Thank You Skateboarding

I wrote this to the author and felt like I should share it here as well. If you skate, love someone who skates or want to be able to explain to someone the passion and love you feel for this sport, this is the book.Hey man. I know you probably get a ton of these messages, but I wanted to reach out and thank you. I’m a full custody dad in San Antonio and completely stopped skating when my twins were first born. Fast forward 12 years, covid has us stuck in front of screens and all of the sudden the kids took an interest in skateboarding. I explained how important skateboarding was for me for a huge portion of my life, but couldn’t find the words to really show them how much the sport meant to me and so many others... until I found your book. We read it together as a family, my son reread it independently, and now we skate every single day. I’ve never felt more complete in my entire life. The passion for skateboarding has been relit and being able to share that same passion with my children has been a beautiful experience. I credit a lot of that to you and your amazing book. So, thank you skateboarding and Ricky Robert’s III for putting my feelings into words and helping me share the life-changing love with a wooden toy with wheels to the three most important people in my life. Cheers!

Ricky Roberts knows skateboarding. And skateboarders. This book is written as a heartfelt thank-you letter to skateboarding, but it is written for skateboarders. Skaters will find connections and truisms throughout the book. While I personally would have appreciated more philosophical depth to the concepts presented, this only goes to show that I connected with the ideas presented and wanted more. Besides, that would have been an entirely different book not aligned with the author's vision. Roberts knows his audience and is clear about who he is writing for and that he wants to maintain accessibility of the book for skaters of all ages and reading levels. This approach also has the advantage of leaving plenty of room for the reader to fill in and connect their own experiences to Roberts' own. It does not paint the reader into a box of what they should think, but rather points out some of the many benefits skateboarding can have. The love and attention to small details is evident, and be sure not to miss out on the 7-ply spine, inclusive of a gripped top (front cover) and green clear wood bottom (back cover). Recommended for skaters or those close to skaters who may want to get a glimpse into why someone might be compelled to get on a skateboard again and again.

A quick read, but what a powerful message in a small package. I’ve rode BMX my entire life (35 years old) and have dabbled in most extreme sports through my life, including skateboarding. Ricky nailed what emotion and experiences I’ve dealt with on the bike. Thank you Ricky for truly expressing what a small niche in this world have experienced through our lives. Ricky has gained a new fan and I will be adding the rest of his books to my collection.

I am not a skateboarder, yet the message gained from this book applies across all of life and the pursuit to have a better life. The thoughts and experiences can be applied to the thing you love to do and encourages you to keep doing it, keep growing, keep loving. I love the special bonds described and the human factors. Thank you to the Author for your honesty and enlightening story.

Trigger Warning ⚠️ Mention of suicide.I really enjoyed this book! It is essentially a simple love letter to skateboarding. Ricky Roberts III speaks with a sense of awareness and gratitude for skateboarding that is touching. He recognizes the core elements of what makes skateboarding great; healthy expression, creativity, community, character building. All these at a glance from someone who has never skated before would not be able to identify the relationships that are being built and nurtured in the parks or out in the streets.All I can end with as a skateboarder is Thank You Skateboarding. 🙏🏼

I really really wanted to like this book. Unfortunately I couldn’t get past the self help, motivational style of it. I grew up skating. It was everything to me. This book may be a good choice for some just not me. I was hoping for more personal experiences but instead the descriptions and stories were very generic and always ended with some self help reflection catch phrase or word. Motivation, persistence, never quit etc. It was just a bit too ‘self-helpy’ for me. But a bias 4 stars because hey, after all it is about skateboarding.

This is a real book coming from a real skater who captures all the true reasons as to why skating saved my life and gave me a career as a full time sk8 coach teaching kids, I recommended this to all my kids and I’m glad there is something like this out there to give people insight they might have never known about all the other beneficial aspects of skateboarding plus the author shreds and he can back up his book !! 👏4 shreds up 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🛹

I've been reading, and re-reading this book, slowly and deliberately, in between sessions. Hella jealous I didn't write it first LOL!! Legit hits me right in the feels.Been skateboarding since 6th grade, I'm almost 38 now, and I can attest to the words in this book on a level of experience.I'm a father of 2 rad skaters now, and I know this book will still be right on when they're older too.Roll on.

Simple and straight to the point ... awesome cover /spine and back cover details. Great gift for the skate head you know

If you have skateboarded in your life or still skate today, read this book it’s great!!

Perfect!

Now in my 40s and returning to skate and surf, with three daughters showing interest in skating, this short book has shown me how skating has shaped my personality in many ways - I now feel more energised to teach my daughters (and maybe other kids) to skate. Thanks Ricky, btw I think you forgot to add Humility in. No matter your ability, skating will always provide you with opportunities to learn humility!

Not read it yet but less page’s than I expected.