Longboards, mini ramps, sun-bleached hair, and the ideal guardrail don't exactly come to mind when one thinks of Boston. That has not stopped the skateboarding scene from staking its claim here, however, and the movement does not show signs of stopping.
"In California, 75 percent of people skateboard. That's just the way we get around," Katrina Vasquez, CSOM '10, says. "Here, the same is easily possible; it's just that the concept hasn't caught on yet. But I see it coming."
Back at home, Vasquez works for Birdhouse Skateboards, co-founded by pros Tony Hawk and Per Welinder. The company, which produces skateboards, clothing, and accessories, has maintained its status as one of the most popular brands and sponsors since 1992. They receive the most attention from the West Coast, where most of the modern day trick skating takes place, but Birdhouse has not forgotten the East Coast. After all, it started on the streets, not the ramps. The historic architecture and infrastructure make for a very unique skate style in Boston that stands out for some of Birdhouse's top skaters.
"The industrial cityscape of the East Coast produces a creative type of skating that is really only seen there," Birdhouse amateur Shaun Gregorie says. "Less handrail and gap skating and more skating in traffic." Willy Santos, one of Birdhouse's pros, adds, "Skating all over the city is very enjoyable."
Fellow pro Brian Sumner agrees, noting that skating in the East and West naturally developed into two distinct styles. "It only makes sense for the sport to progress where you have a perfectly built school yard with rails and stairs and gaps [on the West coast]," Sumner says, "while on the East coast you have rough roads, old planters, and some of the roughest ground in the country."
What's a Boston College student to do? With the school built into a craggy hill with many winding staircases and no helpful banisters, there may not be the fanfare of the tricks scene out West, but the campus, surrounding neighborhoods, and city do lend themselves to cruising. For this reason, Birdhouse is moving toward producing more longboards, which are specially suited for hills and streets, to better serve those on the East Coast.
There is plenty to the sport that would appeal to BC students in particular. With the push toward going green, there is no contest between the fuel emissions from the Commonwealth Avenue bus and those nonexistent from a skateboard, not to mention the added benefit of not having to wait for a lift to class. Unlike bicycles, boards do not need to be locked up but can be carried and stowed under desks during class. As a highly efficient way to get from point A to point B, several skaters encourage others to join.
Spring Break
