Rob "Sluggo" Boyce Interview

Sluggo in the half-pipe.

Sluggo in the half-pipe.

Despite his nickname, Rob "Sluggo" Boyce is definitely no slug when it comes to skateboarding. Sluggo has been a pro-skateboarder for the past 10 years and is ranked as one of the top ten vert riders in the world.

You may have seen him ride the half-pipe at the X-Games or you may have watched some of the TV shows and movies he works on as a skateboard stunt co-ordinator (Skate, MVP II: Most Vertical Primate.) One place you've never seem him is in a hot tub eating a peanut butter sandwich with your grandma. He recently gave Kidzworld his thoughts on the world of skateboarding.

Why Do Some People Think Skaters are Rebels and Rabble-rousers?
It's mostly a lack of understanding. I remember an old man in his 80s watching me skateboard on a ledge one day. I was trying this trick over and over and I finally landed it. This man walked over to me and said, "This is the first time I'd ever taken the time to watch you skateboard and see what you're doing. I thought before it was a whole lot of tomfoolery and you were kicking the board aimlessly. But now I see you're actually trying something and I really appreciate what you're doing." There used to be a time when parents would rather see their kid try-out for the football team rather than riding a skateboard, but the sport is pretty much accepted now.

How Come It's So Hard to Find a Good Place to Skate in the City?
Skateboarding in all the major North American cities has been shut down so quickly by anti-skate patrols. The architecture is being built so you can't skate on it. You have to go to structured skateparks now. Skateparks are the adults' way of putting kids in their own little area where they can't hurt anyone, and kids know that. Kids would much rather roam the streets and skate every kind of staircase and ledge you can find.

If I Become a Pro-Skateboarder, Will I Be Able To Buy My Parents' House and Give Them an Allowance?
Pro-skateboarders don't make that much money when they first start out - maybe $1500 a month, which is just enough to pay the bills. But there are a lot more opportunities out there now to make a living skateboarding than there were 10 years ago. And look at Tony Hawk, he's taking in $40 million a year.

Will I Be Able to Skateboard When I'm 50?
It could happen. We're looking to see how long someone can go pro now. Tony Hawk is 34. Steve Cabellero is 36. They're still out there doing pretty much everything they could 10 years ago. We know how long football and baseball players can last in the pros and we're now just finding out how long skateboarders can last. Who knows how long Tony Hawk will go for?

If there's a question you have about pro-skateboarding, We won't eat, sleep or shower until we get you the answer.

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