posted by kdbbiz on Apr 27

How to Get Skateboarding Sponsorships
By Tomm Smith

If you’re really into skateboarding, you might have considered getting sponsorships eventually. It’s a perfectly good goal, especially if you’re taking the sponsorship as a platform to taking your game to the next level and sharing your passion for the sport with other like-minded individuals.

Being a sponsored skateboarder provides you with a lot of privileges where the most common of which is free gear from the company that sponsors you. But more than that, your sponsor (or sponsors) could also provide you with other means of support such as helping you get into events or competitions you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to compete in.

So what does it take to become a sponsored skateboarder? Here’s our series of quick tips on how to get skateboarding sponsorships.

Hone Your Talent

First of all, you must focus on your talent. By talent, we mean not only your natural ability to ride your skateboard wheels and do complex tricks but also have a perfect grasp of the basics. Your talent will be your most important weapon because this is how potential sponsors gauge whether or not you would be a fantastic endorser of their products or otherwise. When looking for sponsorships, your talent should be the thing that always comes first. Not your attitude or your marketing talk.

Market Yourself

Aside from talent, you also need to learn how to market yourself well. This involves being able to sell yourself and finding the right people to sponsor you. There are many ways by which you can do this. One of these is contacting local skateboard shops and/or skateboard companies and giving them a call.

With the popularity of social networking sites such as YouTube and Facebook, it has gotten a lot easier to market yourself to a wider audience. You could show potential sponsors your ability to ride the skateboard with flair through your videos. Or you could also have a series of instructional videos to come along with your performance to show these sponsors that you really know your stuff.

We know that marketing is something that you’d rather avoid, but if you really want to get a sponsorship, this is the way you can get companies to notice you. You’ll have more chances of getting a sponsorship through active marketing than simply waiting at the skate park for a company representative to notice you.

It would also be great if you have a marketing package that you can easily distribute to potential sponsors during events. This package will then contain all the information they need about you. The typical package would include your bio, photos, a DVD or a link to your videos, and of course, your contact details.

Be Patient

Your sponsorship may not come today, but if you continue in working hard enough in improving your talent and your marketing, then it will eventually come.

All in all, becoming a sponsored skater brings a great sense of fulfillment. However, never forget about your passion for skateboarding wheels – that’s the most important thing you need wherever you go.

Tomm Smith has been a skater for a very long time. If you’re looking for skateboarding wheels & skateboarding tips, feel free to visit our site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tomm_Smith

http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Get-Skateboarding-Sponsorships&id=4134806

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

posted by kdbbiz on Mar 30

Not getting the performance you want out of your skateboard? Chances are that there’s something wrong with it. The good news is that in most cases, you don’t necessarily have to replace parts of your skateboard. Usually, a little cleaning, or a little tightening will help do the trick, and your skateboard will feel brand new once more.

In this article, we’ll talk about troubleshooting common skateboard problems. Why do you want to do this? For one, you’ll save a lot of money doing the simple stuff yourself rather than having a pro repairman do it for you, or even replace parts that still work perfectly well.

If you’re ready to solve the common problems with your skateboard, then read on.

1. Skateboard wheels don’t spin freely. This sounds like a case of dirty skateboard bearings. You see, the bearings help your wheels turn smoothly. However, dirt accumulates in your bearings over time, making for a rough ride.

Usually, all you need to do is clean your bearings. Just pull them out of your wheels and apply a cleaner, and re-lubricate. However, if your bearings are around 1-2 years old, then, chances are that the bearings have already worn down. In that case, no amount of cleaning will make them spin freely anymore. You’ll, then, have to buy a fresh set of bearings.

2. Wheel bite. A wheel bite occurs when your wheels grind against your deck, either because of a hard landing, or if you make a difficult turn on your board. Wheel bites can be a serious matter if you ride often. They could cause your wheels to suddenly stop turning and throw you off your board.

To prevent a wheel bite, you can either use smaller wheels or put risers on your trucks. Doing either of these options provide more clearance for your wheels to move, and thus prevent them from grinding against the board.

