I really fear for the future of skateboarding. it seems that most of the people coming up in the skateboard community lack the passion for the actual act of just skateboarding. being hell bent on tricks and not the ascetics of it all. i started skateboarding at a time when it was not the cool thing to do and was constantly ridiculed for doing so. i remember a time when we didn't have a skate park and we lacked the "cool Guy" attitude. we simply skated with other skateboarders just because we all skated. there was no legit gear or lame gear. there were no crews there were no naysayers. we all fed off of each other and there was no competition to be the best. No one was hesh, no one was fresh. we spent hours studying videos and trying to comprehend the basics. we studied the the pros and they became our religious icons. not for what they did rather for who they were.
      There are going to be no more Rowleys, Hawks, Reynolds, Pennys, Ways, Cardiels, or any other legends for that matter, simply because the next group of up'n' comers (not all, but the majority)  lack passion and personality.  all of the people we look up to have stood the test of time. 10- 20 year careers in some cases. some washed up because they didn't have the passion, and others walked out of the limelight because they have so much passion that they don't want to see a watered down version. Now , understand  im not stating  this because im bitter, rather concerned actually. OUR industry has begun to be consumed with non skateboarding  company owners and countless deserving pros are laid off, only to have their blank faced emotionless counterparts spared. It seems that the spirit on innovation is only alive within a select few.
      One good thing to come of this,  is an importance of the small companies that keep the legitimacy in tact. more and more independent companies pop up each year. This is my concern,  will future generations be inspired to start their own companies or will they still be stoked on the countless companies that reign supreme today? Just what does the future hold?
          As you may know i hang out at the local skate shop probably more than the average person. but here is what i have observed. a ton of shitheads who have no idea about anything pop in and out (as with any skateshop) desiring the "Hottest Gear" available. Others come in just to hang out and shoot the shit on their breaks from work. some come to beg their parents for this and that, others come just because they don't have any thing better to do ( my case). But probably the most important observation to be made is the "kids" relatively new to skateboarding coming in and asking for locally owned and/or independent skateboarding products. and of course i would think this is the most important because i own a small company. but its more than that. There are a select few new skateboarders out there that actually get it. WE didn't start this company to make money, quite the opposite. We started this company because our idea of skateboarding didn't match what was being sold to us. we felt that if you want to do something right you have to do it your self. In summation, what i'm trying to say is question skateboarding. Actually think about the brands/ ideas you support. if you like having fun, support a company that conveys that. If your all about the "Benjamins" then by all means support the companies that convey that, but don't be mad when they start selling it at the mall.
       Have i answered my own question yet? who knows? we cant see the future, but we can wonder. Hopefully others will attempt to pass the torch and keep it lit, others might throw it away once it burns out. Look at what is really important , Skateboarding will continue regardless of what goes on in the industry/world/ shops/parks. All i can ask of our readers is that you make an effort to understand the importance of the reason you skate. All we can do is our part to ensure that future generations get it. don't be afraid to to tell the groms to quit looking around to see if anyone saw their trick, dont be afraid to hook them up with shoes or a board if they need one. Don't be afraid to give them a ride to the park, dont be afraid to tell them like it is. Think about it, the people that did this for us were the people we most looked up to when we were just starting. The only way to keep skateboarding alive and well in the future is to set a good example for the future. So my question, Just What does the Future hold? the answer depends entirely on US.

Thanks for dropping in ,
R.G Management