First experience seeing a pro (?)

[InternetDaddy]

first one was around 2011 I think? I was living in Richmond and went into Venue to get a new deck, he was just sitting on the counter hanging out with whoever was working. I told him I was a fan and he thanked me really sincerely, then was showing me the sample of the Vans stage 4 he was wearing and telling me how he helped design it. Super nice guy. I bought a shop deck and he said "great choice." Saw him and some dudes a couple days later, they were coming to a spot as I was leaving, he recognized me and chatted with me for a bit again on my way out.

A couple years ago I saw Bobby Worrest at the whole foods in my neighborhood and he was also super cool but I didn't wanna bother him too much since we were both just getting groceries.

[versacekid420]

Tom Penny and the rest of the Flip Team (Daveed included) rolled up my local once out of nowhere, it was in the morning before a demo that was taking place somewhere else. Denny Pham tried to teach me kickflips.

well….did you learn em or what

[Sharp-o]

Kevin Baekkel was in finland for the HelRide event. He was so gnarly live!

[versacekid420]

Kevin Baekkel was in finland for the HelRide event. He was so gnarly live!

spoiled rich kid sure can skate

[gabbesucks]

Expand Quote

Tom Penny and the rest of the Flip Team (Daveed included) rolled up my local once out of nowhere, it was in the morning before a demo that was taking place somewhere else. Denny Pham tried to teach me kickflips.

[close]

well….did you learn em or what

Still can’t, and that was 2 years ago

[ChrisSennsGirlfriend]

saw birdman eating at islands in carlsbad like 20 year ago

i was too nervous to ask for his autograph so my older sister walked up and did it lol

hellll yeah.

mine was having tony sign my hat on the sands of mission beach during xgames '97, i think right after he won doubles vert with andy mac or something.

peak '97 eleven year old shit. the sounds of The Crystal Method were in the air, my lips still wet with free promotional mountain dews and slim jims.

[Easy Slider]

Not my story but my brother was on holidays in the Swiss ski resort of Arosa one Summer as a kid and skated there with a local. It later turned out the dude was Gian Simmen who went on to become the first olympic gold medalist in halfpipe snowboarding.

[edward shay]

I flew to New York from Australia when I was 19 and had a few days to kill before my friends arrived. I got in late and was pretty jet lagged so I got up early and caught a train to LES. I was already super excited just being there and was thinking how cool it would be to see a pro. I was the only on there as it was 7am in early November. A dude rocked up in a red balaclava and proceeded to skate non stop for 10 minutes, not bailing once. He picked up his board, took his balaclava off and said good bye. It was Alex Olson. Probably a regular sighting back in 2014 but I was stoked

[rocklobster]

I flew to New York from Australia when I was 19 and had a few days to kill before my friends arrived. I got in late and was pretty jet lagged so I got up early and caught a train to LES. I was already super excited just being there and was thinking how cool it would be to see a pro. I was the only on there as it was 7am in early November. A dude rocked up in a red balaclava and proceeded to skate non stop for 10 minutes, not bailing once. He picked up his board, took his balaclava off and said good bye. It was Alex Olson. Probably a regular sighting back in 2014 but I was stoked

Sounds like a Bill Murray story: https://whalebonemag.com/bill-murray-tales/

"After skating for 10 minutes straight, he walked up to me and focused my board. Pulled off his Balaclava and it was AO in the flesh. He leaned in close and whispered in my ear "I actually loved my Fully Flared part. And no one will ever believe you." before disappearing into the growing NY business crowd."

[Filip]

Probably 13 years ago, I was at Prague with a couple homies. We were around 17-18 that year. A bunch of pros came to skate the Mystic Cup, and before that we went to the Stalin plaza. Red Bull team was there, I remember Zered and Danny Supa ripping. Zered did a bs noseblunt on a granite outledge, and that was the first time Ive seen that trick on my own eyes.

Later that week, I saw J-Cas, TK, on the Mystic. I think Jereme won, but Im not sure. But the best part was Phil Zwijsen skating doubles around the park with super young Axel Cruysbergs, they were ripping hard.

Later that summer, Chima stayed in Slovakia for a couple weeks I think, with Volcom. Since Peter Molec used to skate for Volcom, they showed up on a couple comps during the summer, and Chima skated some of them. I dont think he even had a board with him, he skated a bunch of decks around, but was doing bs 360 over the pyramid and shit like that. Up to that point, nobody in Slovakia skated on that level. Obviously, now we have Marek who is pro for Primitive, and a couple more dudes that are out there, but they were all 14 at that time, so seeing Chima and those other dudes was amazing.

