Articles Index
Go Skateboarding Day
June 21st is Go Skateboarding Day. Began in 2004 by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC), Go Skateboarding Day is a day for anyone and everyone to take a break from everything, get together with family and friends and go skateboarding. Go Skateboarding Day is June 21st which happens to be the first day of summer in North America. Read this article to find out more about Go Skateboarding Day.
Gatorade Free Flow Tour - Amateur Skateboarding Competitions
Gatorade Free Flow tour is an amateur skateboarding and BMX competition that tours around the United States, with stops all over the country. The competitions are open to any amateur skater or rider aged 18 or under. Win a spot at the Free Flow Tour finals, and then win a Wild Card spot in the finals of the Dew Action Sports Tour, skateboarding or riding against the pros!! The Free Flow Tour is hanging out over $7000 in cash prizes, along with tons of free skateboarding gear and other stuff.
The True Story of Dogtown and the Zephyr Team
Read the true story of Dogtown and the zephyr team (Z-boys). Starting out as a surfing team from Dogtown in Santa Monica, the Zephyr team changed skateboarding forever. These guys were lords and masters of the low, fluid style of skateboarding. Read all about the Zephyr team, their start as surfers, and how the team launched from Dogtown to impact the world of skateboarding.
A Brief History of Skateboarding
Skateboardings history is full of key figures and moments where the sport has been defined and redefined. From the invention of the skateboard, to the Zephyr team, to Alan "Ollie" Gelfand, to Tony Hawk, skateboarding has come a long way. People often ask "How did skateboarding get started?" or "What country is skateboarding from?" - here's some quick answers.
The Truth about ABEC Skateboard Bearings
The ABEC specification has been trashed by many overseas manufacturers. Don't trust it. Ron Foster is a bearing application engineer with 22 years of experience in bearings. "Out of dozens I've measured and tested, few met the advertised ABEC specification," said Foster. Read this article to find out more about the lies and fraud about ABEC ratings, uncovered by Foster.
2009 NHSSA Contest Schedule - National High School Skateboarding Association
2009 NHSSA Contest Schedule - National High School Skateboarding Association. The goal for 2009 will be to have a North Los Angeles Region, Central Los Angeles Region, and South Los Angeles Region. Each "region" will have 15 high school teams. In an effort to keep increasing the level of talent, only the best schools will advance throughout the season. See this list of the 2009 NHSSA contest locations and dates.
Skateboarding in Japan
Japan takes it's own spin on skateboarding, but with some familiar twists. From polite punks being harassed by cops to paying your life savings for a set of blanks wheels, the state of skateboarding in Japan is still actively evolving.
Getting Sponsored for Skateboarding Without Sponsor Me Videos
A lot of skaters dream of getting sponsored for skateboarding. The pride, the attention, the free gear, and the stamp of approval - these can all feel great. I have piles of info available on getting sponsored for skateboarding, but I wanted to give another perspective. The following is from the mother of two sponsored skaters who got where they are without self-promotion
X Games: Skateboarding Rules
A detailed description of the X Games skateboarding events, the goals of each event, how the events are scored, and the equipment specs used. The X Games are one of the years biggest skateboarding events, organised by World Cup Skateboarding.
How to Stay Sponsored as a Skateboarder
Keeping a skateboard sponsorship can be tough. Malakai Kingston talks about keys to staying sponsored - insights from other pro skaters, and people who've had to work within the industry. This is part of Malakai's How to Get Sponsored, Be Sponsored and Stay Sponsored article.
Get Sponsored Skateboarding
Get Sponsored Skateboarding - Steps to getting sponsored as a skater. These easy to follow steps will help you understand what's involved in getting sponsored skateboarding, and what you need to do. This is part one of "How to Get Sponsored, Be Sponsored and Stay Sponsored" by Malakai Kingston.
Methods for Contacting Skateboard Companies for Sponsorships
When trying to get sponsored as a skater, it can be tough to know how to contact skateboard companies. These are three methods for contacting skateboard companies for getting sponsored as a skater. This is part two of How to Get Sponsored, Be Sponsored and Stay Sponsored, by Malakai Kingston.
