Vol. 16 No. 4 Spring 2018

YAN MEYERCEY YAN MEYERCEY YAN MEYERCEY YAN CEY YAN MEYERCEY

YAN CEY

Nar row trucks are dope

Nar row trucks are dope

Who is making waves?

Who is making waves?

A diary of a skater s father

A diary of a skater s father

vol. 16 no. 4 |

The Man. The Legend. The Interview. The Man. The Legend. The Interview. The Man . The Legend . The Interview .

PRINTED AND DESIGNED IN CANADA For Skaters. By Skaters.

Thank you all for supporting over 20 years of publishing. It is a privilege to stoke you all out.

ConcreteWave 1136 Centre Street Suite 293

Thornhill, Ontario

L4J 3M8 (416) 807 • 0805

concretewavemagazine.com

Cover: Yancy Meyer

Publisher: Michael Brooke

Editor in Chief, Art Director & Magazine Layout: #NinjaMasterLu

luisthedesigner.com

Copy Editor:

Miren Suarez

Associated Editors:

Candy Dungan

Daniel Fedkenheuer

MINUS SIX DEGREES OF

SEPARATION SEPARATION

On a number of occasions, we’ve discussed the concept of how skateboarding connects you with an incredible assortment of people. In fact, just like the game with Kevin Bacon, it’s more than likely you’re connected to a number of skaters worldwide by less than just a handful of skaters. I challenge you to explore this power of connection. You will be amazed where things lead you to.

As things move from winter to summer, there are literally millions of skaters worldwide ready to emerge from their cocoons. And speaking on behalf of all those skaters who are praying for sunshine to melt all the snow, we can’t welcome spring fast enough!

I confess to being in awe of this photo for the simple reason that Bombora Boards slayer Josh Bergel isn’t going to let something like snow and freezing temperatures stop him from skating. Inside, you’ll learn more about this distinguished group of riders who don’t let things like snow or bitter cold slow them down.

For those not fully in the loop, there have been some changes at the magazine these past few months. The reaction to our Trade Show Edition was extremely positive. Thanks to the miracle of cheap flights, I was able to meet up with folks at Agenda in Long Beach, Shred Expo in Leipzig, and ISPO in Munich. What was the takeaway from all my experiences? That’s easy to answer. The skate industry continues to amaze me. It’s filled with creative and passionate people who put skateboarding first.

In February we re-launched our website. Go take a peek. There are forums and all kinds of content from the past number of years. Rather than mourn the loss of Silverfish Longboarding, I am sincerely hoping that the Concrete Wave forums become part of your world. It’s going to take time and while I know it’s hard to break the addiction of Facebook, at least you can be assured that we are 100% free of any discussion on politics.

Then again, when it comes to skateboarders agreeing on “what types of wheels are best for sliding?” or “when exactly was the first skatepark built?” hell might freeze over first.

Enjoy the issue and skate safe,

Michael Brooke Publisher

Josh Bergel

Photo: Morgan Price

FREEDOM TO THE LAND OF AND BALD EAGLES

By Morgan Price & Joshua Bergel

Lets just begin by saying for a first skate trip out of Canada, it was a definite success.

This trip to NC brought on quite a few firsts for me - from riding mountains, to spending countless hours in a car trying to escape the dreaded snow, as well as the usual residents who were not so thrilled that we were out there skating.

We spent the first few days in West Virginia skating pretty well whatever we could find. We stumbled across an awesome road leading down the hill which had quite a few areas just covered in decent sized stones, but we decided worst case, we were going to send it anyways. We seshed a really nice set of corners on this road until a very unfriendly local showed up and asked us to leave the public road. He was very clear it was public, not private. This was a definite buzzkill but we did not let that stop us, until we woke up the next morning to a nice blanket of snow covering the roads.

The highlight of our trip had to have been skating “Fortress” in the conditions that we did.

The highlight of our trip had to have been skating “Fortress” in the conditions that we did.

This lead us to North Carolina. I personally had no idea what to expect when we first got into the hotel at the bottom of Mt. Jefferson. I have seen videos of roads skated there but to actually ride them gave me quite the jitters. We had found the perfect quiet subdivision to go and get ourselves warmed up before we go hit some bigger roads that Josh spent hours on maps finding for us. The only issue we had with quite a few roads was that it was still January. Most of the bottom parts of the runs were dry but the tops were soaked, and snow had accumulated on the shoulders. This drew us away from those roads to play it safe.

