Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 5, 1 May 2013 — ON 4 WHEELS, heaven is a HALF-PIPE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ON 4 WHEELS, heaven is a HALF-PIPE

By Sarah Paeheeo

As dark clouds hang heavy over the Kalihi skyline, the threat of a sudden downpour imminent, the keiki of Proper Ride Shop continue their day's lesson without a worry of getting caught in the approaching rain. Housed within a warehouse at 525 Kōkea St., the l,800-square-foot indoor mini park is a literal paradise for skateboarders of all ages. Bright-yellow walls set the tone inside the cheery training facility, where skaters glide over quarter pipes, banks, aaps, extensions

and a mini ramp as high-energy music blares from overhead. Upstairs a few students take a break in the lounge area, where Kung Fu Panela plays on a flat-screen TV and pizza is plentiful. Downstairs, others

begin their homework inside the designated study room, whieh is accented with wooden skateboards, stickers, posters, autographed photos and other nods to skate culture. Ah yes, here at Proper Ride Shop, heaven most certainly is a half-pipe. This school for skateboarders opened its doors in September 2012 as a spin-off of the successful skateboard camps run by Native Hawaiian entrepreneur Matt Reynolds and his wife, Samantha. "It just grew and grew and grew," says Matt, reporting their roster totals nearly 100 students. "Skateboarding's mainstream now, and it's a great time to help kids learn how to skateboard," he says. According to Matt, there are two requirements to enroll: children must be at least 5 years old and, more importantly, they must have an interest in skateboarding. From there, the syllabus begins with a crash course in safety. "Falling is part of skateboarding," Matt says. "That's why we wear all these pads, and we teach the kids how important it is to wear safety equipment, how to fall correctly, how to roll, how to stand on the board, just slowly build their selfconfidence until they feel comfortable to do it on their own." Proper Ride Shop isn't the first skateboarding collaboration for Matt and his wife; the two

also are parents to loeal pro boarder Heimana Reynolds, 14, whose fledgling career includes titles at the 2011 World Cup and 2012 FreeFlow/Dew Tour.

"We're a skateboarding family," says Matt, laughing, noting that he, Sam and daughter Raiatea, 11, all surf the pavement on a regular basis as well. In fact, it was through teaching a young Heimana how to skate that Matt stumbled upon his life's calling. "At that time, there were all these skate parks being built, so I started taking (Heimana) and putting him on a skateboard," says the O'ahu native. "Other parents saw me doing that with my child and the positive reinforcement that eame with it - coaching him, cheering him on, teaching him lifelong values along the way - and soon they were asking me to do the same with their children." The former puhlie school teacher and lifeguard continues that approach at Proper Ride Shop, where values like respect, appreciation and responsibility are taught alongside instruction on how to shred, ollie and catch air. "It's all about respect: thank Mom and Dad, take care of your own things, help out with the little kids," Matt explains. "We want it all to be positive - helping eaeh other, encouraging eaeh other, taking turns. Plus, it's contagious, too." Parents appreciate this wholesome approach to the sport, as they ean remember a time when skateboarding was looked down upon as something only delinquents did in empty parking lots or deserted side streets.

"We like knowing that as long as Nate is at the Proper facility, he is in good hands and is being encouraged not only to keep trying to expand his athletic abilities, but also to keep a focus on school," says Patrick K. Shea of his 8-year-old son. "It is very eommon to find a roomful of kids completing school assignments in one of the rooms before they attack the ramp." For these haumāna, skateboarding is just another pastime, no different from football or hula, and serves as another means to burn off extra energy for a few spare hours eaeh day. "You get to learn new tricks and meet new friends and stuff," says 10-year-old īemoana Reynolds, who first began skateboarding at age 5 after watching big cousin Heimana.

"He was showing me tricks and it looked eool, so I wanted to start," īemoana says. Matt notes that like īemoana, many of his students look to one another for inspiration rather than larger-than-life celebrities. Such is the case for Hannah Ige. When asked who her favorite skateboarder is, the answer isn't Tony Hawk, Rob Dyrdek or Elissa Steamer. Instead, the 6-year-old goofy-footer names a fellow Proper Ride Shop student just two years her senior, Ēwe Wong. "Does she know how to drop in?" Ige asks Matt through a toothy grin. "I like dropping in, because it's fun and I get to go fast!" Ige's enthusiasm toward skateboarding and willingness to leam are just some of the reasons Matt says he loves his job. "Our biggest goal is that every child leaves here feeling good about themselves," Matt says. "You'd be amazed at how mueh they ean learn by teaching them the right way. "It's pretty incredible, and I think that's the beauty of skateboarding - you teach them the proper way, they'll learn." ■ Sarah Paeheeo, an 0'ahu-based freelance writer, is a former assistant regional editor for MidWeek.

Proper Ride Shop WHERE: 525 Kōkea St. in Kalihi CALL: (808) 373-3303 INF0: properrideshop.com

EC0N0MIG SELFSUFFIGIENGY

Hannah lge, 6, gets ready to drop in on a quarter-pipe as other skaters practice tricks. - Photos: Sarah Paeheeo

Hawaiian entrepreneur Matt Reynolds in the puhlie skate shop.