What got you into skateboarding?
Being a kid in elementary school, I was always on the go & rolling, no matter what it was. Bmx, rollerblades, skateboards, whatever I could get my hands on. Wheels in general fascinated me. I started playing hockey in the winter of 1996, 2nd grade. I moved to a new part of town in 5th grade, that was next to a brand new skatepark (Cal Young Skatepark). At the time, I had no idea that skatepark was going to have such a big impact on the rest of my life. My neighbor at the time, Mike Mehaffey (Who I still skate with) gave me my first skate video, it was a VHS 411 January-February 1998 Issue #26, which I still have. I started to fade away from skateboarding when my brothers lost interest & started playing basketball more. Fast forward to sophomore year in high school, walking home late at night next to the football field, I found a complete with the nose broken off but still was able to ride it. I spent about an hour pushing as fast as I could around. It was the best feeling that I have felt in a long time. I was hooked once again.
What is your skate scene like in your city?
The skate scene in Eugene Or is pretty big. There is a bunch of street spots & 8 skateparks. In 2014 Dreamland Skateparks built a 25,000 sq. Ft. park underneath the Washington/Jefferson bridge with lights on all night, which attracts people all over town & people passing through Oregon in general. There is a lot of local videos, made by a handful of different people & the scene continues to grow each year.
What is you to go trick to start your sesh?
Backside 50-50s or Backside Airs. Depending on the park.
Do you feel skateboarding has changed your life? How?
Most definitely. I have learned a lot of life lessons from skateboarding, good & bad. Life is a giant game of trial and error. Skateboarding helped me learn how to overcome something you really want by not giving up. Determination will power & consistency will get you where you want to go. My key to unlocking the world around me is my skateboard. Getting in a car, driving to another town or state has brought amazing people into my life. Without skateboarding, I would not be the man I am today.
What pro skater inspires your skateboarding?
It is hard to pick just one, a lot of pro’s bring different aspects of skating to the table, but John Cardiel inspires the fuck out of me! Cannot deny those tweaked backside airs, back-flips, huge handrails & his energy. He is got a great personality, amazing outlook on life & does not take no for an answer. He can skate whatever is in his way. Even if he does not get with the make, he is getting the heaviest slam. 110% effort into everything he does. He is still riding & grinding, after the doctors told him he was not going to walk again. I love that! All Hail Cardiel!
Do you prefer watching skate videos on social media or buying it? Why?
I prefer buying videos & having a DVD & VHS collection. I grew up in the era of waiting for videos to come out, then going out to buy the DVD. The anticipation was exciting and had more of an impact for me. Especially going to a premiere, seeing if for the first time with everyone else, hearing the reactions & feeling the energy. Social media is rad because anybody can put out anything they want, at any given time. It opens so many opportunities, but my heart will always be with physical copies of skate videos.
What is the gnarliest trick you have ever done? How did you feel when you landed it?
The gnarliest trick I have done took going back twice to a spot called White Banks in Eugene, OR. It is one of those rare, perfect natural ledge-tranny combos. But I wasn’t looking at that, I was looking up at the top of the highway ledge into a steep, rough & cracked bank, with the bottom of the bank jutting you out to a 10 foot roll away before hitting the other side. It was a ride on grind to yank in the bank. The first time I tried it, the bank was wet & covered in moss. My wheels slipped out every time. 3 years later, I went back during the summer when I knew it would be dry. 20 tries later with 7 slams, I grinded, pulled in & hauled ass down the bank. Next thing I knew I was rolling away. This was without a doubt was the best feeling I have had on a skateboard. I could hardly believe it worked out. Getting pitched from the bank, cracking my board & slamming into the other wall was all worth it!
“Sometimes people open up the floodgates for others to come try getting their trick, but I think everyone’s still too scared” – Nick Propios
Tell us little bit about your local skate shop & what they do for skateboard scene?
When I first started skating, all I would hear was you gotta go to Boardsports. My first time in there was overwhelming, to say the least. I was shy at the time but, the owners Jon & Rain were so cool and did not treat me any different for still being new. I had no idea what to buy & ended up just getting a Shorty’s patch (Which I still have today, in a frame with the Boardsports business card) & left in a hurry. Boardsports put on for the local scene. Video premieres, skatepark contests, setting up ramps & rails at BBQs. They introduced guys like Silas Baxter-Neal, Josh Matthews, Charlie Pravel, Pat Moran, Ryan Casado & much more to the world of skateboarding. It was really inspiring to see that go down firsthand in my hometown. Unfortunately, they closed their doors in 2012, but their legacy will live on forever (Boardsports Inc. 1985 – 2012). Tactics Boardshop is the one shop in Eugene now. They put on the Northwest Jam Pro-Am contest at Washington/Jefferson, but those came to a halt after 2 years. Hopefully, those will start picking back up again.
What is your daily routine before you go shred?
Wake up, open my blinds to let the sunshine in, take a shower, make a fruit smoothie, get some bong hits going while I put on a part or a full video, depending on what the mission for the day is, then head out to meet up with the homies.
Any inspiring words you want to tell the next generation of skaters?
Skateboarding is all about having fun and being creative. It is your outlet to express yourself & possibly get away from a negative situation. The friends you make and the places you go will create the best memories. Progression is what life’s all about. Do not worry about comparing yourself to others, do what feels right for yourself. You can inspire someone else by showing them you love what you are doing. Be passionate, work hard & always follow your dreams.
YEAHHHHHH!!!!!!! DREEEEEWWWWW!!!!!