Skateboarding started around 1955 as a kids' past time, just another trendy popular toy for youngsters. Little did the world know how this newly popular past time would grow into the global industry and competitive sport it is today!
This 'toy' began in the 50's, became more trendy in the 60's, but lost popularity after only a couple of years. Then in 1971-2, it started coming back as a popular past time again, but this time was now thought of as an anti-social, anti-mainstream past time of kids with no goals and nothing else to do. Boards were not being manufactured as they had been in the mid-sixties, so in order to skateboard, you had to make your own. This new trend was the beginning of a 'revolution' in the industry that lead to the development of what are now called old school skateboards.
The founders of old school skateboards began their unique 'movement' surfing in the West L.A., South Santa Monica, Venice areas (called Dogtown) at an old abandoned, run down amusement park called Pacific Ocean Park Pier (known to locals as P.O.P.) which flourished in the twenties, ending in the late sixties. Kids from basically broken homes who lived in this Dogtown neighborhood formed a surfing team known as the Zephyr team, and were known as the Z-Boys. Here at the P.O.P they would surf waves in the middle of this abandoned park where there were broken pilings from the old pier, jutting out of the water in a 'U' shape just off the beach. This area formed a sort of cove, and the locals called it 'The Cove.' The Z-Boys were surfers who, when there were no waves, used old school skateboards to skate around town, creating their own 'cement playground.' They actually performed amongst themselves, just by doing their own thing on their own boards. They were not thinking that they were performing for anyone or for any reason but for their competition. This was not a trend, but their way of life - they lived this lifestyle; it was their way of having fun with the purpose of proving themselves to one another. They were like family to each other, surfing and skating together. They all had their own individual style - inspired by surfing, and put to the test on these unique old school skateboards.
The Z-Boys were a cultural phenomenon, inspiring and influencing today's extreme skaters. In their day, they shredded the competition with an aggressive, in-your-face style that revolutionized skateboarding. Back in the day, during the California drought, most all public and private swimming pools were being emptied. This provided a 'cement playground' for skaters and was another method that boosted the birth of extreme skating. It once more pushed the creative genius and classic individual style of icons Jay Adams, Tony Alva, and Stacy Peralta. These skaters created history from doing their self-driven personal best for no other reason that just that!
Old school skateboards represent a unique 70's style with a wider board deck creating more balance and stability than the feeling of the boards today. If you're interested in finding out more about old school skateboards, or to find out the varieties of decks that old school skateboards has to offer, please visit skateboardscomplete.com.
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