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| Life in the skate lane |
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| Written by Marc Aceves / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 06 February 2008 | |
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8-year-old’s passion for skateboarding leads to success in and out of classroom Ronnie Smith first teetered atop a skateboard at the tender age of 3. Since then, the 8-year-old Patterson native has managed to master the art of balance, making skateboarding a part of his everyday life. The Sacred Heart Elementary School third-grader already has achieved lots of success at his young age, finishing third — and just missing second place — at a California Amateur Skateboarding League event in Yuba City last month. “I did really good and had fun at the competition,” Ronnie said this week. Ronnie, the son of proud parents, Ron Sr. and Annette Smith, is never without his board, grinding up asphalt and ramps wherever it is legal to do so. He skates in a division of the C.A.S.L known as Minis, for skaters who are 9 years old or younger, and he tends to surprise some of his older peers during competitions. “I can drop the quarter-pipe,” he says, referring to the style of ramp that he skates on. “I put my front foot on the front truck (of the board) and go for it.” Annette Smith enjoys watching her son place high, though she said winning is not everything. “Ronnie knows that he doesn’t have to win,” she said. “We’re proud knowing that he’s always putting his best foot forward.” Still, Smith is often astonished by her son’s athletic abilities. While in Yuba City, Smith attempted a trick that left spectators gasping. “Everyone was amazed that someone so small would try something so difficult,” she said.  Ronnie Smith, 8, who has been skating since he was 3, shows off some of his moves Monday afternoon. Photo by Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator It was a no-brainer that Ronnie would inevitably take up the sport. He comes from a bloodline of skateboarding enthusiasts, including a handful of his closest cousins. “My cousins Matt and Dylan showed me how to skateboard,” he said. “It was hard to learn at first, but I was doing tricks like a kick-flip pretty soon.” Safety is always a concern for skateboarders. Smith never allows her son to skate unless he is wearing protective gear: a helmet, elbow pads and knee pads. Ronnie looks forward to the weekends, where he goes from skate park to skate park, challenging himself on several of the area’s numerous runs. His parents drive him to Riverbank, Turlock, Ceres and Ripon, where there are designated places for athletes to legally enjoy their sport. Annette Smith, who is also a Patterson City Council member, helped start the Skate Park Focus Group of Patterson. The group hopes to eventually build a place that Patterson’s skateboarders can call their own. “I would love to see a skate park here,” she said. “Kids go to these parks to have fun, not to vandalize or cause trouble. They’re there to skate, get some energy out and to perfect their hobby.” Ronnie attends City Council meetings with his mother. “It’s great that we get to go to these meetings together,” his mother said. “It’s something that is really very important to him.” When he’s not on a skateboard, Ronnie enjoys bouncing around on his cousin’s giant trampoline. His favorite subject at school is math, and he is now ankle-deep in long division. Ronnie said skateboarding actually has helped him in the classroom. “You need to be really focused when you’re learning tricks,” he said. “You have to tune your mind and body on the board. I am also using that focus in school.” Ronnie will skate in the C.A.S.L Woodward West Competition in Tehachapi at the end of the month. Until then, he continues to practice and hopes for the official approval of a skate park here in Patterson. Smith beams with pride at the sight of her son’s most recent trophy. “I’m proud of him no matter what he does,” she said. “I think it’s wonderful, that at such a young age, Ronnie’s found something that he is truly passionate about.”
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