Tell me a little about who you are, your start in skateboarding, and how you got from there to where you are now.
My name is Wil Waldon, I'm a pro skateboarder. I started in the smallest of small towns in Upstate NY called Wellsville. The town seriously had like 2000 people in it. There were barely any skate spots and the spots that we did have were really rough and crappy. I started skating when I was 14 or 15 and have been skating ever since.
When I was 17 I got a legit sponsor and started touring around the country and getting paid to do demos. I entered some contests and made some videos that caught some people in the industries attention. Before I knew it I was a pro skater. I worked hard and continue to work hard.
What's it like being a new pro skater?
It's probably the most fun and stressful thing in the world being a pro skateboarder. I mean, on one had you get to skateboard everyday and have fun all the time. That's the best thing in the world to me. If I couldn't skate everyday I'd go insane.
But on the other hand you have the 14 year olds that are absolutely destroying everything in their paths. I'm so stoked for the young kids that are coming up because I can see that skateboarding has a really bright future. A lot of pros are too set in their position to even think about the new breed of kids out there, but I really want to work with them and help the art form of skateboarding progress and grow. I mean, one of these kids is going to take my job and I want to make sure that it goes to someone who truly loves skateboarding and all that it can offer.
What's your dream? What are you shooting for?
The dream that I have is to make a skateboard company and work in skateboarding some day. I know a lot of people in the industry that are pros don't even think about what they're going to do after they get done skating for a paycheck, they just skate and never put away any money. You gotta be smart or you'll end up bitter and old someday. I'm truly happy that I've been able to be part of this industry and have been given the opportunities that I've gotten. But I definitely have a plan for the future.
What kinds of advice would you give to anyone out there who wants to follow in your footsteps?
Don't take skateboarding for granted, always have fun when you skate. If you get sponsored don't get greedy. No one owes you anything, skateboarding is still pure even if you get paid. Don't get into skateboarding for the money, always do it for fun and the love of it. Stay humble and don't get cocky. Basically what I'm saying is that it could all be gone tomorrow, so don't mess it up!
Most importantly HAVE FUN SKATEBOARDING!
Any thank yous?
I'd like to thank my sponsors, Regyn Wheels, Monster Energy, Garage mfg, Softrucks, Freestyle watches. I'd also like to thank fuel tv, Will c and my mom, dad and my family. Thanks to all my supporters and fans for making this a reality. Thanks to ABC boards also for being real and producing American made skateboards without the BS. Thanks to SponsorHouse for the sweet hookups. Thanks to all my friends Thanks to the videographers and photographers that have given me their time and effort, laid in ditches and given me a shot.
Find out more about Wil at his website - Wilwaldon.com