We had skated more runs that day than I had ever done in one day in Ontario so that definitely was an experience. The highlight of our trip had to have been skating “Fortress” in the conditions that we did. The day started off as decent. It was an overcast day but by the time we were finishing up at this hill, it had started to snow. This made finding it even more worth the while. Some said we were stupid to ride it, others said it was awesome. But as one of the guys actually skating it, I have to say it was the most fun I have had on a skateboard.

Many times, the conditions in Ontario are not ideal; so coming across this snow covered beast we could not resist. I live for this sport and everything it does for people. I’d like to give massive thanks to all who support mefrom family to friends, and to the companies like Zero Fucks Bolt Co, and the family of Skate Invaders. Never stop trying, and skate safe.

I personally had no idea what to expect...

We had skated more runs that day than I had ever done in one day in Ontario.

Many times, the conditions in Ontario are not ideal so coming across this snow covered beast we could not resist.

When I found out that I had a week off for Christmas and New Year’s, the first thought I had was to Invade Trump territory and ride some new hills. After everyone else bailed on these plans, the only people who ended up making the trek down there were Morgan Price, my Dad and myself.

The first day was all sunny skies and clear roads; perfect riding conditions, considering it was the end of December. We found a section of roads with a few hairpins and sweepers and decided to check it out; however, when we arrived it became apparent that there was a solid dusting of pea gravel over the entire road. We’re from Ontario, and we don’t often encounter more than one driftable corner at a time, so we jumped at the chance to ride it. It was hella sketchy, and it was a great time.

Next day we woke up to a blanket of snow covering the entire area, so we made a last minute decision to pack up and head south once again. This time we had set our sights on Jefferson, NC. After scouring hillfinder that night, I found a loop of roads that looked promising. Unfortunately many of them turned out to be gravel or have locked gates.

The next morning it was a relief to see that we had dry roads and blue skies. We set off that day riding smaller hills, strictly because of the fact that we didn’t want to blow any of the local spots. As the day progressed, clouds steadily rolled in and it finally started to snow. At this point, I was recognizing landmarks from my first trip to Boone, and was able to find my way back to an amazing hill. There was a significant amount of snow, but I was so excited to be there, that not dropping in would have just felt wrong. By the first slide of

The first thought I had was to Invade Trump territory and ride some new hills...

Overall the trip was an awesome experience.

it’s about how much fun you have while you’re riding.

There was a significant amount of snow, but I was so excited to be there, that not dropping in would have just felt wrong.

that run I knew it was fully controllable, and since I had ridden in the snow the weekend before, I felt pretty comfortable. Fortress is such a beautiful road, and riding in these conditions seemed so surreal; it just added to our stoke.

Honestly I was having way too much fun to realize how mental this decision was, and it wasn’t until after the trip that it fully registered what we had done. This was a huge influence on how I’ve viewed longboarding since then. This trip really showed me that what matters isn’t about how fast you go, or how long you slide; it’s about how much fun you have while you’re riding. ‘Cause why skateboard when you aren’t enjoying what you are doing?

Overall the trip was an awesome experience. We were able to ride some dope runs, but also we were able to take advantage of conditions that would otherwise be deemed ‘unrideable’.

At the end of it all, I would really like to thank my Dad for making the trek down there with us, as well as filming everything we did which includes all the follow runs. Without him coming we wouldn’t have had almost any footage from the trip. Overall it was an amazing trip with some great people and I look forward to many more in the future!

Honestly I was having way too much fun to realize how mental this decision was...

BY DANIEL FEDKENHEUER

MY NAME IS DYLAN GOLDBERGER

ARTIST PROFILE

Not too long ago, a friend of mine was sweating bullets mid-session in some t-shirt with a striking intricate design. With black details appearing ever darker through the soaked cotton, I took note of how much I liked it. Nevertheless, I went on for another push without giving the design much of a second thought. That was until that design popped upon my phone a few months later. After identifying it as the same one from the encounter above, I learned of it’s credited creator, Brooklyn-based illustrator and printmaker, Dylan Goldberger.

In the same breath, I found out that the shirt was actually in collaboration with Vans in an effort to save New Jersey’s most recently destroyed DIY haven, Shorty’s. Further still, my research into the origin of this piece concluded that it was actually adapted from a woodcut, taller than the artist himself, from an earlier art show. Judging by the intricacy of the original work, it became evident that Goldberger’s work was much more than a rag for perspiring skateboarders.

