Skaters at CCHS: Who’s on board?

BY ELENA VALDEZ

Cliches are an inevitable part of high school. As one walks down the halls, it’s easy to point out who’s who and what group they most likely “belong” to. Some of these traditional cliques, however, are easier to point out than others with distinct styles and attitudes evident from a mile away.

One of these groups is the quintessential skaters of the school. We see them walk around, carrying their skateboards and wearing old school Vans. They keep to themselves and because of that, it’s easy for the non-skater to find it intriguing.

What’s intriguing is often imitated, and that has caused skater culture to be sold in every store. Thrasher, a skating company and popular magazine, is seen everywhere and on everything. Vans, originally created for skating and BMX, are among the most popular shoes in the world as of 2018. People are willing to buy and even replicate what they are lacking— individuality.

“It’s really popular now with a lot of rappers being skaters and skate companies blowing up, like Thrasher and Supreme,” junior Christopher Placido said. “I would like to see more people try and skate.”

Posers do exist but, for the most part, no one really cares enough to pay attention to them.

What’s intriguing is often imitated, and that has caused skater culture to be sold in every store.

“Some of them can be annoying,” junior Francisco Torres said. “But, for the most part, they don’t bother me.”

At CCHS, there is a relatively prominent skating community. So much so that administration has a room dedicated to keep boards in, so the skaters don’t have to carry them around all day. These skaters are found in every grade, all with different backgrounds and motives for enjoying the sport. Skating is a serious hobby for a select few students.

Sophomore Austin Schneider has loved skating ever since he found his brother’s old skateboard seven years ago. He discovered skating to be fun and decided to stick with it.

“I love that skateboarding makes me happy when I’m sad,” Schneider said.

His love of skating has landed him on the Ramp 48 skatepark team, where he is sponsored by the park and encouraged to pursue a career in the sport. Island Water Sports surf and skate shop has also scouted him out after Schneider sent them an edit of his best tricks. The shop ended up liking what he can do and put him on their team as well.

“It’s something nobody can pick up and be naturally good at.”

“The people that work there [Ramp 48] have watched me skate for a long time,” Schneider said. “They liked the way I skate, so they put me on a team.”

He hopes to work in the scene and make a career for himself in skating, either through starting a brand or opening up his own shop.

Sophomore Kyle Cordon has also found an affinity for the sport. Although he has only been skating for about a year, he’s quickly become serious about it. He documents his progress through things like videos and pictures to watch his improvement, and noticeably, where he’s getting better.

“It’s something nobody can pick up and be naturally good at,” Cordon said. “For example, a 10-year-old kid that’s been skating since he was 5 can easily be better than a 20-year-old who has been skating for only a year.”

The sport is based on hard work and dedication, which makes it one of the most impressive. The intricate footwork and balance necessary to succeed in completing tricks such as kickflips, jumping sets and trey flips can take years of practice.

“When I was a kid, I was fascinated by how well skaters could keep the board under their feet when they were riding and doing tricks.”

“It’s a lot harder than it looks,” Cordon said.

Another dedicated skater is junior Dylan Comprosky, who began skating around age 9.

“I just started skating in my neighborhood,” Comprosky said. “When I was a kid, I was fascinated by how well skaters could keep the board under their feet when they were riding and doing tricks.”

It’s more than a hobby for Comprosky, who hopes to open a skate shop or his own deck company in the future. Just recently, he began offering skating lessons to kids wanting to learn. He advocates for anyone who is interested to give it a try.

“Practice makes perfect,” Comprosky said. “Anyone can do it, you just have to put the work in.”

“Anyone can do it, you just have to put the work in.”

Skating, much like its participants, is varied. Some view it as a more casual thing, not wanting to go pro or pursue it in the future.

“I only know around like 10 to 12 kids who really skate,” senior CJ Osceola said. “By really skate, I mean kids who are actually passionate about it other than it just being a pastime or something.”

The scene is male-dominated, but that doesn’t mean it’s off limits for anybody else. There is an evident gender gap, with far fewer females skating than males. The preconceived notion that skating is for boys, not girls, means little to nothing. Anyone can skate.

Sophomore Alexis Roushay has been skating since the seventh grade.

All you really need is a board and a body.

“I really hated riding my bike to school because of how big it was and how I had to lug it around everywhere,” Roushay said. “My best friend had one [a skateboard] so I got one and just found it nice to glide your way anywhere with a board.”

She found that she enjoyed everything about skating the more she did it.

“The riding and gliding from one place to another,” Roushay said. “From one push to another.”

Skating is a freedom, not bound by any rules and regulations of traditional sports. Hard work and dedication will get one further in the skating world than natural born talent and fate, which is a part of why it’s appealing— skating gives everyone a chance. All you really need is a board and a body.

Photo by Kayla Florenco