Edit: I smoked a blunt with Brandon Westgate, he was around 20 at the time. On the same Mystic cup I mentioned, around 3AM faded as fuck. He just sat there with some dude, and they didnt have a lighter. We had some, so the rest is history.

Such a great summer that was.

[noileum]

skated with Wurzel (UK death box pro) waay back, he was trying to teach me newer deals on a mini, but I didn't have the balls to pivot back in.

Manzoori was also there that day, think he'd just got on powell and was amazing. Didn't have the confidence to skate the midi where he spent most of his time.  The difference in ability from the regular decent local's to him was mind boggling

[IpathCats]

I saw Tommy Honk at some state fair thing in MD or VA when I was 9, got his autograph. Went home and threw myself at this storm drain trying to grind it until it got dark, then went inside and played THPS1. Shit was fucking insane.

[OrangeVHStapes]

I met Harold Hunter at some random contest at south street seaport in like 2000 or 2001... He was the nicest, coolest dude... He back heeled over a metal guardrail then gave me like a shirt or something... The back heel was in Zoo York Mix tape 2 I think... Regardless... I was a little grom idiot but Harold made you feel like you were part of the gang. Years later I saw him at Woodward and he remembered me... And gave me some rockstar bearings haha. He was the man.   

[coldbrew]

First pro's I ever saw were at a Bootleg demo back when I was still living in Maine during my high school years. Maldonado, Elissa, Pete Eldridge & Ryan Nix were at the Bath skatepark. Got to skate with them all and overall just a really rad time. Fast forward about a year later, I graduate and move to Philly for school. I'm skating the original Tasker spot under the 95 bridge and Pete Eldridge rolls up with Kevin Taylor, a grill and a cooler full of beers. Pete remembers me from the demo in Maine, hooks me up with a new board and some beers/food and introduces me to KT. Ever since then after Pete moved out of the city whenever I'd see KT at a bar or out skating he would always come over and say what's up, buy me a beer, etc... still see him around all the time and he's still ripping. Nothing but respect and appreciation to both of those dudes.

[somefucker]

went to a supra demo at a lil indoor skatepark/shop in northern NJ called Small Empire, sometime around 06-07. Muska, Antwuan, Greco, Furby and some others I can't recall. I just remember Antwuan being too fried to really do much but I distinctly remember Furby, Muska and Greco killin' it on all the janky ramps. The owner of the shop Dave was super pissed Muska flipped this sketchy, wobbly picnic table after doing a gap to lipslide on it. Ya'll have prob seen this video but here it is. Jaws came with some iPath dudes a few years later to the same park, I remember I befriended some rando-kid and we were shit heads that would yell "Thats my dad!!!!" whenever Jaws landed a trick, he was laughing. good times.

[Mike Oxwelling]

Christian "Holmes" Hosoi.  Full JimmyZ spandex error 1987.   Shit was bonkers.  Street demo.  Ollied maybe 10 boards side by side.  Full on showman and Gnarly for 87.

[SatanicPanic]

Foundation demo in like 93. The classic team was there- I think. I was most stoked on Beagle and Hirata so I can’t remember seeing Kirchart (who knew he’d be so good at the time?) or Berra. Pretty sure Creager was there.

[tortfeasor]

i was going through a tough period in my early 20's and picked up a skateboard to have something to do.  i was skating alone a lot at a local indoor park at night after i finished work at my fake job.  i was sharing a mini ramp with some dude who was very good and  all of a sudden he looks to the "street area" and goes "hey brandon!... get tricks".  I looked over to see what he was talking about and i saw a man fly.  Just getting impossibly high air off this giant fun box.    it was unlike anything i had ever seen in my entire life. it didn't look real that someone could go that big.  it just didnt seem possible.   what was a normal night of me battling depression (and probably a normal low key night for him) turned into something ill never forget.  i don't know how many of you had have had the pleasure seeing brandon westgate skate in person but its nothing short magical.  its how you imagined people skated when you were a little kid.

[HugeBodBoyle]

It was 1991 and Templeton, Vallely, and Felix Arguelles did a demo here. I talked to Ed, interviewed him for my zine, he gave me some stickers, signed my shirt, and then I saw Mike V get into an altercation with the security guard at the shopping center where the demo was. Big day.

