Ripper Grinds the Flatground on Local Concrete Waves

Isaiah has been skateboarding now for a little over two years. Unfortunately, his friends opted not to join him on this new endeavor so Isaiah had to learn how to skateboard alone. He said that in the beginning, his primary focus was just staying on a moving board, which is extremely challenging.

Isaiah used resources such as YouTube to learn new tricks and the correct steps required. Isaiah enjoys being outdoors, tearing up the local skateparks in town. Isaiah said, "This sure beats being inside the house all day playing video games for hours on end. When I used to spend all of my free time gaining I would sometimes feel lazy and like my body was craving movement. When I started skating and spending time outside I just felt better and my body functioned better almost instantly." The young skateboarder experienced the benefits of sunlight therapy and the release of endorphins from physical activity. 

The very first and simplest of skateboarding tricks is called the ollie. Isaiah expressed that this trick is an almost universally agreed upon “initiation trick,” which earns a new skateboarded stamp of approval. When a new boarder can “land” the ollie, she is then officially a “skater.” Isaiah admitted that landing this beginner trick took him about six months to land successfully. 

There was a time in San Angelo when skateboarding was frowned upon by citizens who viewed local skateboarders with disdain and commonly referred to them as being a nuisance. San Angeloan’s eventually realized that the city needed a skate park so that young skateboarders would have a place to go. The city was split between those who viewed skateboarding as a nuisance and those who believed a park strictly devoted to skateboarding would be a positive outlet for children. 

The local newspaper quoted members of the local police force, saying skaters were “beginning to be a tremendous problem…on the streets. They are creating a traffic hazard.” The issue was discussed throughout the summer of 1977 by city officials and debated vigorously, eventually leading to the approval of a skate park being built. The local youth, along with several parents of young skateboarders lobbied city leaders during the planning commission phase, which aided in the approval of the park. 

San Angelo’s first skateboarding park known as Surf City was born. Surf City was officially built in 1977 along South Bryant Blvd at 4110 Ben Ficklin Road. 

Isaiah does most of his skateboarding sessions at one of San Angelo’s current outdoor skateparks called Downtown Skatepark. Downtown Skatepark is located at 100 W. River Drive and is free to the public. The park was designed by Skatewave and is managed by the City of San Angelo.