‘I’m here for fun’

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This article was published 25/06/2023 (850 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Stanley Tait Jr. takes a running start, dropping his skateboard onto the concrete and stepping aboard mid-stride. He’s less than a foot away from a long, flat ledge when he pops the board up and slides it across a strip of steel coated in wax.

The Slurpee Canada Skateboard Open Tour rolled into Winnipeg this weekend, and the 16-year-old boy from Pinaymootang First Nation was among the more than 70 people who participated in the national competition, which took place at The Forks Saturday.

“I just really like the feeling of getting on a board, rolling, landing a kickflip or an ollie,” he said, referring to two variations of skateboarding tricks. “I’m feeling good. I’m a bit nervous, but I’m here for fun.”

The teen wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead before taking off again, this time heading toward a small stair set. All around him, other skaters followed suit, grinding over railings, flipping their boards in mid-air and, occasionally, falling to the ground.

“Skateboarding is something these guys just love to do. Everybody is always welcome here,” said Hagan McCreath, executive director of Canada Skate, the tour’s host organization.

Winnipeg was the second of six stops on the tour, which began earlier this month in Vancouver and is slated to travel to the East Coast before ending in Toronto later this summer.

In addition to offering cash prizes, the tour allows skateboarders to display their talents, potentially earning them a spot on Canada’s national team and ultimately, at the Olympics.

Through events like the Open Tour, Canada Skate recruits talent for its own team. Several of its members participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, when skateboarding made its debut as an internationally recognized sport.

While Olympic aspirations are a good motivator for young athletes, the beauty of the sport is in its community, McCreath said.

“Skateboarding is about inclusivity and it fosters creativity… When you’re surrounding yourself with that kind of people, then you’re bound for success. It’s a great outlet,” McCreath said.

Stanley Tait Sr., Tait Jr.’s father, agrees.

Watching his son skate from the sidelines, Tait Sr. didn’t hesitate to extol the virtues he’s seen the sport bring to his son.

“It’s a great way of meeting new people; positive people. He was going down a different path before he started skating,” Tait Sr. said, gesturing toward his son. “Now, he’s a lot more confident in himself. He is a lot more outgoing and social. It’s a really good environment for him. (The skaters) all acknowledge each other when they’re out here.”

Tait Jr. started skating three years ago, drawn into the sport by friends and from watching old skate clips on YouTube. His younger sisters, ages 7 and 9, have also picked up boards of their own.

The teen is happy to lead by example, he said.

“If anybody is open to skateboarding, just go out there, pick yourself up a board and start skating. It really can help to solve problems,” he said.

The skate competition will end today, with the finals beginning at 4:30 p.m. The top three riders in the men’s and women’s division will win $750, $350 and $250, respectively.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca