Talkin’ it to the streets
They have been the scourge of sidewalk pedestrians and maintenance crews for decades. Looked down upon by the collective noses of proper society, these seemingly indifferent and destructive youngsters in baggy clothing
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getting a paycheck,” says Stanfield.
While manufacturers pay people such as Barletta to endorse their products, Stanfield says most of the income is earned from shirts, apparel and equipment designed by and featuring images of the skaters.
On his third trip to Hawaii, Stanfield says he’s been impressed with the talent. Enough to maybe sign someone to a contract? It’s possible. The combination of skill and personality exists.
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Shota Kubo, a 19-year-old Kapiolani Community College student who won the 18-and-over category, could be just such a possibility. The son of original Z-Boy, Shogo Kubo, has an easy manner about him that is anything but threatening, and skates with an effortless quality that is particularly apparent when pulling off speedy maneuvers. If the business major who one day hopes to open a skate shop with his legendary father has a marketing downside, it is that he may be too nice. A problem that Stanfield says holds back Hawaii skaters who compete on the Mainland.
“I was kind of intimidated,” says Kubo about the competition. “I don’t really skate that much. I’m not that good. I was just lucky.”
While the corporate takeover of skating is nearly complete, its reputation as something antisocial and problematic still resonates, even with parents that encourage their children’s activity.
“Skateboarding over the years has always had a punk quality about it, and if you’re a dad in his 50s, that’s not really appealing. But to the kids it’s real cool,” says Tim Shanley, whose 11-year-old son Ryan competed in the event. “That’s the only thing I don’t care for about it, but I think it’s a great sport.”
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As Ryan has spent more time at skate parks, the Sunset Beach carpenter who makes his own decks said that he has discovered that the image is more myth than reality.
“I think it’s great, and now that I’m getting more familiar with it and taking him to parks, a lot of the older kids I see skating are real nice kids,” he says.
While vert skating - the half pipe riding style popularized on the X Games - had dominated television for a number of years, its popularity has waned in recent years in favor of street skating. The reasons why are easy to understand. Vert skating requires large, expensive places to practice, and few municipalities are willing to absorb a costly recreational activity that comes with inherent dangers. Street skaters need no such elaborate setups. They just need, well, the street - or stairs, railings, curbs, sidewalks, park benches and picnic tables.
“The vert skating is not necessarily dying, but it’s harder because you need to have a vert ramp and I don’t even know if you have one in Hawaii,” says Stanfield. “Street skating you don’t need to go anywhere. You can street skate right in front of your house, in the driveway. So street has just picked up. About 95 percent of the people street skate, the other 5 percent vert skate.”
Another one of that great majority is Kahuku High School junior Troy Pintarelli, who took first place in the 14-17 age group. Though he prefers street skating over the vertical style, he isn’t afraid to hit the half pipe to accent his own skating.
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“I just stick to airs if I’m messing up with something else,” says Pintarelli following his victory. “I just wanted to win, but there are a lot of good guys here.”
T&C gave out prize packs to the top six finishers in every category. For their efforts, the winners received a skateboard, a backpack and a unique award.
“Trophies tend to get tossed, so we try to get creative with it,” said T&C marketing coordinator, Michelle Cabalse. “Last year we had it on Halloween and we made these skeletons on skateboards with a plate with the winners’ names.”
This year it was a framed event poster with the winners’ names prominently displayed.
As with any event that involves a mass of people, the biggest job becomes the cleanup at the end of the day. Fortunately, in the years they have been holding the event, the organizers have learned a thing or two.
“There is always trash everywhere. We always save some prize packs for the kids who help us clean up. We don’t even have to tell them. They know that, and it’s like going to the ice cream truck,” says Cabalse about her young volunteers.
“Even though they are not your kids, there is something really satisfying seeing that they are willing to do it. It’s kind of nice that they are so eager to clean.”
A fact that should at least provide some relief to concerned adults as they transit the playgrounds of skaters.
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