What is Skateboarding?

[Antwan]

Well, I guess this is a rant.. Anyway..
I was talking to a 14 year old the other day, Likes Skateboarding.
Hasn't Figured out the Ollie Yet, His Friends are in a Local "Skate Group" No Sponsors
but this group just recently Submitted footage
(it's four kids) and are all getting sponsored by the Local Shop.
That's cool.. They are all the same age, 14.
I talked to him about what skateboarding is, Showing Him How I skate.
He said it was crap, and this is not why I'm upset..
I even told him Just Have fun.. But it's all I can seem to say in these situations.
I know I'm still progressing, Doing something different ain't easy. Mainly because not everyone digs it.
I've met quite a few kids in my time skating..
I'll be 22 This December and I've probably skated I don't know 4 years is a guess, Real off and on.
So About 4 years, maybe 2 years I've gone to skateparks, Met some cool people
and some kids that hated what I'm about.. and I don't blame them.
I think it's the media.. Kids are afraid to branch out, Try different things before going right into some
Haslam, Daewon, Jaws-Type Shit and I don't even care.. Do what You like.. but I wonder if what the younger crowd likes is influenced by the attention skateboarding gets based around Pros.
I kind of think this is true.. I don't really seem to connect with the kids like I do the older guys.
I can talk with kids, anyone can.. we've all been that age but when it comes to skating I'm not sure.
I'm not saying all kids are the same just who I've come across seems to be following the now.
Dismissing Skateboarding's Roots, Dismissing the fact that it is all fun, It's all Skating.
I've even seen some cases where Teens look down on other kids trying to learn..
That's not what Skateboarding is about man.. shouldn't we be helping each other to get better?

Anyway, That's my rant..
I don't expect many to agree with this but I'm Throwing it out there.
Gotta get up early to do some shit, but it was on my mind.

[r0ke]

Nobody can help you to get better because noone skates like you. Just skate more and talk less; always found that helped me as a kid.

-R

[fallingskyline]

skating for 20 years now, i can say i don't give a shit about what skateboarding means any more. for me its having fun, gettin' a little adrenalie rush once in a while or a place for myself where i can about anyone and everything else when i need that. helping someone to proceed isn't possible, cause the only person able to help you is yourself, like roke said. if someone doesn't like the shit you're doing, so what? being honest i'm not a fan of "individuality" with forcing something "newish" by doing freestylesque stuff, but if you like it, do it. i won't blame you for doing something you like, and kids are just kids, they'll get older and will someday understand, what you are about... this has nothing to do with skateboarding!

[Slamooh]

oh wait ... is this real life ?

[bengrover]

You had a disagreement with a 14 year old and took to the internet to rant about it?

Always a pleasure Antwan.

[Antwan]

I'm not saying this one kid, Several Kids..
I was thinking more along the lines of This is what skateboarding is becoming.
It sounds similar to jocks and nerds in school, if that helps as a reference.
Obviously I wasn't around when Skating started..
I give props to people skating big shit like pros do but it's all that seems to be respectable.
I'm not saying people need to tell me or anyone else how to be better, just seems like a lack of respect toward one another.
IN GENERAL. I suck at what I do, I'm experimenting I'm not going to lie about it.
But You know you're going to hype someone up if they are trying to 360 flip into the bowl or fliptrick off of a big drop, hit a set etc.
In the end it doesn't really affect how much I like skateboarding, I'm just thinking about skateboarding as an image
painting it, with what I have observed.