Bones Brigade

I was the scrawny little kid… when I started skating, it gave me a sense of identity, it gave me a sense of self confidence. It gave me a purpose.– Tony Hawk

I watched ‘Bones Brigade: An Autobiography’ the other day, and got all stoked on skating again, like I did about 10 years ago when I first played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 on my mate’s PC in his attic. The film talks to a bunch of pro skaters (that’s right, professional skaters, people who get paid, and making a living out of skateboarding) who were in, or influenced by, a skate team in the 80s called the Bones Brigade. I think it’s still on Netflix, so if you can, go check it out. It’s an awesome documentary, and I guarantee you’ll be using words like “dude” and “rad” for a couple days afterwards.

Within the first 3 minutes of the film, there’s a great quote from Tony Hawk, saying about how skating gave him a purpose, and gave him a sense of identity. While it’s true that skating is something you do for yourself, it can also be a really social thing. Why not try getting a bunch of people together, find a quiet spot or a skate park, and spend an afternoon hanging out and learning a new trick. Me and a couple of friends recently started doing a Sunday night skate session, which has been a great way to catch up with people, clear my head and learn something new every week. I’m pleased to report that I’ve finally landed an ollie, after about 10 years of trying and failing, so don’t get disheartened if you’re not Rodney Mullen after a couple of hours.

Skating’s actually a form of exercise as well, so you can feel good about doing some exercise while taking part in a rad sport.

Though obviously, skateboarding can be kinda dangerous. Take care of yourselves, get some pads and a helmet, and if that hill looks too steep, it probably is. Trust.

– Si