It's been years since I've used this blog. With our new Freestyler's Feed I wanted to bring it back, as the owner of Freestylers United, I want to be able to communicate with people and let them see my inner desires for freestyle. Personal thoughts and feelings, maybe I learned a new trick and I want to share it?

This blog will also be used to give shout outs, or showcase a new product or a new pro skater. Anything that we can't put on our official site and feed. I hope everyone has a great summer and I hope you all enjoy the Freestyler's Feed! Updates are still in works, the code is nearly flawless, working out a bit of bugs and adding new features and this feed will be a great step in virtually expressing freestyle skateboarding throughout the world!

Hello everyone, here is my story from September 5th to this morning, September 8th 2008.

I wasn't expecting to go to this event. Thanks to Bob's kind words of wisdom and motivation. And my wife's reluctant attempts to talk her sister into driving me to LA.
They were headed to Knotts Berry Farm anyways, so what better way to get there, then to hitch a ride with her?

After saying no, then calling me thursday morning to say yes. I had to quickly pack up, my heart pounding and I was sweating so much due to my excitement.
I'd like this to be more about the event so I'll briefly explain my friday and saturday.
I have some great friends in lawndale CA. They picked me up, but before that I met a really cool street skater who showed me around and kept me busy until they were able to pick me up.
I played cards with an old lady, a game of cards I've never heard of. But she said
"Hey kid! Want to play cards? Might as well, your sitting there, I'm sitting here, come keep an old lady entertained" She was watching the skaters at the Buena skatepark. She seemed to know a bit about skateboarding too!

Of course I can't say no, so we played until my buddy called to pick me up. I called Bob Staton and let him know I'll make it there and he kindly said he would pick me up Sunday morning. It was so great to hear because I was about to sleep in a park and skate 3 miles to a bus stop to get to glendale and sleep at the park.

But my friends were able to let me stay there, I couldn't sleep because of all the excitement and I was so nervous because I was thinking nonstop about what Keith Butterfield told me in a thread on Skaters Cafe and that was to enter one of the contests for the fun and first time experience.

Bob tried helping me to the ASR jam on saturday, but I had no clue where I was going and though I tried and tried I wasn't able to make it to the greyhound in time to make it to the Jam. I literally called Bob probably over 10 times, and he was very kind and understanding.
I stayed at my buddies house, Nelson, Dan and Lauren, amazing friends, without them I probably would't have made it. Of course without them and Bob.

My buddy Dan and I hung out all night watching youtube videos, I couldn't stop watching Mullen, Gokey, Flemke, Butterfield, and the Freestyle Project that night. Played video games with my buddy Dan until Bob called so we rushed over to meet him at a McDonalds.
We talked and ate breakfast there, and we were on our way to pick up Matt Gokey at around 7:00am.

I will always remember this, meeting the first freestyler I have ever met that morning around 7:30am, he entered the left side of the car. I said hi and he introduced himself. I introduced myself and said. "Hey, I'm Erick" then he said "Nice to meet you" and I was wondering why he didn't recognize me so I said "Also known as Panda" And I wont forget the shock and awe in his voice and he looked at me and was like "Holy crap, Panda!"

Matt Gokey is a wonderful skater, as well as an amazing person. So outgoing and full of life. Our first time skating was a stop at Rite Aid I believe. That was my first time skating with a fellow freestyler. We tried out eachothers boards too, watching him skate was simply awesome.

After we got to Glendale, it slowly within 45 minutes, started to get set up, Matt and I helped Bob and his wife set up and we skated non stop for nearly an hour. Some great new faces there, meeting Brett Novak I believe was his last name sorry Brett (I'm bad at names), it was a sweet experience, his style is so unique and out of this world. I wish I could remember his name, but there was an amazing kid there in his mid teens. Watching him pull off speedy yet fluent footwork was insane.
The event slowly started up as skaters from all over showed up, practiced and socialized.

I remember Butterfield skating up to me, and gave me a friendly, brotherly hug and he asked if I was entering any of the contests. Meeting him felt as though I was meeting someone I already knew, just as it felt meeting Mr. Gokey.
Yet I was excited to hear the words "You should enter for the experience, for the fun" I wasn't about to but as the 2 minute run battles came up I signed up for the 15-25 second run battles. I'm not consistent enough for 2 minute runs so it didn't feel as nerve racking as I thought either. But as soon as I signed up, Bob wrote me down as Panda.
It was an amazing feeling hearing him call that name out over the speakers when it was my turn after Brett in the FS Am battle. Of course I placed last, but I felt like a winner just being there and everyone was so great about it! Clapping and cheering, especially Matt hehe.

