Talkin’ it to the streets
They have been the scourge of sidewalk pedestrians and maintenance crews for decades. Looked down upon by the collective noses of proper society, these seemingly indifferent and destructive youngsters in baggy clothing
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They have been the scourge of sidewalk pedestrians and maintenance crews for decades. Looked down upon by the collective noses of proper society, these seemingly indifferent and destructive youngsters in baggy clothing have turned public stairs, railings, benches, curbs, school grounds and surfaces smooth and otherwise into their personal playgrounds.
Unfortunately for those who object to it, in the decades following the advent of “street surfing” the sport has continued its growth from a silly, dangerous fad to a multibillion-dollar industry as more boys and girls move away from structured team sports to something that embraces creativity and individuality. Skating has no rules, no arenas and no need to run with the pack. It does, however, have its own language, clothing, music and attitude that further alienate adults, therefore guaranteeing its popularity among the young.
“We’re really in an iPod, MySpace, YouTube world that’s all about individualism right now, and that’s what this sport really represents,” says Jim Blewster, local marketing representative for Ezekiel, a board sports clothing company.
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It’s amazing how inclusive an individual sport can become.
The scene around Aala Park on a recent weekend was a mixture of hurried excitement and laid-back observation as skaters of all shapes, sizes and, yes, ages filled the skate park and walk-ways as they showed off their best tricks while studying the competition.
The perfectly named T&C Sunburn Classic featured 80 of Hawaii’s best street skaters along with top pros such as Jake Duncombe, Ronnie Creager and Louie Barletta - names that may not register with adults, but are immediately recognized by skaters worldwide.
The reason for their arrival was to discover which amateurs in Hawaii can pull off the best kick flip back side 50/50, treflip back-to-back or knee-slider. Many tried, but in the end only three remained. Needless to say, they were all pretty stoked.
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“Yes!” exclaimed a fist-pumping Tyler Mederios when told of the news. Though the 11-year-old has already garnered some medals at events in Waimea and Hickam, he wasn’t exactly positive about his chances in the 13-and-under age group. “Not really. You see all the Aala boys out here and they’re super-good. I started learning new tricks out here, and yesterday I tried them out.”
While promoting the sport and selling products is the main reason for sponsoring such events, scouting for talent is another reason Mike “Mikendo” Stanfield travels the country with his band of dedicated slackers.
“I’m always looking for new guys who got it,” says Stanfield, Ezekiel’s skate team and marketing manager. “The thing is that there are a million skaters who are amazing, but you have to back that up with a good personality. You have to be a good kid, you can’t just be a jerk.”
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And what kind of livelihood can a pro skater earn? Well, millionaire vert skating legend Tony Hawk aside, these guys may not command baseball-type salaries, but they ain’t hurting for a meal either. Pro skaters, much like their waterbound cousins in surfing, get paid to play. Their job is to compete, travel to promote their sponsors and hit the world’s best venues - all on the company dime. Then there is the paycheck.
“Louie Baletta has only been home 30 days this year. He loves traveling. He loves going to Europe and spending months and months there skating different spots, and everything is paid for while he does it, and he’s still
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