National Skateboard Day attracts area skateboarders

Many young skateboarders competed in a variety of trick contests.

By Kyle Daly

Published June 21, 2009

On Saturday, the Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area hockey rink had no sounds of fiberglass hockey sticks scraping the pavement, no sounds of rollerblades gliding down the court and no exclamatory cheers from a victorious team.

Columbia park-goers instead focused their attention on the neighboring skate park about 10 yards away. A cement ocean of rising pyramids, carved-out dips and steep drops served as an afternoon home to more than 100 people. It is here that a different sport was being played. With no teams or rules, it was a one-person game.

“Organized sports are a blast, but skateboarding is individual -- it’s all about yourself,” said Shane Stander, co-owner of Columbia’s new Parkside Skateshop. “You’re challenging yourself. Your biggest obstacle is yourself.”

On Saturday, Columbia skateboarders celebrated Go Skateboarding Day! at Columbia Skate Park. Columbia Parks and Recreation, Small Time Skates, the Tiger Pilot Club and the Youth Community Coalition presented the event, which celebrated National Skateboarding Day and the grand opening of Parkside Skateshop.

Skateboarders came out to the event to compete, eat free food, skate and have a good time.

Skateboarder Zach Shipley, 14, said he heard about the event from his friends and just wanted to come and skate. He said the word “determination,” which was written on black top of his board, represents his view on skateboarding.

“That’s what skateboarding is all about,” he said.

Kristi Laing, mother of beginner skateboarder Justin Cheathom, 13, said it was the first time both of them had come to the event. 

“All my friends started skating,” Cheathom said. “I got into it.”

Laing said once her son started skateboarding, she had to learn all she could about the sport from the Internet.

“You do what they love to do,” Laing said. 

Skateboarders competed against each other in four events during the day. A best trick competition was held for beginner, intermediate and advanced skaters and a high ollie contest was held last. The contest required skaters to leap over a bar. Each first place winner received a new skateboard deck, the wooden part of the skateboard, and second and third place winners received bearings and stickers. Bearings enable the wheels on a skateboard to spin.

Gus Eggener, 14, winner of the beginner best trick competition with a trick called “front side disaster,” said skateboarding made up for the fact that there weren’t many kids in his neighborhood to play with.

“It’s just a way to get out of the house,” Eggener said.

Blake Kilpatrick, 22, who skated in the advanced best trick competition said skateboarding is about three things.

“The satisfaction of rolling away from the tricks, positive vibes and good days,” he said.

According to the official Web site for Go Skateboarding Day!, the event is the official holiday of skateboarding and is celebrated every year on June 21. The first Go Skateboarding Day! took place in 2003 and was founded by the International Association of Skateboard Companies.

This year, it was celebrated a day early in Columbia. 

“We always do it on a Saturday, so more participants can come out,” said Stander, who was also master of ceremonies for the day’s festivities.

Columbia has been organizing events for Go Skateboarding Day! for the past five years.

Stander said he was happy about the grand opening of his new shop, which opened near Cosmo Skate Park on Business Loop 70. 

“We have Columbia’s first free-standing skate shop here at the skate park,” Stander said. “It’s not a huge money maker. It’s just a shop, something we love to do. We’re providing the kids with a real shop that’s constantly doing activities, keeping them involved and making it exciting for our community.”

The Tiger Pilot Club, a social organization that raises funds to provide programs, grants and funding to persons or organizations that help prevent brain injuries, diseases or disorders, gave out free helmets and all skateboarders at the event, regardless of age, were required by Columbia Parks and Recreation to wear them.

“We are trying to promote safety, first and foremost,” Columbia Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Erin Carrillo said.