You may have caught a glimpse of their beanies, loose graphic tees, baggy jeans and beat-up checkered vans as they whiz past you while you walk to class. One may have seen the brown bruises and pink scratches occasionally dotted on their limbs that come with unique stories as they push their feet onto the ground to accelerate. You may have heard the rock music blasting through their headphones while they dodge and weave through the commuting crowds, seeming to be in their own world.

Skateboarding isn’t anything new. It’s been a hobby — a community — for years, and it’s one that has been seen and heard at White Station. Students can be seen showing off their tricks in the courtyard, cruising to their classes or teaching other students how to skateboard. 

“I’ve been roller skating since I was in second grade, but once I moved here, [I saw that] Memphis doesn’t have any even roads to roller skate on,” Alina Liu (11) said.  “I wanted to find a form of skating that could be on different types of terrain because when I used to try to skate there were big gaps [in the road] that I couldn’t get past. Skateboarding outside is easier than roller skating outside.”

Learning to skateboard is a challenging but rewarding process. It can take experienced mentors and years of practice to learn to skateboard, but some students don’t have the time or resources to be taught or practice, so they learn however they can.

“I’ve been trying to do a kickflip because everyone tells me ‘Do a kickflip!’ You pick up the edge of the board and jump,” Liu said. “I learn through tutorials, I don’t really have any other people to teach me. I learn through any instructional youtube channels I can find.”

Skateboarding has a high risk of injuries, such as concussions and bruises from falls. Beginners can especially suffer from these hardships more than others, but with more time spent on the board, they are able to keep their balance more.    

“When I was first starting I tried to do a trick before I knew what I was doing and I sent myself flying into the concrete, and I was bleeding a lot but I was okay,” Katelyn Morton (9) said. “It was funny in the end. I scraped all my arm, my knees and stuff, but I was okay. I have a story where my dad was trying to do a trick on my skateboard — an ollie — which is a jump on your skateboard, and he fell in a parking lot and a car drove by with a 10/10 sign, it was just a funny experience.”

The creative nature and inclusive lifestyle of skateboarding is what keeps teenagers engaged.

“I feel like it’s just fun because I have a way to get out of the house and actually do something.” Morton said. “I skateboard with some of my other friends that do [skateboard.] We kinda just joke around [and] do a bunch of stupid stuff together and have fun.”