After a lifetime of choosing either skateboarding or dogs as his subject matters, Goldberger was advised that he would need to expand his portfolio with his Senior year at Pratt Institute soon approaching. Thus, his later self-published book, See Spot Shred was born. The first ever alphabet picture book about skateboarding dogs depicts everything from rock and rolling Rottweilers to Yorkies pulling yo-yo plants.

Though the stress of getting by as a freelance artist remains comparable to the pressure of trying to make it in the skateboarding realm, Goldberger stays positive for the future. Up ahead, he’s currently enjoying more time to focus on personal projects that could include a second book.

Purchase Dylan’s work at etsy.com/shop/DylanGoldberger

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

MEYER MEYER YANMEYERCEY

YAN YMEYERCEY AN YMEYERCEY AN YMEYERCEY AN YMEYERCEY AN CEY YAN MEYERCEY MEYER YAN CEYYAN CEY YAN MEYERCEY

As a boy, I had a skateboard but I was just surfing the sidewalks.

Can you give us a little bit of your skate background?

As a boy, I had a skateboard but I was just surfing the sidewalks. I was a little surf kid, so I would skate barefoot down to the shore break spot, stash my skateboard, and un-stash my surfboard. It was about 1999 when the little surf town named Pāʻia erected a tiny wooden park. Unlike surfing, skateboarding was constant!! I would push, and pump, and carve without the WAITING, and WIND. From that moment to now, I have lived a skateboard life.

What appeals to you about bringing longboards into pools, and parks?

I think what appeals to me about longboards in pools, and parks is that it is the right board for me. I’ve often called the longboard, skate the magic feather. If you are flying just fine on a regular board, good for you. But something happened when I stepped on a longboard - my abilities and sensitivity doubled due to what became an unwavering belief in my equipment. The boards perform, and they make me excited to skate. I also believe that there is always the feeling of exploration; that there is a place I haven’t discovered yet in my skateboarding that I’m about to tap into. After skating 30 years, that is still pretty cool.

What do you think the impact will be with skateboarding in the Olympics?

My first thought is that now security guards will be hassling Olympians.

You were on the notorious longboard team TVSTerminal Velocity Skateboards. What was the experience like?

By the time I heard about them, TVS was already a legendary band of land pirates. They were more of a movement than a company. Jesse brought me to skate the pool, and I was confronted with a horde of aggressive, outlandish partiers at the house. Gary “Madman” Hardwick was on site working on a board press. He brought the speed, and Jesse Parker was the street guy. I joined and it just worked! The team also consisted of Brandon Glade, Billy Green, Josh Buran and some others. It got pretty crazy! Jesse and I started doing major events, Billy Green was the best on earth, and Brandon Glade was the TVS enforcer. We would go to a demo and make our own space. I can remember at some event, some top pro mouthed off at me, and BG set him straight really quick. There was only one longboard crew like that. At a pro skate contest I got second place and smashed the trophy over my head on stage. I had to be wrestled off stage. We were the bad boys!

The fact we did not get arrested daily still amazes me! At the time, it felt like a voyage. We were a troop of longboarders on a mission. We didn’t talk about wives or future plans, or college. We were hell bent on fuc*ing up anything in our path! We would smoke and drink, skate demos and get in fights, and puke on planes. We were seriously dedicated to the life. TVS is the Old Testament of punk rock longboarding.

...now security guards will be hassling Olympians.

What about the ups and downs of being a pro skater?

Moving teams and main board sponsors can be a rough experience, at least for me. Most people don’t realize how abruptly TVS crumbled. I was touring around somewhere when the news of the collapse got to me. This company was our family; it had really motivated Jesse and I to take longboarding to the world stage. Even our hearts were broken. Jesse Parker and I had carved out solid careers and we were determined to keep the fire burning. We had to find new homes.

I spent some time riding for Alva Skateboards. It was pretty awesome! Tony Alva (TA) and I met on a tour of Colorado with skaters, Wrex Cook and Dorfus. Some of the most amazing times of my life were spent with those guys tearing up Montross with those guys! TA has always made some solid bigger boards and has always been very supportive of me. He showed me the ropes as far as being in a traveling circus. Tony once had me in a limo, hanging out of the sunroof with a glass of bourbon cruising down sunset strip in LA. In the limo was Doug Pinnaple, Bob Biniak, and Steve Badilla, TA, and myself. I was in a shuttle craft of legends riding on the roof of life!

