FirstStoke.com talks with Jason Martinez about the skate scene in California, holding it down for big-time sponsors such as Oakley, and remembering why you started skating.
So Jason, what are you up to these days?
I just recently moved back to Orange County from Sac Town, so just settling in getting’ my head on straight for the new year. And meeting up with the old skate crew and trying to shred as much as I can. When I’m not working that is...I’m more a weekend warrior for right now.
I hear you have lived in NorCal as well as down South. How is the skate scene different in Norcal versus Socal?
Yeah I lived in Sac Town for about the past 5 years. Moving up there I think has shaped the way I skate today. The scene up there is way more chill. I love it. Backyard pools with a BBQ going and PBR on ice. Everyone pretty much welcomes you wherever you go to skate. You never get cool guyed like ya would down here, and all the kids rip. Seems like in the past 4 years, I’ve seen a hand full of kids just blow up and do the most amazing stuff. And they’re so diverse with their skating. Whether it is a ledge or stairs, gap, rail, pool, or ditch the skaters up there can skate it all. No doubt you will see some heavy hitters in the skate game come from Sac in the future.
A lot of people don’t know you grew up in Yosemite. What was that like?
Hahaha. I lived in a little town called Groveland, right out side of Yosemite until about the 7th grade. That was pretty crazy. We had a crazy house that felt like it was built during the gold rush era. We had no electricity and had to run a generator at night or kerosene lamps for light. Our water came from a natural spring on the property. Crazy huh? But it was so much fun as a kid. Horses, geese, rabbits, cows - you name it we had it. It would take about 2 days to hike the whole property, but it was fun because we could cruise the mini bike or quad, shoot guns, and swim in the creek. I think it was great as a kid, but glad to say I did not grow up there. Who knows what would have happened? You always hear about those crazy kids from small towns. But having all that, and what I didn’t have, as a kid made me appreciate what I have today.
So everyone knows you had great success in your teens and had some big-time sponsors such as Oakley, Vision Skateboards, Vestal Watches, Dragonetti Wheels, and others. What was that like for you?
I think it was great. You always dream of doing something with skating when you first step on a board. I was stoked to have a great sponsor such as Oakley. I got to travel with them and do lots of little skate trips. I also met two of my good friends skating with them; Tyler Hendley and Austen Seaholm. I think having all those sponsors are great... As long as you remember why you started skating. Ya dig?
Once you moved back to Sacramento you dropped your sponsors and changed your focus. What happened?
I just sorta dropped them. Once I moved up North and saw that everyone was skating for themselves and no one else, it just sorta clicked. I started having fun again, just cruising up to the skate park after work with the Nah-Dude crew and a 6 pack of cold brews trying to shred for that last hour of light. I did get hooked up with a couple sponsors while up there. Circa flowed me shoes for a bit, but I think that’s because I knew the rep. Hahah! My one sponsor who I would like to thank is Gus from GoodTimes Boardshop in Grass Valley, CA. Check them out online at GoodTimesOnline.com. He runs one the core shops up there that is doing good for the skateboarding community.
What are you doing these days in terms of skating? Are entering any contests, or is your focus more on progressing your skating?
I’m always trying to progress my skating, that’s a never ending battle. As far as contests go, I'd enter just for the fun, but could care less about winning. But I would go to rep for my friends, ya know? I skate as much as I can and shoot photos with my buddy Corey Newman, but he says my skating sucks. What a good friend huh?
I hear that you are doing some cool stuff with Rekon Skateboards. What are you guys all about?
Yeah I would like to thank Donovan Dresti for hooking me up with those guys. They are a great up and coming company. They are about skating and the progression of skating. Super stoked to be part of this company, because I know they are gonna blow up in 2008. Check the site and you will see for yourself at Rekonskateboards.com.
I hear your crew the “Nah-Dudes” is tearin’ it up in NorCal. Who are the Nah-Dudes and what are they all about?
Funny man, we are just about skating really..and beer. My roomie started it at some N-Men contest. Some dude tried to give him an N-Men sticker and he was just like, “nah dude” and it just stuck. You know how you have all those soccer moms? Well, they have skate dads too. You know the dads you see walking their kid in the park making sure they’re all padded up, pushing their kids to do shit they don’t want to? Coaching...You can’t coach skateboarding. We are basically just a group of close friends who are down with skating because of skating. Not what you can get from it.
So what’s up next for you? What are you hoping to be doing in say 5 years with skating?
I just hope to be skating still. Nothing more nothing less. I had my time to shine. So for now, I’m just gonna skate for the same reasons I did when I was younger - because it looked fun.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in terms on skating, dealing with sponsors, and just living life?
Nah dude, I did everything the way it should have been done. I mean, you will always wonder what if, but I have no regrets. Skateboarding has brought me the best friends and family I could ever want.
Any advice for the up and coming grom who is just killing it and wants to make a living skateboarding?
Just remember why you started skating...and skate for yourself and no one else.
