There have been many generations of skateboarding in Prescott, Arizona. When I was 8, my best friend’s older brother Angelo was a sick skater and I remember him and his friends telling us to skate. Then when I finally started skating in middle school there was already a solid crew of skaters all around my age. They were skeptical of my skating at first, but I eventually got to be friends with them all. Then our local YMCA skatepark closed down and there was nothing in Prescott for a long time. At that point I skated mostly flatground at home for a couple years by myself.
A park eventually opened up in the neighboring town of Prescott Valley, but it wasn’t the same as having a local park. Soon after though, a nice cement park was finally built in Prescott. I got so excited that I rolled my ankle skating in preparation for the opening, and then I wasn’t able to skate the park for the first week! When I finally got there though, it was obvious that there was a completely new breed of skateboarders about to evolve in Prescott.
In the proceeding years, Prescott skaters have gotten better than ever. In that time I have gotten to be friends with all the older skaters that inspired me and all the younger skaters that continue to inspire me. This surge of progression has been made more fun by the ability to watch it all in the multitude of internet clips and videos released by Calavera Board Supply and Justin McGill.
Of course, skaters come and go. Things have changed a lot since the park first opened, but I’m still there, and luckily there are new skaters killing it too. Ryan Cedro, Kramer Karlson, Kyle Kapka, and Sean Davis are good examples. The videos speak for themselves.
They have also invented a new game of SKATE in which you have to “beam” your opponents while doing the trick, as explained by Billy Marks on The Berrics. I thought it was insane and was too scared to play the first time they asked me. Then a couple days ago I started playing what I thought was just a normal game of SKATE around the park, but I soon realized we had to beam. I didn’t want to do it, but I’d look stupid if I backed out. Somehow I managed to survive and beat them at their own game.
I never would have tried a no-look nose manual around the curved box if it wasn’t for these crazy kids. That’s one of the things I love about skateboarding. You see things you never knew could be done, and then amazingly you do it. Prescott skateboarders are doing it.
So What is Skateboarding? 