Members of the skateboarding club, N.C . Skate, are making the most of the vast amount of bricks around campus by filming a full-length skate video, destined to be called “Brick Magic.” They can be seen almost every day skating around and near the Tri-Tower stairs and near the Free Expression Tunnel, an area affectionately known as the flatspot .
The club currently consists of 29 active members, including five females and 24 males, who practice tricks and long jumps for their video in order to have it complete by summer of 2012.
The club calls itself “N.C . Skate,” and making a name for itself has been a huge accomplishment considering it has only been a club team since August 2009.
Senior in construction engineering and management and Club President Matt Brokaw is happy to finally see the club building and hopes to have an effect on other schools in the area as well.
“Building a name for ourselves with a good reputation has been our biggest accomplishment provided that we are the only skate club of the major universities in North Carolina,” Brokaw said. “But we have begun to inspire skate clubs in the area by being asked to do demos at schools such as Combs Elementary and at events such as the SparkCon Festival in downtown Raleigh.”
The club normally holds two community-wide skate events per semester. Their most recent event, Game of S.T.A.T.E ., was held on Oct. 1, where they raised almost $400 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Raleigh. The Campus Recreation Department named N.C . Skate the Community Service Leader of the Year for the 2010-2011 academic year.
The club also competes with the National Collegiate Skateboard Association (NCSA) that holds one national big event every year. The Association attempts to bring all of the skateboarding clubs from around the country to one place in hopes of inspiring the development and creation of new university skate clubs. N.C . Skate traveled to the Kona Skate Park in Jacksonville, Fla. to compete in this worldwide event, and three of its top skaters made it to the finals and received the top ten award. This year, the club will travel to Las Vegas for the competition in April.
With the club earning awards and getting the community involved in philanthropic activities, the members hope to expand its domain and create an area that they can call their own.
“We are looking to initiate the construction of a skatepark on campus,” Brokaw said, “or even an enclosed area to put ramps and rails. A place like this would help keep skating concentrated to these areas and prevent skate-related damages. It would give us a place to skate and practice together, a venue to hold events and a great aspect for the school to promote.”
Brokaw also urges anyone who is interested in joining N.C . Skate to come out and give it a try.
“Dues are $25, but [membership] comes with an exclusive N.C . Skate/Brick Magic T-shirt,” Brokaw said. “Members can be anyone interested in skateboarding, and there is no skill-level or experience required.”
More information about N.C . Skate can be found at ncsk8.blogspot.com .