3. Something feels ‘loose’ with your skateboard wheels. If you feel that something’s about to come loose off your skateboard, or if riding your board feels rickety, then something probably is indeed coming loose. It’s, therefore, important that you check the screws and the nuts on your board before riding it. If there are loose nuts and screws, tighten them first. It can be pretty embarrassing-and downright dangerous-to ride a board that’s falling apart.

Learning how to troubleshoot common skateboard problems helps you save money by doing easy repairs yourself. However, if you are not confident about your repair skills, it would be a better idea to leave it to the hands of an expert skateboard repairman. It costs money, but not as much as you would spend on new parts if you break them due to your unsuccessful attempt at repairing your board.

More importantly, check your board regularly. Have a close look at every nook and cranny before riding it. Doing so would ensure that your board is in good shape and would last longer. Some people call it preventive maintenance, and you’ll be doing yourself and your board a favor by doing it.

Andrew Heathercole is a skateboarder and been an author for skateboarding for two years. for more details please visit: Skateboard Wheels.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

posted by kdbbiz on Aug 14

Becoming a skateboarder will bring you into a new world. Eventually slang terms and trick names will become second nature to you. But before you run, you have to crawl, and in skateboarding that means learning how to properly assemble a skateboard.

Tools to gather:
• Phillips screw driver
• Drill(optional for mounting trucks)
• 3/8″ combination wrench or nut driver
• 9/16″ combination wrench or nut driver
• Razor blade

Parts to gather:
• Skateboard deck
• Grip tape
• Pair of trucks
• Hardware(set of 8 nuts & bolts)
• 4 Wheels
• 8 bearings

1. The first thing we are going to do is apply the grip tape to the deck itself. Lay the deck on a flat surface. Peel off the back of the grip tape and apply the sticky side to the top of the board. Now smooth it down with your hand so that it sticks flat to the board. Make sure to poke any air bubbles with your razor blade and flatten it down with your hand.

2. Take your screw driver using the shaft right above the handle, scrape the edge of the deck completely around. You will now have the edge shaped out nicely throughout the deck. Take your razor blade and carefully cut off the excess grip tape around the board. Take your left over grip tape and sand down the edges to make it smooth and clean.

3. We will now be mounting the trucks to our deck. Take your screwdriver and poke through the grip tape in all 8 holes on the deck. Insert your bolts from the grip tape side. On the underside line up the holes on your trucks with the bolts. Once you have the trucks set, apply the nuts to the bolts and fasten by hand. Now that both trucks are loosely mounted you need to tighten them. Using your 9/16″ wrench hold the nuts still and tighten the bolts using your screwdriver. (A drill will work much faster for this process but be careful not to strip out your bolts)

4. Wheels won’t do much without bearings, so here is how to insert bearings into your wheels. There is a special tool for this you might see at your local skate shop but there is a little trick that works better. Remove the nuts on each truck and Flip your board on its side. Take one bearing and place it on one truck. Now put the wheel on the truck and push hard against it. The bearing will pop right into place. Remove the wheel, put another bearing on the truck, flip the wheel around and repeat the process. Presto! One wheel complete, just repeat this for all 4 wheels.

5. For the next step we are going to mount the wheels. Just slip 2 wheels on each truck and using your 3/8″ wrench tighten the nuts. Be sure not to over tighten, you want it loose enough so that the wheel can spin freely.

Now you have your own complete skateboard that you put together all on your own. Give yourself a pat on the back and go skate it up! Be proud of yourself because now you know how to properly assemble a skateboard.
Life is what you make it, stay positive and moving forward.
Peace & Love,
Matt

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mathew_Dunn

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

posted by kdbbiz on Jul 8

Buying your first skateboard can be more difficult than you may expect. There is a huge range of skateboards available from a number of sources and a wide variety of prices. The first thing to consider is safety. It is important to stay safe when skateboarding. Don’t buy a cheap skateboard from the toy shop. These boards are mass produced and often use inferior material compared to the boards built by the specialist manufacturers. You should also get appropriate gloves, wrist guards, elbow pads, kneepads and a helmet. This gear will minimise your risk of injury and most skateparks require you to wear safety gear.

