The Mutt To Speak AT UCLAOne might call him the Thomas Edison of skateboarding. Having invented dozens of standardized tricks such as the ollie and kickflip, Rodney Mullen is one of the most decorated professional skateboarders in history.
Today, Mullen will visit UCLA to speak about his transition from outcast college student to soul skater. But first he sat down with the Daily Bruin’s Devon McReynolds.
Daily Bruin: What made you want to start skating?
Rodney Mullen: I grew up in Florida, and I never really felt like I fit in. It’s probably a common bond that a lot of skaters have and I certainly felt that. I really liked the individuality of it, where you don’t have to dress up all the same. You’re really on your own. You didn’t have a coach, no one’s going to tell you what to do and it never ends in terms of the possibility of what you can do. It presented problems from the folks because in the 1970s the culture saw (skateboarding) as a thing for bad apples. My father was really against it and thought it would lead nowhere. It was kind of a hard thing to overcome. The interview continues here.
1 comment:
Alan 'Ollie' Gelfand invented the Ollie. Rodney adapted the trick to flat land (Alan had been using it only on transitions). Rodney also usd the ollie to invent the ollie-based kick flip. Prior to that, a kick flip was done by putting the lead foot's toes under the board and flipping it.
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