EARLY YEARS
Can you share with us your earliest memory of being introduced to your sport?
Probably riding back from school on my cruiser board, and first going to the skatepark at Venice beach and seeing everyone skate in the bowls and skatepark. It definitely encouraged me to skate bigger bowls, learning new tricks and trying to figure out what they were doing, it looked like fun so I wanted to try it out.
What inspired you to try your sport/take it further?
When I was 7/8 I saw competitions like the Dew tour on the TV. A lot of the competitors were 13 or 14 years old and I knew that wasn’t so different from me so it inspired me that I could do that too and it wasn’t such a far off dream. Now I hope that what I am doing inspires younger generations to start skating and know that there is nothing stopping them from achieving their dreams.
Any inspirational people, coaches or mentors who played a key role?
I am definitely inspired by top level athletes like Connor McGregor, watching his documentaries and work ethic & mentality is very inspiring. Usain bolt and Tom Daley are also amazing in their accomplishments and how many medals and Olympics they have competed in.
GRASSROOTS
What would you say to someone thinking about trying your sport?
Getting into skateboarding is definitely one of the most unique sports I feel. Understanding the way skateboarding works and learning tricks definitely helps a lot in your life and how you approach situations. It is definitely good when you are young to try out and progress over the years and see your development. It also really helps your balance and awareness out a lot too.
What initiatives are happening to get people into your sport?
There are a lot of grassroots events happening in the UK promoting new skaters and trying to get people interested in skating through skateboard GB and other companies that are working with the community. It is a great time for skateboarding. One of the first indoor parks I skated in the UKback when I was 8 was Graystone in Manchester which has alot of amazing programs and supports alot of skaters.
TRAINING
Describe a typical training session…
I usually train 2/3 hours a day, 5-6 times a week. Stretching, warming up my muscles and getting ready to go is always really important before a session. Normally I train practicing all my tricks in lines. Sometimes the harder ones by themselves separately. Then at the end I will try and learn a new trick maybe or figure out and work on something I’m not as good at.
What’s the toughest thing about being an athlete?
Definitely sleep. Making sure I sleep well, it can be hard with a lot of travel. Other than that, making sure I eat the right foods and making sure I keep my body safe. Stretching so that I don’t get sore. Just keeping myself safe in overall
What’s the hardest part/skill in your sport to master?
Flip tricks, flip variations are definitely the hardest to perfect because of the foot placement on your board. It has to be pretty much perfect every time. I think it’s a hard trick for everyone to perfect but I think if you can do it every try your set.