I’have often called the longboard, skate the magic feather.

Skateboarding was based on the decision to not do what everyone else is doing!

The fact we did not get arrested daily still amazes me!

How has skating helped you from a psychological perspective?

All of my mental strength comes from skateboarding. And that strength has transferred into every aspect of my life. To be a good skateboarder, and when I say good skateboarder, I mean, BETTER THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT YOU COULD BE, there has to be a powerful belief that YOU can accomplish ANYTHING. You can actually trick your body into being an incredible skateboarder. Well let’s just dive into the process of learning a new trick.You approach the trick mentally first.You imagine the way the trick will feel at the beginning, through the execution of your trick, and through to the rollaway. Then you command your physical body to perform the desired trick. That is a badass magic trick.

GET YOUR AND GET YOUR AND GET YOUR AND GET YOUR AND GET YOUR AND GET YOUR AND GET YOUR AND GET YOUR AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

How do we address some of the divisions within skateboarding

When confronted with this question I always go back to surfing. Usually on the water surface, there will be many different styles, shapes, and sizes of boards. They all work different and suit the riders’ abilities or preferences. I see beginner skateboarders on the wrong equipment more often than not. The fact that there are very little choices, and also judgment made on someone because their choice wasn’t the norm baffles me!! This sport of skateboarding was based on the decision to not do what everyone else was doing. At a longboard skate jam, there must be 50 different sizes, styles, and shapes, and they are all awesome. I think the only way to address the divisions is to smash longboard skating at a hater ’s face.

What are some of your goals as far as skateboarding goes?

Keep skating and take care of my body so I can keep skating. That’s about as bold a goal as there is. Skating hard in your 20s and 30s is pretty easy. As you start pushing into your 40s and 50s, you find yourself in the company of REAL MEN! While others have turned in their skateboards for bingo, I’m still sailing on that voyage TVS started. But as a coach, I also have goals. Skateboarding has been so important in my life that my goal is to make sure everyone has the opportunity to give it a try. Skateboarding might do for them what it did for me.

What are some of the goals for Kannibal Skateboards?

We plan to keep smashing through the door with raw longboarding! We plan to make small videos including a spring 2018 video which we are filming now. We are also searching for the next batch of talented young riders. My personal goal is to emphasize the fact that my longboard is not something you ride into the sunset on. It is not your retirement board. At Kannibal we make the “get off your ass and let’s shred!” type of board!

We plan to keep smashing through the door with raw longboarding! GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

GET OFF YOUR ASS AND SHRED

Who is making waves

Smooth Chicken, legendary Escarpment Surfer and everyone’s favourite ginger was at the Tokyo Board Meeting!

Chicken also co-owns the legendary Longboard Haven skate shop in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Go say hello next time you are in town. Pro tip: Chicken knows where all the best restaurants in the city are. Legit.

Sean Cliver with his copy of CW’s tribute to Big Brother Magazine.

THE BEST BAND IN SKATEBOARDING!? We think so.

If you have never listened to their music, for the love of god go do it! @coppercrownmusic

Alexandre Martin of France’s Legende Longboards.

This deck was handcrafted live at ISPO, Munich. #gromkillers never go out of style and this board is beautiful!

Zero Fucks Bolt Co. is the biggest bolt company on the planet! #truestory

The infamous Samson Simpson has signed a major international contract with the dark lord Skatan making every set of bolts on every skateboard ever produced Zero Fucks Bolts.

Toronto Flatland is DEAD, long live Dock Sessions! International woman of mystery, Joyce Kwan, skate invades the world.

Joyce left Toronto and started a revolution in San Diego with Dock Sessions. Stay tuned for more magic.

David Jackson of Bombora Boards fame is the sexiest man in skateboarding.

After having recently moved to the Promised Land, this Onterrible traitor has now blossomed into a beautiful butterfly of majestic proportions.

WEED WEED WEED WEED

The Disposable author was spotted at the Agenda Trade Show, Long Beach.

Biased words by that sumbitch Samsonnnn. Relax, it’s just yogurt.

