Just a reminder that the guy that invented the kickflip can still do them.
One thing that I always tell the youth, sort of a takeaway if you will, is how new skateboarding is relatively speaking. Now you may think the number of NBDs, are becoming more and more limited as skateboarding continues to progress at an alarming rate. Skateboarding originally was a way to mimic surfing on land. When banks and pools came into the picture is when the fire was lit.
Skateboarding has gone through many eras since its inception and has gone through high and low points that has seen many skateparks come and go. At its core, skateboarding is an outcast activity that often leads to an outcast lifestyle.
At the beginning, I mentioned that the guy that invented the kickflip can still do them, stop, and think about how truly amazing that is for a moment. And think about where we are now with just flat ground flip tricks alone, without even mentioning anything else.
I’m biased, so I believe Rodney, Ray Barbee, Gonz, Natas, the LA Boys and the EMB crew all deserve most of the credit for where we are today. Take a step back and imagine trying to do something on your board with no frame of reference, no YouTube how-to, never seeing it before etc.
Why is it important to know your roots and who helped you get to where you are now? For one, it’s interesting to watch some of the original videos and see what was being done for the first time ever at that time. I always talk about or show kids Henry Sanchez part from Tim and Henry’s Pack of Lies the whole video is groundbreaking for that era, but Henry was on another level. The speed and raw power combined with tricks we never saw before was a huge eye opener.
I suggest doing some research, learn about who paved the way and understanding how quickly this thing has progressed. Who knows you might even learn something?
