I gave up on being a pro skateboarder after one bad fall at the Venice Beach park

I was trying a kickflip off the 6 foot quarter pipe, landed wrong, and broke my wrist. That was 4 years ago and I haven't touched my board since. Part of me thinks I should have just gotten back up, but another part says it was a smart move to quit before something worse happened. Anyone else have a moment like that where a single event made you drop a dream for good?

4 comments

4 Comments

charlescraig3mo ago

Man, I sold my board too but honestly getting back into cruising last year saved my sanity.

wyatt_mitchell261mo ago

Getting back on my old Penny board after three years was the best thing I did for my head. Just cruising around the neighborhood at dusk with no destination, feeling the pavement hum again... it reminded me why I fell in love with skating in the first place. That old feeling came back as soon as I pushed off and found my balance. Now I keep it in my car trunk and hit the local pump track when I'm stressed. It's not about trying to be good anymore, it's just about moving.

robert_scott573mo ago

My buddy had that same "one bad fall" moment with surfing. He wiped out on a big wave at Mavericks and got held under for what felt like forever. He sold his board the next week and moved to Arizona. He says he doesn't miss the ocean at all, which I never really believed. Do you ever drive past a skate park now and just feel nothing?

patricia_perez743mo ago

Nah, your buddy's lying to himself. That ocean itch never really goes away.