What is the definition of brave?

brave

[breyv]

adjective

possessing or exhibiting courage or courageous endurance.

Making a fine appearance.

Archaic . Excellent; fine; admirable.

noun

a brave person.

A warrior 

This kid is amazing, and may be the most hardcore person to ride a skateboard. We’ve seen many interesting cases of physically challenged people take up skateboarding over the past few decades and actually become famous from it – Pancho Moler, Jon Comer, Og de Souza. All of these guys changed the way we looked at skateboarding by competing with the best of the best at it. To me it’s an amazing feeling to think of what goes through the minds of someone who can’t walk, yet decides they want to skateboard, and hit 12 stair rails….

There’s a new young hero to add to this unique list of people who will blow your mind. His name is Tommy Carroll and he is a major inspiration to many. Blinded at the age of 2 by cancer in his retinas, Tommy has lived his life in the dark so to say, but has brought his ambitions to the light. This kid goes out there and skateboards by the powers inside him, with absolutely no vision. He can drop in, grind, air and carve with no fear, using only his other senses to know where he is. What I want to know is how did this even begin? Who decided to let Tommy learn to skateboard? And how did he get to the point of confidence he is at right now?

I’ve taught many people how to skateboard and I can definitely see the benefit of taking someone who cannot see and getting them on a board rolling around and just learning those balance skills and repetitive motions. But skateboarding has an addiction attached to it, the addiction of learning. Once you begin to experience new obstacles, and tricks, you want more. So Tommy learned how to shred a bowl, and I only see him getting even better as time goes on.

This video is inspirational in so many ways, it makes you think about trying to drop in with your eyes closed. I’ve done it, and it’s terrifying. It makes you wonder what drives his motivation. And it proves once again that anything is possible if you put your mind to it and commit.

Watch this video with respect, and try and put yourself in his shoes. Would you be this brave?

My favourite part is when the lights go out at the skate park – and it doesn’t matter. Go Tommy!!

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Sometimes people spend their entire life searching for answers about who they are and what they should be. And sometimes there are those rare cases where life just comes together and happens on it’s own. You have to find yourself eventually, but are there “Yellow Brick Roads” out there to hunt down, or do you just wait in one spot for a sign? Who knows how it happens but it does, and one day you realize who you are.

This young teenager has definitely found himself this past year. Pumping out video montage after montage, and focusing on local talents that others might not recognize, Ethan Craig has proven himself to be an amazing skateboard filmer and video maker. His filming is creative, and captures what matters, but his editing is just becoming phenomenal. At a mere 16 years old, Ethan has already made a name for himself in a community of thousands of skaters. And one thing I really like about him is that he can kill it on the board too. Sometimes you get guys that go out and purchase the best of the best for video equipment and just start hanging out at the skate parks. This can be their ticket to chillin’ with the Big Guns, but that doesn’t make them a filmer. Just because you film the best dude out there, doesn’t mean for a second that the video’s gonna be any good. You need to have talent when you film, you need to have visions prior to filming, and you need to be dedicated to making videos that people enjoy watching. And Ethan has all of these assets.

I remember Ethan from when he was younger and used to hang with Jeff Cole and he was always determined. He had talents, he had confidence, and he had visions. It’s awesome to see this young kid bring these visions to reality, and find himself. After a summer of releasing a bunch of unique Hi8 videos of multiple rippers, Ethan Craig has announced that he is now filming for his first Full Length Skate Video –“Daze” – which will be premiered near the end of 2013. Can’t wait to see it buddy.

Here’s the first trailer to get you hyped

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M-I-C-K-Y    P-A-P-eh?

Micky Papa, what can you say? A natural born skateboarder. Glad he’s Canadian so he can represent us all in the next decade of destruction that he’s about to throw down.

I remember Micky from back when the RDS Indoor Skate Park was open in the early 2000’s and even back then at a very young age, he was throwing down. I actually have footage somewhere of him shifty kickflipping Secret 10 when he was like 12-13 years old and you’re guaranteed it was butter. And ever since Poco’s Railside Park opened up Micky has been the legend there. And what about the Varial Heelflip over Black Ice??

Micky’s had a solid year placing in Top Positions at some high end contests across North America, which is not easy to do in this day and age. He invested some of his winnings in opening a One Love Skate Shop in Maple Ridge with Dan Pageau and success is starting to hunt him down. Looks to me like Micky Papa might be the next Canadian Icon of Skateboarding.

This Friday – 1-11-13 – Thrasher Magazine will drop a big video part of Micky Papa

Here’s a small taste of what’s to come

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Each day this week Thrasher will release something new featuring Micky Papa so tune in and when Friday hits, chaos strikes…

David Martin is a young kid from Surrey that skates at Chuck Bailey and Fleetwood Skate Parks a lot. He hasn’t been skating very long but I’ve gotten to know him pretty good. He comes to my Skateboard Competitions and has been in a few of the Camps in the past couple summers. He’s one of those kids that loves to learn new tricks but isn’t really worried about being the best. He’s a fast learner and tends to be consistent with his tricks. Once he learns a new one, he’s on it. I’m sure if he sticks with it, he’s most likely gonna be really good in about 2 more years.

Here’s a little video David sent me of him rippin’ up Fleetwood Skate Park

Check it

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