Responsibilities of Being a Sponsored Skateboarder
What does a sponsored skater do? How do you BE a sponsored skater? Good questions! Being sponsored means that you have some obligations - the companies who sponsor you expect some return, and this should help you understand what they want, and how to do it.
The Advantage of Winter and its Effects on Skateboarding
Several regions across the globe are faced with harsh winter weather during a portion of the year; skateboarding and its athletes usually have a down time in these areas. There are gains, however to having this period of inactivity. Are the advantages spiritual factors or is it simply appreciating the times when the weather is not freezing cold with snow? Maybe it is both.
Just Because it's Cheaper, Does it Really Cost Less?
Chris Stevens, the founder of Old School Skates.com, tackles the issue of cheap mass-produced skateboards, and the impact that buying them over hand made boards has on skateboarding, and the community. Chris also talks about the dangers of globalization, and the true value of buying a quality skateboard, as opposed to the cost to yourself and skateboarding as a whole to buy cheap factory skateboards from overseas.
Opening Your Own Skateboard Shop
Opening Your Own Skateboard Shop Help and Advice - get some easy simple instructions and advice on how to open your own skateboard shop from three guys who have been in the business, and who know what to avoid and what to do! Starting and opening your own skateboarding shop is easy - read this article for some advice to follow when opening up your own store!
2008 NHSSA Season Recap
2008 NHSSA Season Recap - National High School Skateboard Association. Read all about the 2008 NHSSA competitions. As with any start-up there were aspects of the 2008 season that were better than expected and aspects that did not run as smoothly as they could have, but overall the NHSSA events far exceeded the expectations set forth at the beginning of the season. Read all about the 2008 NHSSA season!
Change is Needed in the Longboarding Industry
What if one surfboard or snowboard could be tweaked to take on any wave, any hill, and carry competitors through any event; what if all types of companies offered these types of products? There are certain groups in the longboarding industry who are keying in on this idea; products that are being integrated with different components to create a ride that any person can enjoy in their specific style of skating.
Mini-Skateboards - What Are Mini-Skatebords, Advantages, How-Tos, and more
Mini-Skateboards - What Are Mini-Skatebords, Advantages, How-Tos, and more. Read up on the Mini-Skateboard trend, what they are, how to build a mini-skateboard, and a lot more. Learn about Mini-Skateboards!
The Problem of Mall Chain Stores
Skate Shops - As skateboard manufacturers continue to sell to mall chain skateboard shops like Zumiez, they can afford to undercut independent core retailers, killing the heart of the local skateboard scene. What should skateboard shops do about it? What can the small skate retailer do, and what should skateboard manufacturers do?
Skateboard Safety - How to Improve Skateboard Safety
Skateboard safety is very important. Skateboard safety is a tricky topic. It's impossible to really stay 100% safe while skating, but there are things you can definitely do to improve your chances!
Talking with Barbara Odanaka
About.com interviews Barbara J. Odanaka, the Skateboard Mom - founder of the International Society of Skateboarding Moms, the Mighty Moma Skate-O-Rama, Rolling for Reading, author of the children's book "Skateboard Mom", and once a sponsored rider for Hobie. She talks about what it was like to skate as a kid in the 70s, what it was like to be a skating girl, what skateboarding has done for her life, and her plans for the future.
2005 Skateboarding Events, Competitions and News
2005 Skateboarding Events, Competitions and News - The Year in Review. Read all about the best and biggest skateboarding events nd competitions in 2005, from the X-Games to the Dew Tour to Slam City Jam - this year was incredible! Read all about the best of 2005 skateboarding.
2005 Summer Skating Worldwide
A summary of the summer's pro skateboading events world wide, all world cup skateboarding pointed events across the US and Europe. This summary of 2005 summer skateboarding gives the names of all first place skateborders, along with links to the event sites and other interesting info.
Ryan Sheckler Interview
Ryan Sheckler, teenage skateboarding sensation, took a couple of minuets to talk to me while filming a commercial for this summer's Dew Action Sports Tour. Ryan Sheckler exploded the skateboarding scene in 2003 when he took the Street skating category in the Summer X Games, Gravity Games, and Van's Triple Crown. Only in his mid-teens, Ryan Scheckler has become a raging skateboarding sensation, and is already pre-qualified for this summer’s new Dew Action Sports Tour. Read what he had to say.