Skate Sonr has been a lingering idea for more than a decade. I remember going on small trips and wondered where there was a good local skatepark or skate spots but didn’t have a consistent way of figuring this out. I’d skate around and see what I could find but I knew there had be a better way. Today there are some ways of finding out where skateparks are, but it’s limited and not focused on the community that seeks them out.
After a while of always wondering where I could find places to skate, I decided to make my own website for this purpose and much more. I decided to make a website focused entirely on the skate community’s needs to have a digital place to “hang out”.
You see, I’ve been skateboarding since I was 13 after a friend got a skateboard and I played a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater demo at Walmart. I bought myself a $20 dollar Walmart skateboard but it suckkkkkkkeeeeeddd!! Soon after I had a temp part time job working at a local farm. As soon as I had enough money to buy myself a pro model (about $120) dollars I got a ride to my local skateshop, picked apart the parts and put it together myself.
I still remember my first board. It was a green Lucky’s skateboard with red and yellow Spitfire wheels. I got Venture trucks because my friend said “bro, they’re the lightest to ollie the highest”. It had abec 7 bearings because I was trying to go fast and not look back. I’m sure you probably remember your first board too.
Unfortunately, even though I had a proper skateboard now, I couldn’t ollie regardless of what trucks I had. I couldn’t go fast without falling so the bearings might as well be abec -7 for personal safety. It was a few months before I started getting proper hang of skateboarding. It was a few years before I started landing decent tricks. I still got the scars on my body of the great times I had both landing tricks and falling from attempting them.
I definitely did not skate alone. I always had a great group of people to chill with, have good sessions and cheer each other’s progressions. And that’s what I think about when I work on this website.
I honestly did not have the technical skills or know how of how to make this website when I decided to make it. I was, however, in college during this time to become a programmer so I figured that eventually I would have the skills to make this website if I worked hard at my programming skills and know how.
Well, it’s been a good few years since I felt knowledgeable enough to start working on this website and even longer since I decided to make it. I’ve literally been working on this website after work late into the night for months pouring all I have in programming skills into it in hope of building something great for the skate community. The small nightly progress achievements were great boosters to feel that I was getting closer and closer to having a finished product to launch with and to be proud of making for us, the skate community.
Creating this website was always about continuing the growth of skateboarding and the people behind it. It’s always been about creating a great positive community. The day this website helps others find the next kid ready to go that’ll be an amazing feeling. The small the large interactions this website provides for skaters worldwide will be an incredible daily feeling. Wherever this website takes me, and it takes you, it is my sincere hope that we can have lots of fun and love for each other as we push along this life even if you happen to push mongo.