Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
LOGAN — When you think of skateboarders, do you think of punk kids? Well, those kids are now in college and they're still skating.
Utah State University Journalism professor Brian Champagne took some of his photography students to let the USU skateboard club polish its image in its own words.
The club, which restarted last year, now has over 150 official members, according to one participant. The club meets weekly, weather permitting, to skate and have a good time.
"There is that perception of skateboarders — teenage punks who are ditching class and going skateboarding," said a club member.
However, many skaters are pursuing rigorous academic paths. Civil engineering, accounting, computer science and pre-med are just a few of the degrees members of the club are pursuing.
"There's some smart guys in skateboarding," one of them said. Beyond academics, the group values the lessons they learn from skateboarding, like determination and the will to get back up and keep going.
"Learning to fall is a skill you kinda have to learn the hard way," said one skater.
Another noted, "Falling down is a bigger part of skating than actually landing your trick."
Other members emphasized the camaraderie they feel among their peers, noting that they have made many great friends through skating.
"We all just wanna see each other succeed," one skater said.
Members of the skateboard club note that skateboarding has gotten a bad rap recently. Their participation in the group aims to change that.
"Kinda the point of the club is to show the good sides of skateboarding and the awesome people that are in the skateboarding community," one participant said. "A really awesome community that's changed my life."
