|
If you would like to submit a letter to Real Skate
with the intention of getting it published, this is the place to
do it. No guarantee all submissions will get published and they
are subject to editing. Names must be included and will be published,
however out of courtesy to you in our anti spam campaign, we will
no longer print your e-mail addresses.
Clarkie
Submit to: editor(at)realskate.com
Letters and articles
reflect the views and opinions of the writers only and not necessarily
of Real Skate or its staff.
From Ann
DeTienne
Whatz up all girl skaters out there! I have been skating now for
4 years, (since I was nine), and I've loved it ever since I got
my first Nash. The other day I was reading Abbey Whitney's interviews
and they were the best interviews I have read in a long time. I
congratulate Abbey for all her efforts. I never really realized
how many girl skaters there are out there until I discovered your
website. Over here in Wisconsin there aren't many girl skaters.
In fact I don't know any in the town were I live. I go to the skatepark
allot over here which is only a few blocks from my house and I'm
bound to see a girl skating there yet. So if you live in Wisconsin
and want to e-mail me feel free to do so. Maybe we can go skating
sometime. Skate on girls!!!!!!! — ps If you could e-mail me
Abbey Whitney's e-mail address would love it!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Editor's
note: Thank you Ann! Abbey would love to hear from you. She can
be reached at abbey@realskate.com]
From
Matt
Dedrick
Dear RealSkate: I am a 14 year old diabetic skater
when just recently having a session at the local skatepark got a
turn for the worse. My blood sugar level went too low and was unable
to do anything. I sat down and had some jelly beans in order to
bring it up. While in this time of recovery some guy picked up my
deck and ran. I was unable to do any thing due to my health. So
I was just wondering if you could give me some ideas for a new setup.
I have been skating for a while now and have become pretty good.
Thank u for your time.
[Editor's note: That
just sucks rotten bananas! I'm sorry to hear of your bad experience.
I heard a similar story here where I live. A bodyboarder had his
board stolen while he swam out to rescue another boarder from drowning,
and saved his life. The Fire Department, who never would have gotten
there in time, chipped in and bought him a new board. I hope other
skaters and shops in your area will read this and help you out too.
I've posted your letter on our message board; I'm sure someone will
help you decide on a new setup. As for the guy who stole your board,
he's a loser. He's setting himself up for failure because he has
no humanity. Take care Matt.]
From Denise
I am the mom of a true skateboarding talent. He is 17 years old
now, and literally lives on the board. He has since he was 8 or
9. I don't know what he wears out faster, the board or the shoes.
He spends all of his free time at a local skate park, or building
ramps in our backyard. He is awesome! And his motivation to excel
and challenge himself is rare I'm sure. What can we do to have his
skills directed towards a pro-career? Please e-mail any response
or advice. Thank You.
[Editor's note: I'm sure every pro has their own story
how they got sponsored, but when I worked in the industry, our generic
answer to the hundreds of sponsor-me-vids, letters, phone calls,
and lunch money bribes was "If you're rad, we'll find you." That
may sound cold, but truly, exposure is the answer. Keep on supporting
him and help him out by letting him travel to demos where he can
skate right alongside the pros and be noticed by industry people,
photographers, and shop owners. He should enter every am contest
he can get to. You're an awesome mom for supporting your skater
kid; huge thumbs up to you!]
From Mike
Pooley
Hi, my name is Mike Pooley and I work at a skateshop called Bills
Wheels in Santa Cruz. One of your mag people gave me a card at the
shop the other day, so I decided to check out the site. I haven't
looked at everything but from what I saw it looked pretty rad. I
like the different articles your site contains. Pretty original
stuff. If you guys want to do anything on the scene in Santa Cruz
let me know if you need any help, or if you have any questions.
Bills has been a part of the scene here for over 20 years. And we
love to help. Nice Mag.
[Editor's note: Right on Mike, thanks. I'll be callin
on ya I'm sure!]
From Derek
Bishop
Dear Clarkie: I just wanted to thank you for driving to Gilroy to
take the photo shoot with me and the rest of the team; it's good
to know that there are some cool ass people out there like you!!!!!