#FuckBombora *Bukakke

Narrow Trucks

By: Candy Dungan

Zak Maytum and Justin Rouleau

Photo by Mikel Echegaray

Riding narrow truck hangers (110-140mm) are all the rage since Zak Maytum, Venom Skate/Rogue Trucks, proved both their benefits and versatility while racing the 2017 IDF Eurotour. Since then, riders of all abilities have been testing smaller truck widths in the hopes of reaping the same benefits.

“Primarily, narrow trucks offer more corner grip, snappier slides, and quicker response to rider input,” said Justin Rouleau, Venom/Rogue Brand and Team Manager. “This is great for racing where you’re trying to squeeze out every ounce of performance out of your setup.”

Justin recommends truck widths ranging from 100-160mm, depending on both the course, and skater’s riding style; smaller widths (100-140mm) for smaller, and tighter courses; wider widths (120-160mm) for bigger, and faster courses.

In response to this trend, Rogue is releasing their narrowest truck yet. Justin explained, “we found geometry changes to be a huge part of what makes a narrow truck act ‘proper’ for both slalom, and downhill applications.” He said the new geometry results in “more grip, stability, and consistency than we thought we would ever get out of a small truck like this.” They hope to release before the 2018 race season.

However, for women, there’s an underlying benefit to running smaller trucks on their setups.

I’ve rode 160mm Rogue CNC trucks since May 2016. In September 2017, I cut my Rogues to 130mm. What I found was revolutionary. Yes, I experienced more grip and quicker response as expected, but for the first time, my setup felt like an extension of my body. For the first time, my trucks fit my board, which fit my Women’s Size 7 feet. I finally have leverage over my wheels, which benefits my drifts, grip, and agility

I run my Rogue truck angles at 50 degrees in the front and 17 degrees in the back. My front bushings are Venom 85a (roadside)/87a (boardside) in front and 93a (roadside)/95a (boardside) in back.

I use 87a insert bushings in both trucks.

“Primarily, narrow trucks offer more corner grip, snappier slides, and quicker response to rider input”

For the first time, my setup felt like an extension of my body.

Rachel “Bagels” Bruskoff

What trucks do you run and why:

CNC Valkyrie Truck Co. - About a year ago I was testing out multiple trucks and had the opportunity to try Voxters; I fell in love with their different feel and design. They offer multiple angles and widths, which gave me the opportunity to find what felt the best on my board. It has been fun to try new things while also always loving the ride!

What angles and why: 45 (front)/ 30 (back) for some turn in the front and stability in the back. I ride mostly downhill, so a split degree allows me to go fast, stay stable, and enjoy fast slides.

What bushings and why: Venom Talls, 87/87 Front and 95/95 back. Soft in the front for more responsiveness, turn, and lean. Harder in the back to maintain the stability and allow a fluid slide.

What hanger width and why: Currently on 145mm to up my grip, take tighter lines, and give me a quicker response time.

Would you recommend other women (or skaters in general) to run similar widths, and why: I recommend that everyone should ride what accommodates to their skating style the best. If you are like me and love to go really fast and slide fast, then narrow trucks would be more beneficial. Ultimately, it all comes down to comfort. I recommend to test out many possibilities with a setup to find what works out the best for each person!

What trucks do you run and why:

CNC Don’t Trip Molly’s because they have the options to change hanger width using spacers. I can dial in my angles also with adjustable baseplates.

What angles and why:

45 (front)/30 (back) has always felt right for me!

What bushings and why: Venom bushings 90/93 (front) and 93/95 (back). 92.5a Riot insert bushings. I stiffen up my bushings if I’m on a faster road because I like the stability.

What hanger width and why: I run 143mm hangers at the moment. My trucks adjust with spacers down to 125mm, which is something I’m going to experiment with in the future.

Would you recommend other women (or skaters in general) to run similar widths, and why: If you’re downhilling, smaller widths will make you feel more dialed! If you have the chance to, try it out!

2nd Women’s World IDF 2015, 3rd Women’s World IDF 2016, 1st Place Pikes Peak 2015 Four Years Skating, Women’s Size 8.5 Feet, 3rd Women’s IDF NorAm 2016, 3rd Place Arirang Hill 2017, 4th Place Keeping It High 2017

Julia Barklow

If you’re downhilling, smaller widths will make you feel more dialed!

