University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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Oxford is a unique town. Southern, yes, and small as well, it holds a perspective that people assume is stereotypical; however, there lies more to it than one can see at first glance. For example, there is a skate park down by the Public Library, squeezed in-between the Boys and Girls Club and the Public Swimming Pool. This skate park has a history of being a local hangout for high school and home schooled kids during the day and night. One time, Tony Hawk even skated there. The most interesting skaters, though, are the ones easily discernable among the rest from their noticeable height advantage and advanced facial hair: the college kids. Now, the motives for younger children to jump on tiny pieces of wood and hurl themselves around a concrete bowl are obvious. They are indestructible motion-machines provided a healthy outlet by the local skate park. Also, like those who play baseball and other sports, there are heroes, like Hawk and others, for the kids to idolize. What motivation then drives these older skaters? Brian Cage, owner of Suite 10 Skateboards in Oxford, says that the biggest advantage to skateboarding is that it pushes the individual to improve themselves while encouraging an active lifestyle. It like with a ball diamond, a soccer field, the bike trails, or anything that gets somebody active. Especially to get active in a sport that pushes you to get better than your peers in a positive way. Anytime you try something new and are pushed by your peers, it is going to be positive. You can transition that to school, your job, or whatever. It ' s what we make of it. Cage reflects on the quality of the skate park. I have lived here for 24 out of my 36 years, and I never would have thought we would have this. When I am down there I don ' t even think I am in Oxford anymore. When I was a kid, we had to travel 5 or 6 hours to a park where pros would come. Is it really that good? When you have a free park to the public that costs 475,000 dollars and in the first two years that it is open you have pros like Tony Hawk come that is how good a park we have. The great thing about the park is that it is free, and the great thing about skateboarding is that you have diversity, from kids to University students. Matt Hosey, a self-proclaimed older skater, reflects on his reasons to walk down University Avenue to the park, revealing the hold that the sport has even as one ages. It ' s a self-achievement. It is something I want to be good at. It is a very rewarding sport, and I have the utmost respect for those who do it well. Achieving my goals for me is so rewarding. That is why I continue to walk down there. What about falling? Does that hurt more than it used to? Not too good. But it gets better. Once you fall down so many times, you learn how to fall down without getting hurt. The age difference does not really matter to Hosey. It ' s kind of weird for me too, because I always felt that I was the younger one, and now I have kids looking up to me. I wouldn ' t say I feel like a role model, but I try to be encouraging. I think its fun. I met this kid once, who said, ' How old do you think I am? ' I said 16. He was actually 14. This kid shreds better than anyone there almost. He is on up there. Hosey said he would continue to skate as long as possible. Until I can ' t skate anymore, or probably until I outgrow my youthful vigor. That ' s what I love about skating though, is that you don ' t even have to pull big tricks to have fun. You can just skate, and it is fun in itself. The Ole Nliss | 023

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Even though skateboarding imposes risks and complications, it is still an expression of freedom and personality for those that dare to take it on. n r- .,, f . half pipe half time More college students are shredding it up on boards along with the textbooks STORY BY TIM SUMMERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLE KRUSE 022 ITheOle Miss

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