Skateboarders often crash along the pavement on campus and in their neighborhoods. Snowboarders brave the elements and speed up to 30 m.p.h. on the slopes to compete with downhill skiers. Often both sport participants take their chances to improve their tricks.

The popular activities have increased among the “X” and “Y” generations and many students and young adults are developing this activity into a regular sport.

“I started skating in the 6th grade and did it only for fun,” Nathan Yockey, ’03, said. “I didn’t really plan to do anything with my talent but I can ‘ollie’ and do a ‘kick flip’.” Yockey said that he no longer skates but likes to show off his skill once in a while.

None of the skaters on campus are sponsored, but most skaters have a preference to whom they want to be sponsored by. Pro-skating is a dream that may become a reality for some students.

“I want to go pro and go to the X games and be on ESPN,” Tyler Charest,’05, said. “I first began to take interest three years ago but I didn’t actually begin until about a year and a half ago. I would like to be sponsored by Element or Girl. One of my greatest achievements is that I can do a ‘360 Kasper flip’.”

Snowboarding is also well-known and popular sport among students on campus.

“I want to become a pro snowboarder when I grow up,” Nick Carrera, ’05, said. “I can do a ‘front side tail slide’, an ‘ollie’, a ‘backside feeble grind’, ‘a kick flip’, a ‘backside 50-50’, a ‘180 kick-flip’ and many more. You need baseball socks, a hat and trucks to be a good skater,” Carrera said.

Carrera started skating when he was nine-years-old. A group of skaters on campus said that there are some essential items that a skater needs in order to succeed.

“You definitely need some type of skater shoes and of course a board,” Chris Burford, ’04, said. “I’ve been skating for about seven months, but just for fun. I can do a ‘backside nose grind’, ‘hard flip’, ‘nose slide’ and a ‘board slide’. It’s just something fun to do in my spare time.”

While equipment is a must, most skaters have a role model or a hero that they look up to.

“Jamie Thomas is my favorite because he’s a Christian and he is the best skater out there,” Charest said.

“My hero is Eric Koston because he’s crazy,” Carrera said.

While skateboarding is often seen as an extreme sport which requires time, effort and determination. Those who were interviewed do not view these requirements any different than any other athletes who are dedicated to success.

For more information on extreme sports, see the Internet links to the right of this article.