Julia Barklow Photo by Doug Tolman

Rachel Bagels

Photo by Collin Kruse

Emily Pross

Six Years Skating, Women’s Size 8.5 Feet, 2015-2017 Women’s World Champ, 2017 NorAm Open Champ, 1st NCDH Mt. Jefferson Open Class

What trucks do you run and why:

I run CNC Ronin Trucks. Split degree, 45 front/25 back. Split Rake, 5mm front/2.5 back. Depending on the track, I’ll run anywhere from a 154mm-114mm hanger!

What angles and why:

I prefer the 45/25 split because it compliments my go-fast riding style. The lower back truck degree gives me stability at high speeds, and the 20 degree difference between the trucks helps with maximizing cornering technique.

What bushings and why:

I run Ronin’s Factory Bushings. They work well with Ronins and are easy to customize. If you learn to make minor tweaks utilizing bushing combinations and washers, then the Ronins give you endless possibilities without being overloaded with different gear.

What hanger width and why:

It depends on what I need out of my equipment for a certain type of track. Narrower trucks will give you quicker cornering, and the slide will be very abrupt. Wider trucks will have more flow and give you an easier slide.

Would you recommend other women (or skaters in general) to run similar widths, and why:

It all depends on the rider and what they are looking for. I would recommend understanding how to properly tinker and setup your board before trying smaller truck widths.

I prefer the 45/25 split because it compliments my go-fast riding style.

Emily Pross

Photo by Martin Hroch

DIARY OF A SKATER’S FATHER

By Myles S.

February 2016

SOME BACKGROUND ON OUR EXCEPTIONAL CHILD

As parents we’ve watched our son be diagnosed with ADHD and ODD. For those who don’t know what all this means, here’s the boiler plate- our boy is hyperactive, inattentive, lacks impulse control, is vengeful, disruptive and highly defiant. For my wife and I raising this little man has been a major challenge, one that has caused many parents before us to divorce, as the disorder drives a wrench between the entire family. We’ve signed him up for basketball, skating lessons, computer classes, math classes, soccer, bouncing, mixed martial arts, hockey and various other programs. He is truly athletically gifted. His problem solving skills are very impressive and his reading is beyond grade level. Currently he’s in grade one but can do math at a grade seven level. He recently scored 130 on an adult IQ test. If there were only a way to harness his attention, this kid could be the next Michael Jordan or Albert Einstein.

September 2017 SNAP INTO IT

This fall we started a program, which was made available to us through an organization called Kinark. The program is called, “SNAP”. Stop Now And Plan. SNAP selects several families for thirteen weeks and works with them in order to implement skills that help the parents and children deescalate their anger. It enables the parents to gauge a situation calmly instead of continuing a vicious cycle that normally ends with screaming, anger and tears. The parents learn to communicate more efficiently, they learn how to give appropriate time outs and consequences, they learn about bullying, stealing, lying and most important how to reward children for good behavior with positive reinforcement. The kids are also taught this plethora of skills in a separate group.

November 2017

ENTER CONCRETE WAVE

After almost fifteen years of producing and writing for television, I was looking for a different challenge. I wanted to share some of my experiences with the world and decided perhaps freelance magazine writing was my new calling. One of my first queries was to Michael at Concrete Wave, asking if I could write for his magazine. He replied

immediately and was very interested in my writing. That Sunday he came over to the house to meet the family. He gave Danny the longboard and his sister a board as well. For a solid hour Michael taught them to skate on the snowless streets and later introduced them to the world of magic. He suggested I should chronicle Danny’s journey on the skateboard and reveal how it affects his ADHD and the overall balance of his life. He then added I should also try to teach him magic.

Early December 2017 FLYING DOWN THE HALL

Watching my son fly down the hall of his school while riding on his skateboard was an awesome experience I’ll always cherish. He looked so free and in control as he carved down the open hallways, which slowly transformed into a skateboarding jungle. His friends and classmates all gathered around. He was truly loving life as a skater. Following his lead was his 5 year old sister, whose head bobbed side to side with her long wavy golden hair flopping to the relentless dance beat. She zigged and zagged behind his every curve and swerve, cheering her brother. The school staff appeared more amazed with Danny’s skill than any inconvenience he was causing. On the skateboard Danny appeared happy. There was a flow to his movements one might associate with mindfulness. Our ADHD kid who is usually in between the past, present and future was clearly living in the moment. For half an hour, maybe even a full hour, his life seemed balanced. His only care in the world was teaching himself how to ride his new skateboard through his educational kingdom. His left and right brain were in synch. He was calm and happy.

