Freestyle contest advice – Part One

Sean Robinson and Sarah Park-Matott share their experiences in freestyle skateboarding competitions. They emphasise the importance of competing against oneself and embracing personal growth over winning. Despite the challenges, both skaters find value in the connections and motivation gained from participating, encouraging others to give it a try.

Mastering freestyle footwork: tips and tricks

Freestyle skateboarders have a different flow compared to street skaters. Their seamless transitions are often done with footwork. Unlike other tricks, footwork takes time to master. Here are some suggestions on how to improve footwork as a beginner, intermediate or advanced freestyler.

Fostering freestyle-skateboarding communities

Freestyle skateboarding doesn’t have to be a lonely sport. After feeling like an outsider, the author now skates regularly with a local crew and connects with freestylers around the country (and the world). Skating in public and leveraging social media are powerful ways to connect with like-minded individuals.

‘Can you skate freestyle/do freestyle tricks on a popsicle (street) setup?’

Skating freestyle on a popsicle board is possible, but not without its challenges. While it allows for unique style and tricks, and help the transition from street to freestyle, it can limit certain moves and lead to quick wear and tear. More importantly, it takes away from local freestyle companies of which there are many.