As a beginner it is best to buy a complete skateboard. This is a skateboard that is preassembled and ready to use. The other choice is to buy all the parts you need and create a custom made skateboard tailored to your own needs. This is not a good choice for a beginner as you will be learning and developing a skating style you won’t have the experience to make the best decisions. Better to buy the best complete board you can afford from a reputable company. In the UK you should be able to get a decent beginners board for about £40. Do your research. Go to your local skateshop and ask for advice try a few boards, speak with other skaters and skatepark staff and the Internet is also good for researching prices etc.

In general beginners tend to prefer a longer wider board. This type of board provides you with more stability while you are learning and as you improve and get more experienced, you can choose a board more suited your skating style.

Look cool while you skate. Visit Hhuff clothing for Streetwear uk and urban wear uk.

Hhuff stock Ecko, Zoo York, Rocawear and Artful Dodger.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Weld

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

posted by kdbbiz on May 13

So you’ve got your first skateboard. Now, where do you start? It all looks so easy on television. You’ve watched skateboarders effortlessly do ramp and hill tricks and do balancing acts while jumping and doing somersaults on their skateboard. You’ve always wanted to know how to do these skateboard tricks but first you need to get used to your skateboard and practice the basics.

Some of the skateboarding tips for beginners are to get proper skateboard shoes and gear. Skateboard shoes should fit well so that they don’t loosen and come out half way through your skateboarding which has a lot to do with pushing the ground with your foot and finding your stance. You should also get a helmet for safety in case you fall. Elbow pads and knee pads are also required depending on what you plan to do with your skateboard.

Skateboarding for beginners needn’t be hard. It is just a matter of getting used to moving around in your skateboard and getting a feel of being on the skateboard. One of the skateboarding tips for beginners is to try standing on the skateboard and finding your balance with the front of your feet and your heels. The next thing is to see which foot comes first or which is your ‘forward foot’. This foot is usually the ‘push off foot’. The other foot goes on the board.

Skateboarding for beginners involves a lot of practicing on surfaces where your skateboard can roll and where you can stand on the board. One of the skateboarding tips for beginners is to lean left or right just like you would if you were on a pair of skates to change direction. These are the basics of skateboarding for beginners. Now all you have to do is take time to practice these steps and then you can move on to harder maneuvers and skateboard tricks.

At the end of this article, I’d like to share cool websites with more tips on topics like skateboarding tips for beginners and how to skateboard. Visit for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francis_Murphy

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

posted by kdbbiz on Oct 28

These skateboard trick tips are for those who have learnt the basics of skateboarding such as rolling and standing as well as balancing and turning. They require patience and skill and probably an adventurous spirit. These skateboard trick tips are for those who want to learn more complicated moves and steps and those who want to stylize their skateboarding. The trick tips in this article are crowd pleasers as well as attention and applause-getters.

The first thing to consider is different ways of getting on the board. For this skateboard trick, one gets on the skateboard before it lands on the ground. It sounds easy and on television may look ‘cool’ but is more dangerous than it seems. You need to be able to gauge when to jump on so that you land perfectly and safely. It also takes balancing with both feet and a good body stance.

Then, of course, one of the most important skateboard trick tips is one that teaches you how to stop on your skateboard. Other than the normal and conventional way to stop, this skateboard trick is done by spinning your board to the side and coming to an abrupt stop. This is usually done when you’re going fast on your skateboard and suddenly need to stop or decide to stop. Also, another way of stopping is to have your whole body pointing the direction of your skateboard and then putting your weight to the front and moving the leg in the back outwards and then towards the ground.

Another skateboard trick is one that requires the skater to do a turn on the ground. Here the skater goes down low on the skateboard and has his hand on the ground for balance. This is one of the more challenging tricks and after the move has the skater up and on the skateboard in the same low stance that he or she started in. After completing the move, the skater can go back to his or her original position.

At the end of this article, I’d like to share cool websites with more tips on topics like skateboard trick tips and how to skateboard. Visit for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francis_Murphy

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

posted by kdbbiz on Jul 11

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

posted by kdbbiz on Oct 22

Bookmark It

Hide Sites