Skateboarding or also referred as sidewalk surfing, an action sport created through pure creativity and expression.No one knows the exact year to which skateboarding was created but it was sometime in the 1940-1950’s.
The sport originated from California USA, the idea came from surfers when the surf was flat and the swell was in existent. The idea of skateboarding was simply to replicate how you move in the water thus being called sidewalk surfing, this was a huge sensation among a small crowd in the Californian community. Although the exact time and date to which the first skateboard was invented is unknown, skateboarding is rather referred to as a spontaneous sport thus implementing a strong sense of creativity, expression and most importantly all about fun.
Early Concepts.
The first skateboard started as a very simple idea, like boxes, wooden planks, and various boards of various materials all attached with wheels from roller skates. As time went on ideas progressed and business ideas came into fruition. Companies were now producing early stage designs and were available to the people. This new exciting sport became very popular being so young skateboarding had a lot of growing up to do in such a short amount of time. By the 60’s the idea was at its peak and into full swing.
This new fad however was short lived unfortunately and in 1965 skateboarding became dead. People spoke of it like the yo-yo or the hula hoop, new and exciting at first but after a while everyone just gets over it. It had been described to have died over night to which it felt like due to its quick disappearance. Only hard core enthusiasts continued, as acquiring a skateboard became very difficult with sales of skateboarding equipment plummeting from retailers and disappearing from shelves.
With the essence of skateboarding being at an all time low the only way to actually get a skateboard was to make it yourself. The common wood of the time was usually oak or maple with Clay wheels from roller skates.
Skateboarding however was never extinguished. It was a small candle flickering but never blown out. And in 1972 East coast surfer Frank Nasworthy came up with the idea of using Petroleum based product to create Urethane wheels. Founder of Cadillac wheels Urethane paved the way for skateboarding to revolutionise the way we skate. These wheels became extremely popular so popular in fact that a simple young man like myself has come into owner ship of a set 40 or so years later.
During the 70’s skateboarding was making a name for itself. But like all good things, time and experience is needed to make the perfect condiment of excellence. To the sudden realisation of skateboarders and the coincidentally placed drought pools. Pool skating is when all the contents of a standard pool is emptied and used as a bowl to skate. This was the new cool thing to do and exploded into the underground scene of skateboarding.
This new epidemic took skateboarding by a storm. This new style evoked new beginnings with brand new tricks, skateboarders and a whole new variety of skateboarding and equipment.
Skateboarding being popular in a younger crowd, it was very rare that a young teenager owned a pool, especially the kids skateboarding. So the local kids spent their days squandering around looking for pools. They usually found empty pools due to the drought during those years, but sometimes they even took to extremes of bringing buckets, brooms, pipes and even electric water pumps to empty and liberate these pools. The ultimate prize would be a home for sale on the real estate market (without occupants). Someone would stand watch and shout out when the police arrived and give a shout out if it was time to bail.
This new style of skateboarding became very popular. Young men like Tony Alva, Stacey Peralta and Jay Adams paved the way for this style and were a part of very significant history.
In an interview with Tony Alva, he speaks of how his days were spent skating and surfing and how they were always looking for the perfect place, and coincidentally enough some of the best pools he has skated were in no way designed for skateboarding, even better than bowls actually built for skateboarding. And for him the ultimate thrill was to trespass into someone’s back yard and skate a pool not designed for skateboarding.
In another interview with Professional skateboarder Buckey Lasek, he speaks of how skateboarding has changed over the years. He and Tony Alva do not necessarily see eye to eye. Bucky speaks of how pool skateboarding has taken new heights, that the way to go is to go big. He tells us of the 14 foot pool/bowl in his backyard and speaks of how normal it is to have something of this magnitude. These days in professional competitions this is the standard size for pool/bowl skating. Whereas Tony Alva likes to stay in his comfort zone of 6-8-10 feet which is what would be described as a normal size pool with steeper transition.
So these were the times of the 70’s, it was interesting decade to which skateboarding really became something in the world. During this time style was everything, the benchmark was set by the original Z boys of Dogtown and everyone wanted a slice.
The 80’s
The year of the VCR, this is when skateboarding really made its debut on the scene. It was time to bring your best, record and produce. It was time to show everyone what you had and it was actually able to happen now. With big names like Stacy Peralta and George Powell, these guys have been on the scene since the 60’s and now were getting older. This when the Bones Brigade came into fruition.
Skaters like Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullin and Steve Caballero were discovered and shredding the parks. A newfound popularity came about with video, Skateboarders were able to advertise themselves and display for the whole world to see.
The perception of skateboarding was to try and be as cool as you could be whilst having fun. The beginning of the 80’s it was all about Vert skating, with already professional tony hawk, Mark Rogawski, Steve Caballero and Christian Hosoi. These guys were like royalty, skating everyday and getting paid big bucks for it.
The design and style obviously changed as well, it was a new decade and it was time to look flash and hip. The skateboard took a bubble bone shape, designed to enhance skating in the vert ramp or pool. With fatter bigger wheels and wider trucks, this was the new technology on the market some found it amazing but others just found it weird.
The 80’s were described as the golden years for Skateboarding. It was back and in full swing also. Skateboarder magazine was also back, a huge milestone for skateboarding. With it’s first issue being released in 1964 then coming to an end with the demise of skateboarding but returning to the scene during the 80’s. Everything was all well and good but unfortunately skateboarding took another turn for the worst with it once again becoming extremely unpopular toward the late 80’s and early 90’s.
The 90’s
The 90’s were truly an interesting decade, not only for skateboarding but all aspects of life. With the slow decline of skateboarding, Moral was at an all time low. Skateboarding legends in the 70-80’s were surprised and were having trouble keeping up with the new trend of street skateboarding.
Professional skateboarder at the time Natas Kaupas paved the way for street skating and revolutionised the sport once more. Along side with Rodney Mullen street skating was the new thing. Vert skating was dead, the 80’s were dead and it was time to make way for this new way of skating.
The introduction of the Ollie.
Natas was a pioneer of street skating, and could have easily been one to invent the Ollie, kick flip and pop shuv it. Breaking these barriers, he stepped it up once again by breaking the handrail barrier by skating down handrails. The reason to which I’m talking about Natas Kaupas is because he was the one to really kick-start the street skating era. Every era of skateboarding had a spokesperson a professional to really inspire and catalyse the style of skateboarding. It’s important to the sport to have people like these to influence others and get the balls rolling.
Over the decades the shape of the skateboard changed once again
Which was a pretty big deal. Further research with trial and error indicated that a more paddle pop shape skateboard would be a better handling, manoeuvrable piece of equipment.
The progression of skateboarding over the decades has come a long way. With different styles, aspects and expressions. Professionals and pioneers came and went with the sport. But without them who knows where the sport would have ended up. The trends and fashions came and went but now in the 2000’s skateboarding is an ever-growing life force in today’s society. It’s one of biggest extreme sports which the technicality growing at a super fast rate. I would say the most important thing about skateboarding is to have fun, the unity to which it brings people together, boys and girls young and old skateboarding is something everyone can enjoy.
Both street and Vert skating are as popular as each other but with the advance of equipment Long boarding and cruising are also a part of the skating culture of today’s society.
https://jacoblekki.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/the-evolution-of-skateboarding.pptx
Jacob lekki 