Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my fair share of moments blowing spots, janking raws and just being generally kooky. So before you get out and start making a fool of yourself, quit kooking by learning from my mistakes and the mistakes of others.
- Respect the spot and the people who live there.
Come on, man. This is their local. How would you like it if someone tagged a huge dick in red paint on your driveway? Or filled your mailbox to the brim with spoilt maccas shakes and fish sandwiches? Leave the area as you left it and don’t fuck with anyone’s property. And make sure you smile at literally
anyone who drives past. Give ‘em a wave, shake a residents hand and be polite. Manners go a lot further than you’d think.
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- Don’t skate to impress others.
I’ve learned from personal experience that macking into a huge toey at the bottom of the hill to impress the two chicks jogging up the hill is a bad idea. Sure, they were pretty. Sure, I knew what I was doing. But sometimes, bigger isn’t better. Especially in the case where I greeted them covered in my own blood, with a huge tear in my shirt. That certainly didn’t stop them from laughing at me until it hurt. “Must’ve been the board” was my excuse. If there’s one thing to be learnt from this, it’s to stay away from those good-looking girls when you’re on a board. They're nothing but trouble.
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Okay, I am notorious for this. I’ve been skating the same setup for over a year now and I think the only thing I’ve done is change wheels when circumstances require it. If your board is waterlogged, cracking at the seams and flexing in places that should not be flexed, I think it’s time to trade up. Wanna know a secret to making your wheels last longer? Rotate. It might be a pain in the ass, but you’re going to get a lot more wear out of your
Dusties if you swap them around every few runs. If you’re boards squeaking every time you turn or just feels sluggish to ride and turn, change your bushings and thank me when you’re back on board doing rad carves and hard turns. Clean your bearings or change them often. You’ll be rolling faster than your competition and your wheels won’t sound like jet engines.
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Plain and simple. If you’re rude (or a kook) to people in the skating community, people are going to talk shit about you and they will be
brutal. There’s a difference between voicing your opinion, and being an asshole. Be nice, spread the stoke and we can all skate in peace.
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Look, those stinkbugs you learnt to do six months ago were cool, but the only way you’re going to get better is through trying new shit. Start off small and work your way up. Envision yourself doing squatties, switches, toeys – whatever you want. Picture nailing it, this mental imagery can actually help aid your skating! Watch the how-to’s and tutorials, and talk to other skaters in the community. With enough practice you’ll nail whatever it is you set your mind to.
With these guidelines, you’ll go from Kook to King of the hill in no time. Now get out there and shred.
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