[Banging in the Slammer]

Andy MacDonald showed up to my local. Say what you want about the man, but he had absolutely no cool guy vibes. I can’t say that about other pros I’ve had the displeasure of meeting.

[live, laugh, love]

It was 1991 and Templeton, Vallely, and Felix Arguelles did a demo here. I talked to Ed, interviewed him for my zine, he gave me some stickers, signed my shirt, and then I saw Mike V get into an altercation with the security guard at the shopping center where the demo was. Big day.

I saw all these guys at Kendall Park Roller Rink in New Jersey that same year. Not sure if that's the same demo you went to. But definitely the same tour. I was blown away at the time.

Also not sure if that was the first time I saw a pro skate. Because my buddies Mom drove my friends and I out to a Bones Brigade demo in Middletown NJ. So not sure which came first. They had a beat down van that was all stickered up that they rolled up in. There was a skinny ass metal half pipe that the Birdman did a 540 on. Ray Underhill was definitely there. Cab probably too. Everyone else at the demo I'm not entirely sure about.

[Fhk]

TV demo 1992. Ed Templeton, Mike V, Jahmal and a few others. My 15 yo mind was blown.

[DannyDee]

I used to see Morgan Smith around when I was in middle school and he was slightly older (I think he was 2 grades above me). He was the local high school kid who was doing most tricks before everyone else. Not even sure he if was flow for anyone at the time. Maybe had a shop sponsor.

[rocklobster]

First pro's I ever saw were at a Bootleg demo back when I was still living in Maine during my high school years. Maldonado, Elissa, Pete Eldridge & Ryan Nix were at the Bath skatepark. Got to skate with them all and overall just a really rad time. Fast forward about a year later, I graduate and move to Philly for school. I'm skating the original Tasker spot under the 95 bridge and Pete Eldridge rolls up with Kevin Taylor, a grill and a cooler full of beers. Pete remembers me from the demo in Maine, hooks me up with a new board and some beers/food and introduces me to KT. Ever since then after Pete moved out of the city whenever I'd see KT at a bar or out skating he would always come over and say what's up, buy me a beer, etc... still see him around all the time and he's still ripping. Nothing but respect and appreciation to both of those dudes.

I met Harold Hunter at some random contest at south street seaport in like 2000 or 2001... He was the nicest, coolest dude... He back heeled over a metal guardrail then gave me like a shirt or something... The back heel was in Zoo York Mix tape 2 I think... Regardless... I was a little grom idiot but Harold made you feel like you were part of the gang. Years later I saw him at Woodward and he remembered me... And gave me some rockstar bearings haha. He was the man.   

Made my day knowing Pete Eldridge and HH are the coolest dudes.

[DaleSr]

Pretty sure my first experience with a pro was meeting Alva at the 03 vans triple crown in Oceanside

[Lenny the Fatface]

Saw McCrank and Rattray have a sesh on this steep quarter. Crank hit a clean backside disaster and Rattray was attempting a hand plant, don’t remember him landing it though.

[Far from relevant]

Circa demo oakvillie ontario 1999, I had never seen any pros before and to see Chris Cole, Jamie Thomas and Appleyard at that time was pretty fucked up.

[rocklobster]

Circa demo oakvillie ontario 1999, I had never seen any pros before and to see Chris Cole, Jamie Thomas and Appleyard at that time was pretty fucked up.

2000s C1RCA team was insanely stacked and they were bold with their shoe designs.

[Cant Fakie Flip]

I'm from a small town but I go to Toronto every now and then to visit family. One of the first times I went, about 10 years ago? I went to an indoor park and saw Morgan Smith. Seemed like he was just chilling, skating having a couple beers. I was too awkward to introduce myself but he was giving off real chill vibes and probably would have been super cool. Anyways, he was ripping into back tails on the ledge, popping off the end of the ledge and landing about 5 ft. away from the end of the ledge. Never seen anyone skate that fast/powerfully and look so chill on the board at the same time, blew me away.

[Coastal Fever]

Rolled up to a flatground spot the day before an Etnies demo in 2005 and saw Arto and Levi Brown warming up.  The next day during the actual demo, Ryan Sheckler was there, this was at the peak of his boy wonder popularity.. and I just remember him landing a massive fs flip out of the bowl and nobody cheering, he seemed so bummed.