Jana Payne-Booker – 2022
Jana Payne Interview on ‘I had a Conversation with Ken Hada‘
Vans
Steve Cathey – 2021
Find Steve on Social Media Any beginner who tail drops in on vertical owes a big thanks to Steve Cathey, who invented that most basic and necessary of skate moves way back in 1977. (Around the same time, he also pioneered spinning 360s on two boards on flat ground.) In the realm of equipment, Steve …
Jerry Valdez -2020
Follow Jerry on Instagram The Jerry Valdez Timeline: Growing up in Southern California, Jerry experiences many of life’s obstacles with only his inner guidance to draw from. His skateboard, his sole source of transportation, is a great introduction to freestyle skating. In high school, Jerry excels at the science of physics through gymnastics and martial arts, …
Terry Lawrence – 2020
Find Terry on Instagram Terry Lawrence, (formerly she/her, now he/him) was one of the most hard-charging female vert skaters of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Born in July 1962 in Long Beach, California, Terry started skateboarding at the age of eight on a neighbor’s Roller Derby with metal wheels. Terry’s first skateboard was a …
Deanna Calkins – 2020
Find Deanna on Social Media Born in Inglewood, California in 1959, slalom icon Deanna Calkins started skating just two months before she graduated from South High School in Torrance in 1977. Soon after, she discovered the slalom course at Skateboard World in Torrance, which came to her naturally. Employing a parallel ski stance, Deanna was beating everyone on …
Ray Barbee – 2020
Follow Ray on Instagram With smiles for miles and a loose, flowing skating style, Ray Barbee is simply one of the most beloved pro skateboarders to have emerged from the late-1980s and early-’90s. Born in San Francisco, California in 1971, Ray started skateboarding at age 12 in 1983 when his friend Danny got a Variflex …
Gale Webb – 2019
Find Gale on Social Media Widely known as the Skateboarding Mom, Gale Webb was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1944. At age 12 in 1956, she found a pair of old roller skates and hammered the steel wheels on a 2” x 4”. That was her first time skateboarding–falling, having fun and acquiring “plenty of scabs. It …
Eric Dressen – 2017
Find Eric on Social Media Eric Dressen was born on September 16, 1967 in Los Angeles, California and got his first skateboard at the age of eight. Only a year later, Eric was discovered by Laura Thornhill while skating a pool in Torrance. Impressed by his obvious natural talents, she introduced him to Skateboarder magazine …
Steve Van Doren – 2015
Follow Steve on Instagram Steve Van Doren is the son of Vans co-founder Paul Van Doren. Paul, along with his brother, James, and partners Gordon Lee and Serge D’Elia, gave birth to the Van Doren Rubber Company in Anaheim. California on March 16, 1966. Having begun working for the family business at the ripe age …
John Cardiel – 2015
Follow John on Instagram Simply one of the biggest and enduring legends of skateboarding, John Cardiel was born on December 14, 1973 in San Jose, California. He grew up in Half Moon Bay and later Grass Valley. Transcending multiple generations and beloved worldwide, his “All hail Cardiel!” folklore was built not on any technical innovation …
Cara-Beth Burnside – 2015
Find Cara-Beth on Social Media Cara-Beth Burnside is a pioneer of women’s professional skateboarding and snowboarding. Born on July 23, 1968 in Orange, California, Cara-Beth first began skateboarding around age 10 with her older brother, honing her skills at the legendary Big O Skatepark. From the early ’80s to the mid ’00s, she solidified herself …
Ellen Oneal – 2014
After women like Laurie Turner, Wendy Bearer, and Patti McGee put cracks into skateboarding’s male dominated facade during the 1960s, a second wave of female skateboarders continued to fight gender stereotypes during the ’70s. Perhaps gaining the most exposure among them was freestyler Ellen Oneal, who, while riding for G&S from 1976 through ’80—appeared not …
Steve Caballero – 2010
Find Steve on Social Media Hailing from San Jose, California, Steve Caballero joined the Bones Brigade in 1979, after being discovered by Stacy Peralta. (In fact, Cab is still with Powell-Peralta today). No one else in the industry has remained with their original sponsor for nearly as long.) In 1980, Steve turned pro and was …