and lives. Skaters will be doodling their brains out, trying their hardest to make it look like they’re paying attention and counting the minutes and seconds until the bell rings. These people are being deprived of what they love all day long until 2, 3 or 4 in the afternoon…or whenever school lets out.

I am here today to let you all know that it’s going to be okay! It just might sting a little.

Imagine a world where “Back to School” means “Back to Skateboarding.” A world where there are less crowded skate parks and spots. A world where everyone is cool with each other and there’s never any drama or fighting over spots, tricks, snakes or who’s girlfriend said what on the MyFace page. This world does exist, my fellow skaters. You only need to pay a certain amount of dues to find it.

All you need to do is finish school and graduate, and you’ll see what I mean. Right now, as you’re sitting in class, dreaming of hitting a spot with your friends or heading to the local park to shred with the crew, it is actually happening. There are tons of skaters who are heading to the parks right now, and all of them are smiling, because they know that when they get there, you will be in school. Yes, that is correct. The “Old Guys” — from recent high school graduates all the way up to skaters in their ’50s and ’60s — are all smiling when school starts.

We can carve around the park in a slow and warming-up kind of manner for an hour straight without all of you young shredders blazing all over the place. We can finally skate the ramps where you all play S.K.A.T.E. in the flat bottom. We can finally do what we wished we could do all of those years sitting in class drawing on our folders. It’s great! And you can do it, too. But only after you take as much information from school to make yourself as smart as you can before you graduate. Stay in school and this world is yours.

And no, home school is not the answer. You’ll see what I mean when you’re an old guy and a group of home-schoolers show up at noon to clog up your Tuesday afternoon session.

Oh, jeeez.

NEWS RANTS

Adam Taylor: 5th Place in Portland Dew Tour, beating out big dog champs like Bucky Lasek.

Timmy Knuth stepping into 8th place in Portland, beating out names like Greg Lutzka.

Both Knuth and Adam Bomb will be skating in the SLC pro stop September 17-20.

Congrats to Cocoa Beach resident CJ Dixon on winning the AM Qualifier in Miami. CJ will skate in the AM finals in SLC, UT September 17-20.

The Graffiti team is still on a rampage… Clint Beswick and Corey Falls win their divisions at the OSC Back to School Jam.

Kyle Chambers wins $200 at the Old School Compound Best Trick Contest with “a kickflip frontside 5-0 down the handrail.”

Blake Kovarik is 16 and officially driving.

Clint Beswick got 1st in 12 and Under at Tampa’s Back to School Jam, Dakota Hunt got 2nd. Corey Falls from Palm Bay got 2nd in the 16 and Up Division.

X-Games donated a slew of fingerboards to the series at Graffiti and Cocoa Beach Skate Parks. Check the video at: www.graffitiskatezone.com

Bruce Walker, Mike Whitman, and Josh Hudson were spotted shredding the Team Pain Skate Art at Expo.

Mike Rogers set up the Grind for Life tent at Expo and the Moat show recently. Check out www.grindforlife.org for upcoming events

Sam Rooks and Mikey McCallister have been shredding the CB park lately.

Durke Schmidt has been pulling Skate or Die Mondays with his old-school Melbourne crew hitting up the local parks.

Shred the Word.

I decided to do things the way we did it back in the ’80s. I decided to search for the topic of this month’s installment by grabbing my board, walking out my front door, and pushing down the street in no particular direction. Let the board decide.

I wound up heading north, deep into “the ‘Nav,” which is slang for Cape Canaveral. I found myself on a semi-new asphalt road that felt like it had been resurfaced within the last 18 to 24 months. It felt nice as I carved down some of the very streets where I first learned to skate.

It reminded me of when I was a kid. I was able to leave my mom’s house on my board, and once I did, it seemed that all my troubles disappeared. Okay, I admit I had very few real troubles, but I’m talking about “teenage troubles,” like having to serve detention for my classroom antics, receiving substandard grades, not being noticed by girls in my school, and having to mow the lawn.

Skateboarding was my first love. My board didn’t care what kind of car I drove, how I dressed, or who my friends were. So of course I would turn to it for attention and satisfaction. Nothing mattered except me, my board and the streets. This method of losing myself in the act of skateboarding to achieve something has worked in the past, and this time was no different — at least I hope not.

I stopped into a watering hole for a drink and to catch up on some TV since I don’t have one at home. Breaking News: I-95 re-opens. Is that really news? I felt sad for all the poor saps in their motor cars not being able to get to where they were
going. Is there nothing else worth reporting? I quickly remembered why I choose to not have cable or even the modern equivalent of rabbit ears. I finished my drink and skated on down the road.

