The Boss: For Tony Hawk, the Skateboard Is a Canvas
February 6, 2010 by admin
Filed under Career News and Advice
I STARTED skateboarding because I never fit in with team sports. I was so energetic as a kid, and skating became my outlet. It was like finding a blank canvas.
Greg Gorman
TONY HAWK
President, Tony Hawk Inc., Vista, Calif.
AGE 41
NUMBER OF BONES HE HAS BROKEN 3
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT Tavarua Island, Fiji
FAVORITE MOVIE STAR Benicio Del Toro
You can skateboard however you want, any style. You don’t have to listen to a coach or rely on a team. I played basketball and baseball but never felt that I was improving. But every time I skated, I got better at it.
When I started, the industry was relatively small, and there weren’t many competitions. There was no governing organization. To reach a professional rank, I simply checked the box on the form for professional instead of amateur. To enter competitions today, you need the support of sponsors and you have to qualify.
In the early 1990s, interest in skateboarding dropped off, and royalties and sales of goods I had licensed decreased. It was a difficult time financially. I learned that …
Read the original article at NYTimes
