Riding the
Concrete Wave

by Elizabeth Sullivan

It’s gnarly, wack, insane, giant, killer and epic, consisting of groms, mongo-footers, ollies, grinds, alley-oops, and McTwists. It may sound like a horror flick, but it is here in the Wood River Valley: skateboarding.

Time has transformed this wonderful sporting alternative into a fun and accepted lifestyle that may seem complex in its moves and language, but is simpler to understand than the physics involved in it. And more Wood River Valley residents and visitors are giving it a whirl.

Skateboarding has a vast history of highs and lows and has taken on a whole new form in its evolution.
The first Roller Derby Skateboard was for sale in 1959. Clay wheels entered the picture and sidewalk surfing began to take root on “concrete waves.” After a decline due to its inferior products in the ‘60s, a surfer named Frank Nasworthy helped develop urethane wheels—the ‘70s boom of skating street style exploded.

In 1978, Alan Gelfand invented the “ollie”—the foundation of almost all the new-school tricks—which catapulted skating’s popularity. Not too long after, Tony Hawk emerged on the scene, winning his first contest in 1982 and skateboarders’ tricks took to new heights. By the early ‘90s the recession slumped skateboarding’s popularity into the underground until 1995 when it re-emerged from its sleep with broad exposure at the ESPN 2 Extreme Games.

Today, skating is more mainstream than ever with its own video games on the market, skateparks blooming across the countryside and even the availability of college scholarships such as the Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship, a fund established by mothers of skateboarders in Pennsylvania. And it’s now considered safer and more social than in earlier years. Overall, it is a “hella” fun sport and lifestyle.

More parents are encouraging their little groms—youngsters—to try skateboarding, yet it’s imperative that the “newbies” are properly geared in their protective gear. Also, when introducing young ones to the skateparks, parents should take the time to join them in getting to know the groups of people that ride there. There is a very structured social etiquette and pecking order within each scene. The camaraderie and communication while skating is very solid at skateparks.

Andy Gilbert of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is an avid skater, and he spearheaded the project for Dreamland Skateparks’ creation of the new Hailey skatepark.

“It’s not something you can just drop your kid off at and say ‘see ya later’ without knowing they have become accustomed to the respect, etiquette, and order that is established at these parks,” he emphasizes. “Knowing how the system in the park works is what keeps the riding safe.”

Part of that skateboarding culture is language, and it’s not as foreign as some may think. It’s easily learned by listening to what the kids call out and watching their corresponding moves.

When a skater is about to enter into the bowl or the halfpipe, he shouts, “Dropping in!” Skaters always call out which direction they will be heading, whether it’s the shallow or deep end. And everyone looks out for skaters who wipe out by shouting “watch out, someone’s down.” Bunnies, or neophytes, may cringe at the sight of bacon in the pan—a skater who has just taken a bad spill in the pipe and shrivels up over the impact—but will soon get over it if they have a hardcore—not afraid to take risks—attitude.

A beginner’s first step in skating is finding out whether they’re a regular-foot—left foot forward on the board—or a goofy foot—right foot forward. Next, they get their carving down—skating long arcs—and stair bashing—riding down stairs. Then it’s on to some air moves with grabs—maybe a method—grabbing the same side of the board—or a mute—their right hand reaches across the front of their legs and grabs their left foot—or a stalefish—reaching behind and grabbing the outside of the opposite skate.

Once some of the basic steps are achieved, skaters can play around with different stances, such as riding switch or banana—riding the opposite foot forward than they normally do—or styling mongo-foot—pushing off the board with the front foot to gain momentum instead of using the usual back foot. Then a skater can come out of a trick with a fakie—riding out in their normal stance but riding backwards. The list of tricks is limitless.

“It’s an easy sport to get into, and once you get down the basic moves, the possibilities are endless, ” says an e-mailer, named Uncomprehendaburg, on the Transworld skateboarding Web site.

More teens are pulling off tricks such as hand plants, an air-to-fakie, and frontside- or backside-180s in vert skating—skating on vertical structures like ramps—at an earlier age. And in street skating, more maneuvers such as railsliding, heelflips, frontside pop shove-its, and variations of grinds are more common.

“A kickflip is a popular trick among younger kids, ages 11 to 15. (It is a variation on the ollie, where the skater kicks down sharply with the balls of his or her feet causing the board to spin around before landing back on it.) They are always happy to land one, as it’s a stepping stone to a lot of other tricks,” says Aaron Meza, editor of Skateboarder Magazine.

So what is the Holy Grail of skateboarding?

According to most of the skate magazines and Web sites, it is progression. Taking it to the next level is what all skaters strive for. Why is progression the huge obsession in skating?

“Because, it’s no fun to do the same thing over and over again,” according to John Speaker of Dillsburg, Pa., as mentioned in the Transworld Skateboarding Web site.

Riding a variation of terrain is the best way to improve a skater’s ability, agility, and stamina.

“The Hailey park is great for pumping around or snaking the concrete bowls with more transitions (aka trannies). It’s very flowy,” says Jens Peterson, a Hailey resident. “And the Ketchum park has a combination of concrete and smaller wood ramps and rails that are in a tighter design. This is good for getting technical moves down.”

Both parks are free to enter, and there are no set rules from the cities, only from the skaters who ride there.

And if you think you’re up to it, or know someone who is, the Board Bin, located in Ketchum, is sponsoring a few contests including their Fifth Annual Skate Contest this August.

So, bunnies, don’t be labeled a flatlander. Put on your armor and hardcore attitude and drop in to the vert ramp. There’s nowhere to go but up.