{"id":15540,"date":"2011-04-09T08:28:00","date_gmt":"2011-04-09T06:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/?p=15540"},"modified":"2011-04-09T08:28:00","modified_gmt":"2011-04-09T06:28:00","slug":"first-skateboard-lesson-legend-steve-olson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/celebrities\/first-skateboard-lesson-legend-steve-olson\/","title":{"rendered":"My First Skateboard Lesson with Legend Steve Olson"},"content":{"rendered":"
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C\u00e9line SS 2011 Campaign \u00a9 Juergen Teller <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Upon my recent return from snowboarding, and at the on-set of spring, I found myself at a loss for an opportunity to hone my boarding craft in the off-season. Unwilling to take an eight-month sabbatical from the sport, I entertained momentary flirtations with a snowboard simulator but wondered about its ability to give me anything more than a mediocre core workout, one easily matched by a simple sit-up regime. I needed to substitute snowboarding with something that required similar movement and a push outside of my comfort zone. I decided to take up skateboarding.<\/p>\n

Having no idea about which skateboard would work best for me, I chose a cute looking board by Moxie Girl (not to be confused with Roxy) and used the ballet bar in my dance studio to pull myself along the hardwood floor. To my credit, I was fearless from the start and even attempted several kick flips in the foyer, which I had dutifully studied on You Tube. However, when the board suddenly flew out from under my feet with reckless abandon, I concluded that some lessons might be required.<\/p>\n

As it turned out, a friend of mine, born-and-bred California girl, had an in with the local surfer\/skater community and a black book of professional skating contacts.\u00a0 Without long consideration she decided that her good friend, Steve Olson would love to teach me and told me to email him.<\/p>\n

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Stacy Peralta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Olson interviewed me via telephone before we met, asking me a variety of questions from what type of helmet and padding I had, to how strong my bones were and how flexible I was. Before agreeing, he kept repeating that he \u201cdidn\u2019t normally teach\u201d which I thought was strange since I had assumed he must be a professional skateboard instructor. Yet he agreed to meet for a trial lesson.<\/p>\n

Professional he was. I was later informed he was a former World Champion. No pressure on me, then.<\/p>\n

Met a Sk8er Boy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Upon arrival at my first lesson, Olson took one look at my cute little Moxie board and shook his head as if to imply I had brought shame upon the sport. He spent about ten minutes explaining why this was not a well designed board, though he admitted he could see how the graphic would have appealed to me.
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Steve Olson \u00a9 Alex Olson<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nHe then moved on to my attire. I was reprimanded for wearing Ugg boots and the suggestion that I trade them for my Dior biker boots was equally unwelcome. Apparently, I needed to purchase Vans.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo have you stood on a skateboard before?\u201d he asked. I truthfully admitted that, other than my few attempts in the dance studio, I found the prospect to be a little scary, but inspired by snowboarding, I was now up for the challenge.<\/p>\n