Well lets get back to the two minute runs, Matt was preparing for his runs and practicing before hand. Unfortunately, just 10 or so minutes before the 2 minute run contest, he snapped his board on an ollie airwalk.
Thanks to Lillis Cooper, for letting him borrow his board. Matt practiced a tad bit more before his run and he did pretty well on his first run.
But his second was the most surprising, just watching his ending trick I literally yelled and clapped as loud as possible. I had a feeling that was it, and he might have placed well but not as well as I was hoping for because of his snapped deck and getting used to a different shaped deck so quickly. And totally owning that second run!

When they announced the winners, I couldn't stop saying "Come on Matt come on...lets see first!" And when they didn't call his name for either place after second place, I knew he won. He was so excited and couldn't believe that he had won due to the circumstances beforehand.

Matt Gokey! Winner of the 2 minute amateur run! With all the great skaters that entered it was so exciting seeing that huge smile on his face. I couldn't stop congratulating him. So congrats again Matt!! I believe this was his first contest and he definitely deserves it!

The entire event had so many chances to skate and mingle and it was everything and more of what I hoped for. Watching butterfield on his new prototype was such a new experience then watching his videos. I was right there, live and up close. Keith is such an amazing guy, and an amazing skater.
After just a year back to skating from so many years serving in the military. He made every year without skateboarding, back. Watching him skate, you could tell he was having fun and giving it his all to entertain and show his fellow FS family that no matter the age, you can still kick ass.

Same goes for Cooper, Harris, and the other great skaters from the 80's. Watching them skate was an experience in its own. Every single skater had their own styles, and you could see it clearly in every trick. Lillis and his double fingerflips, one wheel wheelies, I couldn't stop gasping at the fact they were doing tricks right there up close and personal that I've only seen in videos.

I met lillis, harris and the others without even knowing it haha. Lillis was very energetic and speaking a language that was both amusing and surprising haha. Harris I believe was in his own world and it was clear. The enthusiasm in his style was with such a positive vibe, that I think all the other skaters felt it to the point you were consumed with pure motivation.
Watching this new skater, to me at least, named Renee, from another country yet he had such an amazing style and his presentation after his runs, you could see his huge smile and can tell he appreciated all the clapping.

I met him without knowing he was a freestyler, and he kept looking at me because I would always shake his hand and give him a pat on the back after his runs. I think he appreciated that, and I was stoked to cheer for him and the others.
The entire day was amazing, I felt as if I were a kid dreaming of disney land, and my mother came to me and said...we're here! And running around meeting mickey mouse and riding all the wonderful rides.

Thats how fun it was. My first experience in a contest, and skating with fellow skaters, it's really unexplainable. The feeling made me happy, I couldn't stop smiling the whole way and at the moment, I am so sore from it but it was all worth it!!
I haven't slept since saturday morning, plus with all the skating I feel totally out of it. So I apologize if this article is random. I just needed to express it and I can't wait to talk about it some more. If anyone has any questions please Instant Message me, Private Message me or Email me.

I really want to thank Bob Staton and his wife. He does so much for freestyle and he's so passionate and outgoing and highly dedicated. I want to thank his wife for everything she did for me, her kindness was extraordinary and out of this world. She went out of her way and I will forever be greatful to them both.
We had a long ride with Butterfield and I in the back seat.
We got to ride along near the beach where I saw the ocean for the first time in 21 years. We accidentally found the best burgers I've ever eaten. Butterfield was so kind and bought Bob, his wife and I them tasty burgers and we were off to take him home back to his family and show those 3 trophies to his beautiful kids.

I got to meet his wife and the Butterfield girls, so adorable and shy too. His wife is really awesome and so supportive of his skating. He is a family man and being in a military base, made me want to go out and enter the army. It's so safe and so quiet. I'm glad him and his family are safe and he's back from Iraq.
Thanks Butterfield for everything! Your amazing!

Bob and Mrs. Staton, I will be forever greatful of everything you have done, and I cannot wait to see you again! Matt, we will skate again soon enough. Thanks for making me feel famous haha! I was so stoked that you kept telling me every now and then that your happy to finally meet me. It sucked seeing you go man because I wanted to skate with you for many more hours.

We'll all meet again and skaters like Brett, Pete and Ben, you guys have such a positive spirit and passion, style and skills.
I'll be talking about this more often, and I left some things out but I mainly wanted to express my gratitude, and my experience.

I love you guys, all of you, my brothers and sisters. It's a whole new world meeting those people you see in youtube videos, talk to on msn and the Cafe.

FSU is dedicated to you all, and to those who supported me these past few months. Without Butterfield I wouldn't have found my true potential. Without Bob I wouldn't have had this experience, without Matt I would have felt like a stranger there.
Lets continue bringing our world to new heights, we are freestylers united and keep checking FSU because I have more plans and I hope to get some podcasts, interviews, and if anyone from the Glendale event have pictures and video, I would be honored to host them on Freestylers United!
Email me.

Much love all and...
Be Free Skate United!

Erick .::Panda::. Mattos