Skaters ride rough roads toward future

The Rio Grande Valley lost its best skateboarder about two months ago.

Eddy Gonzalez, 19, was in his prime. He hit big tricks, impressed spectators and won the respect of the local skate community. Then he picked up and left.

Eddy moved to Chicago, to live with his mother and chase his dream of becoming a professional skater -- a dream that many say is impossible to accomplish in the Valley. There aren't enough places to practice here. The industry does not pay attention to the area. And the lack of major competition doesn't push skaters to improve, said Kevin Wagoner, a veteran skater who owns Switchfoot Skateshop on North 10th in McAllen.

• To learn more about local skate parks visit www.myspace.com/moreparks956. To see the local skate scene for yourself, check out the Switchfoot Skateshop sponsored competition Sept. 6 at the McAllen Skate Park. For more information call (956) 867-6268.

But a few key changes could fix these problems, said Wagoner, 37. McAllen needs to build a concrete skate park and its residents need to embrace this booming sport. And then the skaters here could make it big.

And the time is right.

ESPN's X Games came and went this month, with Valley skaters watching from afar. The 14th annual X Games drew a record amount of viewers, proving skateboarding is no longer limited to an underground subculture. The event ran July 31 to August 3 in Los Angeles, and the ratings increased 13 percent from last year, according to information from ESPN.

"You'd see kids from the Valley in the X Games if people would be more supportive of skateboarding and let them skate," Wagoner said.

Skateboarding has grown in McAllen during the past five years, Wagoner said. The scene sports lots of talent, ambition and interest. But many people outside the sport hold misconceptions about skaters.

Skaters often practice tricks on the streets, and local business owners and residents chase them away. The people think the skaters are up to no good, local skaters say. But extreme sports fans say skateboarding keeps teens interested in something productive.

Take Ben De Leon, 17, and Gabriel Martinez, 16, both of Edinburg. They are upperclassmen at Edinburg North High School, and after school they skate about three hours a day. That type of dedication keeps them away from drugs and other trouble.

The teens skate at the Edinburg skate park at the intersection of Jackson Road and Freddy Gonzalez Drive. Or they come to McAllen and skate street spots such as the stairs at Archer Park. The challenge and the sense of accomplishment keep them coming back.

"I just tried it, and I was addicted," De Leon said.

And he's a very good skater, Wagoner said. But De Leon and many others could get much better if they had more places to skate. First and foremost, Wagoner said McAllen needs to build a concrete skate park.

McAllen, Edinburg and many other local cities have built skate parts out of steel. But metal rusts and it's also less challenging for skaters to use. They can't perform the biggest tricks and the obstacles are not as challenging.

Concrete skate parks fix those problems, and if McAllen had one, the scene would really take off, Wagoner said.

And the city is open to such a facility, said Larry Pressler, director of McAllen Parks and Recreation. But research shows the park would likely cost more than $250,000, and during tough economic times, it's hard to find that money.

But the city supports skateboarding, and Pressler said they've built the best facility they can afford. The city is also currently working to build another metal park with new elements on the west side of town. But concrete? Not unless the budget opens up.

"We think that they and their sport is just as important as any other sport that we accommodate," Pressler said, describing Wagoner and the skateboard community as very respectful and easy to work with.

If the money suddenly shows up, Pressler said building a concrete park would be a high priority.

And if that happens, local skaters might be flying off the new ramps and into X Games stardom.

Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.