How Max started Skateboarding….

Max Akotia is a rad dude who has appeared on the scene recently – the guy is all about skateboarding for the fun of it. As a person, Max sums up skateboarding; making friends, having fun and getting creative. Today I read this story he posted on Facebook about how he started skating, and as someone who is rapidly hurtling towards 30 and constantly being asked why I still ride a skateboard, this story reminded me why I bother heading into town and riding a plank with wheels. Enjoy.

I can remember the first time i ride a skateboard.. It was the 2nd of September 2010, and i had been in the uk for more or less a week.. I didn’t have a shit to do, neither any friends to chill with, so i decided to go for a solo walk around Holbrooks Park, since it was there were my family settled. At that time i could barely speak english, coz i grew up in italy where they speak italian. So, while i was walking around the park, from far away i saw a guy doing a backflip on a bmx.. I was amaze, so i decided to go closer to what i understand later was called a bowl. Once there i saw that same kid doing loads of tricks and i was like how does he do that?!! And thought, i want a bmx too! In fact there were only bmxers there so, it was quiete natural i was incline to become one of them.. While thinkin all this, someone called Tom (McKay), approaches me, and begun to ask me the usual routine questions, whats your name, where are you from etc.. Then i asked him where i could buy a bmx like his, and he told me that there was a skateshop (Ride) nearby and i asked him for the prices and he replied that they were from 300 and above. I was like dammit, itz too expensive for me! So i sadly went back home.. The next day i went back to the bowl, and this time i saw a dude skatin.. I asked him if i could go for it, and i tried to drop in straight away. Unbelievably i did it and i was like whoaa this feels so weird.. Buh i liked it! So the first thing i did after that day was goin in town, 2 Season and get a cheap complete set up.. Once i got my board i started skating bowls on my own with them bmxers every single day. They would give me some tips about tricks to learn and things like that.. Anyway, i was happy. Through skating i met loads of new friends, and still i am, and that’s why i love it so much. I don’t really care if i can’t kickflip or do a certain trick, coz i enjoy doing what i can, and eventually learnin new shit.. Dnt think about becoming “the best” or “i wanna get sponsered”, all that will come, but just make sure you have fun!