Skateboarding is a sport that inspires its own culture. Most of the skateboarders at WHB are friends based on their similarities regarding brands and music.

Skateboarding in the beginning can be very hard, especially if you’ve never gotten on the board before. Most skaters started by chance.

“I saw a board at the store and I wanted to get it,” said Alan Barrios, a sophomore. “I got it and just started skating.” 

Meghan Reilly, a senior, had a cruiser for a few years before buying her first complete.

Going to the skatepark and falling off your board is not a thing you should be worried about. Everyone there will understand, as they too have fallen before and still do. 

The most common type of skating is street skating. It gives you the chance of going out and getting over more obstacles. Meanwhile, in skateparks, you have to be careful not to bump into somebody or stay crowded in one area.

The skateboarding community bonds over many things, including their very similar taste in music. What skaters listen listen to can range from indie to rap to surf rock. Meghan listens to different sub-genres of alternative while Alan listens to Cage the Elephant, Led Zeppelin, and many different rappers.

They also talk about famous skaters, new tricks they learn, and what their favorite tricks are. Meghan’s favorite tricks are 180 no-complies and back manuals while Alan’s are mainly a variation of airs.

There are many types of boards, such as completes, cruisers, customs, electric boards, longboards, and penny boards. You can be a pro at whichever one you choose, but if you want to do tricks you usually need a traditional complete. If you just want to cruise around, you can use the electric or long board. Tricks are difficult to do on a penny board, but you can have it for fun as the wheels are rubber and will help you get over rocks or gaps in sidewalks. 

Meghan’s favorite pro skaters are Lacey Baker, Fabiana Delfino, and Blondie McCoy. Alan, on the other hand, is a fan of the entire Illegal Civilization skate team.

In the end, it doesn’t matter what type of board you ride or who you like. Everyone is welcome in the skate community, especially the one here at WHB!