So thanks again..... Derek
[Editor's note: It's good to know there are some cool
ass am's out there!]
From Jon
Taube
Hi! My name Jon Taube and I have been interested
in skateboarding for about a year now. I started watching the X-Games
and other skateboarding shows on ESPN2 and I was like "Wow, I wish
I could do that!" Finally, after like 4 months of begging, my mom
let me buy a board. I have had my board for about a week now so
I'm still new to all this. I don't have a fancy board or anything,
there's time for those after I get down the basics. For the longest
time now I have just been starving for skateboarding stuff. Then
I found your mag/site. It is awesome. They have stuff for beginners
like me and for more advanced people. I just wanted to say thanks
and rock on.
[Editor's note: Thank you for your nice letter, Jon.
With your determination, I'm sure you will become an awesome skater.
Keep in touch, and let us know how you are doing!]
From TG
This is basically a letter of total appreciation of the coolest
site in the world! No seriously, it really does rock and that brings
me to thank you for such a wonderful site. Thank you! There ya go
thats my piece said and me signing out from the UK (England;
little island in middle of sea etc!)
[Editor's note: Thank you very much
TG!]
From Kid
Hey I like your site because it ain't just a boy
site and I like the dogs on boards and how you disigned your web
page.
[Editor's note: Thank you for your
nice letter kiddo!]
From Sarah
Thanx guyz! Hey! Luv this site! I think it's totally true that gurlz
should get recognized for the talent that we have in extreme sports.
My best guy bud introduced me to skateboarding when I was about
10. I'm now 14 and still love going shopping with my friends and
skating. It's wonderful how you guys show that ALL and EVERY gurl
can do the same stuff as guyz and can even be better! Thanx for
the extra push to skating!
[Editor's note: You're welcome Sarah,
thanx for writing!]
From Matt
Dedrick
Dear Real Skate: I wrote ages ago how my board got stolen from a
skatepark when I was recovering. I just wrote to tell you that I
bought my new board. It is a Jamie Thomas limited edition deck,
venture trucks, abec threes, and blank wheels. It is an awesome
set up and I skate all the time now, thanx.
[Editor's note: Right on Matt!]
From Jay
Smitka
I bought my first skateboard in the summer of 2000. It
cost me like $255 and I saved forever for it. I bought it at a store
called The District here in Nanaimo, BC, Canada. I've always liked
The District more then Alternative Groove. Now I skated pretty hard
for about a month or two, and then it happened. I stopped, I slacked.
Why you ask? Lets see the undeserved calls of "Poser" just because
I was learning, or didn't look like a typical skater. The fact that
people dissed me because I had an expensive skate for my first skate,
even though I worked my ass off at my job to get that money. Who
knows what it was, but I slacked.
Then just yesterday I was walking
into my garage and I saw it, lying there in the corner, looking
lonely, abused and unwanted. And I grabbed that skate and I went
outside, and I sucked, I sucked HARD. I hadn't skateboarded for
months; the kickflips, shuv its, boardslides and ollie manuals where
all gone; here came the crashes, tumbles, falls and cries of pain.
But I got my ass up, time and time again and I skated for hours.
You see I'm starting from scratch with ollies and manuals. I can't
relate to the so called "New School." I can't relate to much at
all, and I certainly can't relate to all this hype. I've decided
that I don't give a damn if they call me a poser, because I love
to skate even when I'm crashing and falling. I don't care, skating
is the funnest experience of my life.
So right now I'm saying to all the
skateboarders who look down on other skaters because you're better,
or more hardcore, or more typical, to piss off! I have just as much
of a right to skate as anyone else. Everyone has the right to skate
and if they enjoy it, as far as I'm concerning no one should judge
who's a poser. If your a poser, you know it, so go inside and screw
off! — Jay Smitka, 14 Years Old,
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
[Editor's note: Yeah!
(what Jay said!). I think skaters who diss beginning skaters and
call them posers don't deserve the title "skater."
|
