What got you into skateboarding?
-initially, my dad had an original old Zorlac board from his skate days and i would push around on that when i was 6. After that i saved up 15 dollars to buy my own from a sports outlet. My cousin skated as well, and he sort of showed me some basic tricks and how to put together a board.
What is your skate scene like in your city?
-the skate scene around here is surprisingly good. I grew up in the suburbs outside of D.C. And it’s no surprise the scene there is amazing and getting to be a part of that now is really cool, especially since i didn’t start skating there until i was 17 or so. I also developed friendships with people in Annapolis, Maryland so i skate a lot in that area as well. That scene is definitely smaller, but it is still going strong with a tight knit community of people cruising around.
What is you to go trick to start your sesh?
-if I am going to film a trick that day, my go to’s are normally the trick I am going to try. Otherwise, it’s probably just some basic flat ground and grinds to get the legs going.
Do you feel skateboarding has changed your life? How?
-I’d say it definitely has played a big part. For me, it has surpassed being a hobby and has manifested into part of who I am. When I was younger it heavily influenced my music choice and also the people I hung out with in school.
What pro skater inspires your skateboarding?
-geez, I’d say there’s definitely more than one. Off the top of my head, I would say spencer Hamilton. He has a unique style to him when you watch his footage. In my opinion, he has the perfect balance of making difficult tricks look difficult to do, yet also makes it look easy enough where anyone could do it if that makes sense. I specifically remember he did a SW fs 5-0 kickflip in a recent primitive video, which is insanely hard, and it made me think I could just go and do it myself which is not the case ha-ha. It looked hard to do but effortless at the same time.
Do you prefer watching skate videos on social media or buying it? Why?
-that’s a tough one. On one hand, I grew up on buying videos and having that feeling of seeing a part for the first time which is impressive. On the other, being able to watch new stuff constantly for free on social media is pretty rad itself. It is a love hate with the two, but I think I would go with buying. Most of these Instagram edits are cringey too.
What is the gnarliest trick you have ever done? How did you feel when you landed it?
-I think so far, I would say it has to be this backside nose blunt i did in Baltimore. It was the ender to my ravel ban part on the Berrics about a year ago and it was basically an out ledge that has an 8-foot drop into some gritty ground. That was probably the biggest mental battle I’ve had with a trick, and it took roughly 5 hours. Every time I got back up to the top, I knew what it felt like to drop that far down and hopefully land properly so it was insanely scary. I thought for sure when I got home that I would pee blood just because of how much impact I had gone through.
Tell us little bit about your local skate shop & what they do for skateboard scene?
-my local shop is called pure and it is located in Annapolis, MD I have been riding for them for about 9 years now and throughout that time they have put on a lot of contests at the skatepark for local kids, held small video premieres from top companies as well as friends who’ve made video, and they have done pop up art shows for people in the community who want to display work. They are a very welcoming shop and really try to cater to kids who are just starting up skating. Going to a shop can definitely be intimidating so I think that is one of their best qualities as a shop.
What is your daily routine before you go shred?
-on the weekends, my routine normally consists of a cup of coffee in the morning, check any spots i may have in mind, watch a few skate videos, shower, stretch, then head out to meet up with my friends/Filmer. It’s a pretty religious routine at this point so it feels odd if i just wake up and leave ha-ha. Since I work on the weekdays, usually I’ll just hit a local park. Afterward or just have a day to chill out for a little.
Any inspiring words you want to tell the next generation of skaters?
-i guess just keep doing what you are doing, use every resource available to you if you want to pursue it as a career, and have a lot of fun with it.
Photo By: Sam Operchuck ( @gadsamnit )