I continued to cruise through the ‘Nav and wound up at another drinking establishment. I ordered a PBR, because I’d never had one before; not that it’s too exotic or hard to find, I just never drink beer. It wasn’t any good. So I did what most beer drinkers do: I went to the bathroom.

“Keep using my bathroom like an animal, and that’s the kind of service you’re gonna get.”

What a brilliant sign! And well positioned above the urinal. This bartender knows how to keep a clean bathroom without having to clean it. 

This may sound invented, but as I sat back down to stare at the TV, the X Ggames and Dew Tour highlights came on the screen. I couldn’t help but think about Timmy Knuth and Adam Taylor, two Brevard skaters who are earning their way into the spotlight and ranks in competitive skating. In fact, both rippers just competed in the Dew Tour in Boston.

Ah. I’d finally found something worth watching. Or had I? I mean, how many times are the networks going to air the clips of Jake Brown’s 2007 slam to the flat bottom on the mega ramp? Or Danny Way’s shin-smacking, front flip-to-body slam? I guess until someone else slams harder or dies… I’m sure that would bring much higher ratings than someone actually landing a trick. Of course the skateboarding was bookended by commercial advertisements for beer and deodorant and highly toxic egg McSandwiches. I had to laugh at the corpo-american approach to television programming. Then after the highlights were finished, it was back to football, auto racing, and Lance Armstrong. All of these are languages I don’t understand, and within an instant, I decided that I had to skate on.

As I headed for home, I realized I was right. A good skate can help me figure out anything. I started to think about how skateboarding has gotten so popular over the last 10 to 15 years, thanks to video games, movies and televised competitions. It’s quickly slipping away from the ones who love it and actually skate. We’re handing skateboarding over to network executives and corporations like Wal-Mart. And for what? So we can watch it on FuelTV or ESPN? Oh, please. Wouldn’t you rather go skate than watch it on TV?

I challenge all skaters to cancel their cable and turn off their TVs. Stop lining the pockets of businesses that don’t support skateboarding directly. This means purchasing your gear from local skate shops and skate parks — even if it means you have to pay a small amount more for your favorite board, shoes, or clothing. Interact with the people in the shops and parks. Get involved in the local scene and make a difference. Help a beginner learn how to skate. Skate to the store. Skate to work. Skate for fun. Because as it stands now: Everything Sucks About Skateboarding Except Skateboarding.

Shred the Word.

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.

Skateboard News
Cocoa Beach Native Adam Taylor took the 2nd Place Silver Medal at the X-Games in China. Adam also got 3rd in the China Dew tour. Both contests were held in May.

Congrats to Timmy Knuth of Melbourne for winning the King of the Park contest in Louisiana. T.K. won it last year as well becoming the first skater to win back to back titles. Also Big Ups for 2nd place at the the PHXAM in Arizona. Watch for TK and Adam Taylor in the Dew Tour this year starting in July.

Big thanks to John Ross from Space Coast Sports for highlighting the “Spring Fourth” contest at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park. “The Show: Space Coast Sports” is on Thursdays at 7 p.m. on Brighthouse Channel 49.

The 2009 Grind For Life contest series ended in May. Mike Rogers hosted three skate contests to raise money to fight cancer. Events were held in Jupiter, Zephyrhills, and New Smyrna Beach. Overall awards ceremony and demos will be held in November at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park.

Upcoming Events

In June:

The Christian Skaters are hosting a Lock-In at Eastwood Skate Park June 6-7

Concrete Rodeo Skate contest at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park will be held Thursday, June 11

The “Wild Wednesdays” Skateboard Series continues every Wednesday this month at Graffiti Skate Park in Palm Bay

Brevard Parks:

Graffiti Skate Zone
1502 Port Malabar Blvd.
NE 
Palm Bay

The Park
2405 S. Harbor City Blvd
Melbourne

Eastwood
290 Gus Hipp Blvd.
Rockledge

Sebastian
1121 Barber St.
Sebastian

Paradise Funplex
555 Fortenberry Rd.
Merritt Island

Satellite Beach Skate Park
751 Jamaica Blvd.
Satellite Beach‎

Cocoa Beach Skate Park
1450 Minuteman CSWY
Cocoa Beach

Please send news, events, or any skate info email to Scooter at sk8scooter@gmail.com and shred the word!