December 12, 2017

MINUS TWO WITH A FREEZING ADVISORY

It was the first major snowfall of the season and the kids were off the charts excited.They wanted to try out their first day of Chanukah gifts, two Adidas snowboards. The kids didn’t care about frostbite or catching the season’s first flu bug. They wanted to board. They were outside for a solid hour. My wife and I sat inside our Kia. The high beams acted like a spotlight on the shadowy images of two hyper kids maneuvering the hills. By eight p.m. the kids were cruising down the snow packed hills like pros. Two weeks later Danny was snowboarding on the hills behind his school with a friend who had brought his skateboard to school. Danny asked his friend if he could remove the wheels from his skateboard. The friend agreed. A few minutes later Danny was zipping down the hills on a skateboard turned snowboard.

Late December 2017

MAGIC DAN

On Danny’s own accord he took out a library book on magic. This is unusual since he hates to read even though his reading skills are quite strong. He’s been showing us new tricks he’s learned,

making quarters disappear, doing card tricks, and he’s even used redirection and misdirection in his magic. I don’t know whether there’s a connection between the magic and the skating but both activities clearly make him happy. Ironically one of the overriding symptoms for ADHD kids is the inability to deal with frustration which normally turns into a wave of tantrums and bullying type behavior. However instead of becoming irritated on the skateboard or annoyed with the magic tricks, he has persevered. In truth, he’s been a boy working away at his chosen crafts, attempting to master them.

“

Our ADHD kid who is usually in between the past, present and future was clearly living in the moment.”

Early January 2018 COSTA RICA

Our family had planned last December to take a winter vacation to one of our favorite Caribbean islands, St. Martin. Tragically, hurricane Irma destroyed the island in November and left countless dead. While global warming was letting Mr. Trump in on a big little secret, we decided to change our vacation plans to Costa Rica.

Once we arrived at the Liberia airport, the kids were experiencing total culture shock. It was 91 degrees outside. It was almost -40 when we departed Toronto. It was an hour cab ride to our destination, the tiny surf town of Tamarindo, which is home to a lot of ex-pats and North Americans wanting to exit the freezing tundra for a few months, or move after they’ve retired.

The different culture was starting to cause our little boy a lot of anxiety. We needed to do something that would help alleviate some of his symptoms. On the third day my wife suggested we take Danny surfing. She thought perhaps it would calm him down as snowboarding, and skateboarding had decreased his symptoms somewhat in Toronto. We went to a place called The Surf Shack and found two incredible instructors. They were originally from the Netherlands and had actually taught children who are autistic, and children who are blind how to surf.

Half an hour later the kids were taking on the Pacific Ocean. Within forty minutes Danny went from boogie boarding to actually standing on the surfboard and riding the rippling waves. He was incredible to watch. This little boy from Canada who had never seen a surfboard, let alone an ocean, was surfing better than some of the adults. The instructor who was formally a pro surfer couldn’t stop raving about his potential. It was as if they’d found The Last Jedi. Something about the water, the surfing, and maybe some maturation had helped calm him. Perhaps he felt more relaxed because of his mastery of the waves, and that translated to mastery of his emotional waking life.

January 25, 2018

A NEW HOPE

It’s been 2 months since Michael came over to meet our family. One month since Danny has been skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing and learning magic. During this time his skateboarding has improved immensely. He’s gone from sitting on the skateboard while riding down a steep hill to performing beginner tricks on the board. Has his behavior changed for the better? This is not an easy question to answer.

From what I can determine the SNAP program was working with limited success before the arrival of the skateboard. However, it seems with the addition of the skateboard, and magic, Danny has been able to incorporate some of the mindfulness he’s discovered and implement that into learning his SNAP techniques. Lately, according to his teachers, he’s been much more pleasant at school. He’s been more interested in learning. He’s answering harder questions, and is answering questions quicker.

It seems with the mix of SNAP, skateboarding, and magic, Danny is slowly beginning to sort out some of his issues. I’m not saying they’ve gone away completely. Far from it. There are still arguments that last for hours. There are still tears. Every day isn’t perfect but he seems to be having more good days than bad, and for the first time I honestly believe there’s “hope”.

It seems with the mix of SNAP, skateboarding, and magic, Danny is slowly beginning to sort out some of his issues.

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Ride with us on Earth Day April 22nd, & Go Skateboarding Day on June 21st.