Skateboarding to the future

Longboards, mini ramps, sun-bleached hair, and the ideal guardrail don't exactly come to mind when one thinks of Boston. That has not stopped the skateboarding scene from staking its claim here, however, and the movement does not show signs of stopping.

"In California, 75 percent of people skateboard. That's just the way we get around," Katrina Vasquez, CSOM '10, says. "Here, the same is easily possible; it's just that the concept hasn't caught on yet. But I see it coming."

Back at home, Vasquez works for Birdhouse Skateboards, co-founded by pros Tony Hawk and Per Welinder. The company, which produces skateboards, clothing, and accessories, has maintained its status as one of the most popular brands and sponsors since 1992. They receive the most attention from the West Coast, where most of the modern day trick skating takes place, but Birdhouse has not forgotten the East Coast. After all, it started on the streets, not the ramps. The historic architecture and infrastructure make for a very unique skate style in Boston that stands out for some of Birdhouse's top skaters.

"The industrial cityscape of the East Coast produces a creative type of skating that is really only seen there," Birdhouse amateur Shaun Gregorie says. "Less handrail and gap skating and more skating in traffic." Willy Santos, one of Birdhouse's pros, adds, "Skating all over the city is very enjoyable."

Fellow pro Brian Sumner agrees, noting that skating in the East and West naturally developed into two distinct styles. "It only makes sense for the sport to progress where you have a perfectly built school yard with rails and stairs and gaps [on the West coast]," Sumner says, "while on the East coast you have rough roads, old planters, and some of the roughest ground in the country."

What's a Boston College student to do? With the school built into a craggy hill with many winding staircases and no helpful banisters, there may not be the fanfare of the tricks scene out West, but the campus, surrounding neighborhoods, and city do lend themselves to cruising. For this reason, Birdhouse is moving toward producing more longboards, which are specially suited for hills and streets, to better serve those on the East Coast.

There is plenty to the sport that would appeal to BC students in particular. With the push toward going green, there is no contest between the fuel emissions from the Commonwealth Avenue bus and those nonexistent from a skateboard, not to mention the added benefit of not having to wait for a lift to class. Unlike bicycles, boards do not need to be locked up but can be carried and stowed under desks during class. As a highly efficient way to get from point A to point B, several skaters encourage others to join.

"I find it a lot more fun and challenging," Pat Hamm, A&S '08, says. "You can just take your skateboard with you anywhere: class, work, or even the bar. When it's nice out, it's just my favorite way to get around."

Some may find this "nice out" notion to be utterly unfamiliar, particularly with the stormy, freezing week we have just seen and an extra six groundhog-predicted weeks of winter. Vasquez and others naturally look forward to the warmer months of spring when they can break their boards out more often, but in the meantime they do not let the cold hinder their fun.

"There's not really an off season for skating," she says. "If it's raining and snowing, you're bummed out, but once it's clear, you're out again. It's more of a lifestyle than a sport with seasons."

Hamm agrees, seizing as many opportunities as he can. "If it's dry enough, I'll skate now," he says. "I also just learned how to snowboard this year with the Ski and Snowboard Club."

For career-oriented students reluctant to tackle yet another activity in their heavily scheduled lives, skateboarders insist on giving it a try. Vasquez plans to apply her marketing degree to the extreme sports industry and get more women involved, and Hamm wants to keep it in his life as long as possible. Sumner recognizes the focus skateboarding requires, which can be helpful during the stressful weeks of finals.

"Skateboarding offers more avenues toward tricks and where to do them, so one benefit is the amount of possibilitiesavailable," he says. "Mentally, it takes a deeper focus because you have to deal with time, technique, commitment, and perseverance … We are called to work hard by the sweat of our brow all the days of our lives."

The issue of whether BC students in particular will be receptive to skateboarding has apparently lessened in recent years. Now in his fourth year at BC, Hamm has noticed that skateboarding today is not as exclusive as it used to be. There has been a recent increase in the student body's acceptance of the hobby, but Hamm thinks it will take something big to attract more students.

"I don't know if people would come out of the woodwork," he says, "but if a pro tour came, I think there's a chance that a lot of people would get excited about it."

And indeed, the possibility of a skateboarding demo tour is being tossed around at Birdhouse right now as it looks to portray the sport as more of a fun, stress-relieving way to get around rather than a sidewalk nuisance.

Tony Hawk in particular does not want the negative image of skateboarders to become so severe that parents try to deter their children from it. To make it a more publicly acceptable and accessible sport, Hawk has helped set up parks across America.

For instance, because skateboarding is banned on public property in Boston, the Tony Hawk Foundation has sponsored the Charles River Skatepark, a 40,000-square foot park located under the Zakim Bridge with a projected opening for spring 2008.

The nationwide availability of boards and gear is growing, as well. Several skateboarding resources are located right within the city, including Coliseum Skateboard on Huntington Avenue, High Grade Skateboards on Washington Street, and the Beacon Hill Skate Shop on South Charles Street.