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THE QUARTER PIPE — Skateboarding can be a bit scary, at first. Trying to find your stance, trusting yourself that you won’t fall (obviously), pushing off and stopping are all things beginners have to learn — sometimes, the hard way.
When your father is arguably the greatest skateboarder of all time, it may feel like you have some big shoes to fill in the future. But leave it to skateboarding GOAT and great dad Tony Hawk to encourage his daughter to overcome her skateboarding fear.
In this video he shared on social media, Hawk is teaching and motivating his daughter to attempt a drop in to a quarter pipe.
“Don’t lean towards me, go straight,” Hawk tells his daughter. The girl, seemingly nervous, tells her dad, “Then maybe you should go there.” Clearly, she wants to feel safe and have her dad be at the center of where she’s about to skate to.
As Hawk's daughter gets her left foot toward the front of the board, she reaches her hand to Hawk, and the dad walks over to hold it.
Now that she’s balanced, Hawk’s daughter is ready to drop in.
“Lean forward,” Hawk tells her.
After a few seconds of mentally getting ready, Hawk’s daughter drops in and skateboards down the quarter pipe.
My daughter overcoming her fear in real time (wait for it). I might have been more nervous than she was.< br>👧🏼🛹⬇️ pic.twitter.com/IG6awFIHA3
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) February 23, 2019
Hawk goes into full dad celebration with a big “woo!” of Ric Flair proportions.
At the end of the video, Hawk has his hand up and says, “come here,” to his daughter. It’s safe to guess that dad gave his daughter a big hug.
"I might have been more nervous than she was,” Hawk said in the tweet.
It’s OK, Tony. You’re a dad and all dads get nervous seeing their child trying something new. Whether it’s skateboarding, giving a speech in class or church, or just learning how to dance, it’s often parents who help reassure their son or daughter that they will be OK in letting go and trying.
Great job by both daughter and dad!
