From Left to Right: Ryan, Mark, Renz, and Marvin
Local Group of Skate Boarders Posing for the Camera
If you’ll walk along M. L. Tagarao Street, you’ll see corners with parked cars and small stores selling different goods — nothing too different from the tens or probably hundreds of corners in the city proper. If you’ll take a closer look at the corner just across the Maryhill College gate, though, you might see something new.
Wooden boards mounted on wheels maneuvered by teens about 14-20 years of age sporting body-hugging shirts, skintight jeans, and worn skater shoes that promise untold stories, race back and forth in this inconspicuous corner between passing small cars and SUVs.
Taken by curiosity, we approached a small group huddled together while taking a break and started asking them some questions.
Are you guys part of a skateboarding group?
Renz: We’re not really a group — or at least we’re not officially one. We just gather together whenever we find the time — just chilling out and practicing new tricks. There are no officers; no official rules. Everyone’s welcome to join as long as they have their own skateboards and can get along with the others.
That’s interesting. We have been seeing skaters in this corner lately, but we don’t seem to recall seeing this many several years back.
Ryan: That might be because we move around a lot. We’d love to have a skate park where we can freely practice our tricks — even just a small place where we can set up ledges and ramps — but there’s no such thing in Lucena yet — at least a place that we can permanently use — so we just gather wherever there is enough space. Most of the time, you’ll see us around Tong Ho Institute, Perez Park, and Quezon National High School.
Isn’t that dangerous considering all of the passing cars?
Mark: Kind of. That’s why security guards from nearby establishments chase us away. Unfortunately, there’s not much that we can do about it because we’ve got no other place to practice. Sometimes, kind friends living in subdivisions would allow us to use their yards or the empty spaces around them, so we’ll set up our equipment there for a while. That kind of setup is temporary, though, so we still have to find other places to go to.
How did you get your start in skateboarding?
Ryan: By observing my elder brother and the skateboarders from Quezon National High School. They left a good impression on me, so I thought I should probably give it a try.
Marvin: By seeing a piece of wood.
For real? Why?
Marvin: Well, one time I was walking down the street when I stumbled upon a piece of wood. I thought it could make a good skateboard, so here I am now (laughs).
Are there any skateboarders that you look up to?
Mark: Marvin! Kidding aside, we idolize Mike Mo, Chris Cole, Paul Rodriguez, Tony Hawk, and Sean Moulton.
Does skateboarding require any specific gear?
Ryan: Yes, it does. For one, you need flexible skate shoes that will allow you to make twists and turns with ease. You also need protective gear like knee pads and elbow pads, especially for beginners.
So, who shoulders expenses like those?
Everyone: We do.
You don’t have any sponsors?
Ryan: Not really. Everything comes from our own pockets.
What if someone wins a competition and got to collect some prize money, does any of it go to the group?
Renz: Nah… We don’t have that sort of agreement. If the guy was kind enough, he’ll treat us to a meal. Right, guys?
What if someone gets injured?
Mark: Well, that’s part of the game. Of course, we try our best to keep anyone from getting hurt, but it cannot be avoided altogether. If it’s something that we can manage, we fix it ourselves. Some of the guys have learned first aid from fixing the others up. For example, I sort of dislocated a bone before and this guy managed to straighten it up.
So, you’re not only skateboarders, you also double as paramedics?
Marvin: Yeah, carpenters too.
Carpenters?
Marvin: Yup, like fixing our skateboards and stuff.
That’s great. That reminds us, where and how do you get your skateboards? Do you purchase them brand new, second-hand, or do you build them yourselves?
Ryan: Some of us purchase them brand new; some buy them second-hand. A simple skateboard can cost around seven thousand pesos, so average kids can’t just walk into a store and buy one. The others just look for the materials that they’ll need and build them from scratch. It takes some skills to do that, though, so not everyone can pull it off.
Why do you continue skateboarding in spite of the risks?
Marvin: The shoes! (laughs). No, seriously, I like skater shoes. I just wanted them at first, but, somehow, I ended up using them for real.
Ryan: For me, skateboarding is a good way to avoid vices. It requires concentration and dedication, so you don’t really have much time to get into bad habits and things like those. Besides, the sense of accomplishment that you get whenever you come up with new tricks is simply priceless.
Mark: Not to mention that it’s a great way to stay fit. Of course, there’s also the adrenaline rush.
How long have you guys been skateboarding?
Renz: I’ve been doing this for seven years.
Mark: Me, for three years.
Marvin: Four months for me.
Ryan: Six years for me.
What kind of activities do you do? Do you join competitions?
Ryan: Skateboarding is still kind of new in Lucena, so we don’t get to organize as many activities as we would like to. We meet up with skateboarders from other towns and cities on a regular basis, though. We hang out together, share new tricks, teach the new ones — anything goes, really. When there’s a competition, we join in too. Marvin here placed third in the Flatland Category of Game of Tricks. Sadly, there aren’t as many competitions like those now, so we just keep harnessing our skills while waiting for opportunities to come.
What advice would you give to other people who are also interested in taking up skateboarding?
Ryan: You got to have the passion and discipline. Skateboarding is not all about being cool. Some people start skateboarding to impress, but start losing interest when they find out that it’s not as easy as it looks. You will have to do a lot of practicing, so you have to be patient. Start with the basics. That might mean skating in the same spot for weeks or months at a time, but try to stick to it. Once you’ve covered the basics, you can move on to more challenging stuff as you progress.
We’ll take note of that. We sure learned a lot today, but before we wrap things up, do you have any last message for our readers?
Renz: If you’re interested in taking up skateboarding, don’t be afraid to approach us. We’ll be glad to help you in any way we can. Oh, and a skate park! We would definitely love to have our own skate park (donors, anyone?). That’s all. 🙂
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