What got you into skateboarding?
I have always had a fascination with skateboarding ever since I can remember. My parents would take me to the mall when I was young and would let me push around the old Vans skatepark in Milpitas for hours while they would shop. I would always be at school and see the other kids skating and wish I were out there with them but did not officially get my first board until I was 13. I would be playing THPS and reading the latest skate magazines even though I did not own a board – it just felt like something I needed to be a part of. After I got my first board, I have never thought once to put it down or stop skating.
What is your skate scene like in your city?
San Jose is dope and makes a name for itself! So many rippers come out of SJ that are all super cool and friendly. There are different groups of skaters all around the city, but it is cool to see them all intertwine either at Redpark, Chavez, or Downtown. I think it is really what is kept me in San Jose after all these years.
What is your go-to trick to start your sesh?
Switch Flips, Backside Grinds and Wallrides.
Do you feel skateboarding has changed your life? How?
Skateboarding has fully impacted my life – I would not be where I am today without skateboarding – I do not even know if I’d be living in San Jose. I grew up influenced a lot by the Tiltmode Army and Enjoi as a kid and being so local, it is those people who first got me psyched to go out and just have fun with my friends. It even influenced part of my decision to move to San Jose when it was time to choose where I was going for college. Overtime, I started watching a lot of Baker, the OG Alien Workshop, Habitat and Toy Machine which I still find myself watching a lot of. I think these types of videos have helped influence not just my skating but my eye for filming as well. OG videos are the best, they are so well done in sometimes the most non-professional way – that is what I like about them.
What pro skater inspires your skateboarding?
Jon Dickson, Dane Burman, Aiden Campbell, Brian Delatorre, and Corey Glick
Do you prefer watching skate videos on social media or buying it? Why?
I prefer watching skate videos on the big screen and supporting companies by buying hard copies when possible.
What is the gnarliest trick you have ever done? How did you feel when you landed it?
Switch Flip down this famous 4 flats 3 in San Jose. I had been wanting to just skate that set for a long time and thought switch flip was my best bet after getting there. After jumping down, it a couple times, I snapped my tail as I stuck it. The homie [Shig] threw me his board and I ran back to throw it down. Couple tries later I stuck it and rolled away – as I skated off, I quickly glanced back at the set and noticed security had followed me out on that very try kicking us off the property. That just made the trick so much sweeter.
Tell us a little bit about your local skate scene & what they do for the skate scene?
100% fun. I love cruising around the city by myself but it’s really when I’m around all the homies that has the biggest influence on my skating. Much love to Wolter, Aaron, Ryan, Tyler, Will, Moran and Chris for being just some of the dudes who get me hyped to always work on improving and filming as much as I can fit into my schedule. TOGA Cinco is the next full-length project we are planning to drop later this year.
Kevin and the older San Jose homies just released their video ‘Coattails’ not too long ago and absolutely killed it. Such a sick video! Go peep it on Thrasher if you have not already.
Then I think there are other people like Diego, Tyler, Josh, etc. who help to provide kids with the opportunity to learn first-hand how to skateboard either in an after-school program or privately. I think it is awesome how they get these kids involved and could potentially be influencing a future generation of skaters.
What is your daily routine before you go shred?
Coffee, Foam Roll, roll up, Stretch, Shred.
Any inspiring words you want to tell the next generation of skaters?
Just go have fun and be yourself! Go film a video with your friends, the times you will spend together are the moments you will cherish the rest of your life. And do not leak everything to the Gram – forget the instant gratification… Once you drop a full part, you will really look back and appreciate all the hard work and effort it took to put it all together. – TSM MEDIA
