Rodney Mullen

half cab heelflip (google images)

A hero to me is someone who inspires someone to do something. I have chosen Rodney Mullen as my hero. This person is a hero to me because of his abilities on a skateboard that inspire me and many other kids to become good at skateboarding.

kickflip over tables (google images)

On August 17, 1966 in Gainesville, Florida, Rodney Mullen was born. Rodney began skateboarding at the age of eleven and turned pro at the age of thirteen. He is considered one of the most influential skateboarders in the history of the sport. He has invented just over thirty tricks since he started. Rodney won first place in nearly every contest he was in because of his tricks.

After winning first place in so many contests, Rodney began skating for the legendary Powell Peralta Bones Brigade team in 1980. Ten years and thirty-four competitions later, Rodney has only been beaten once, and in this competition he still got second. This is considered to be the best record in the entire history of skateboarding.

Through the late eighties and on, Rodney Mullen has made a huge impact on skateboarding and on those who are influenced by him. As the world of new school skateboarding progressed, Rodney put away the traditional freestyle board and picked up on street skateboarding. All the tricks that he invented as a young boy were upgraded into a new form of skating for him. In 2003, Rodney released his autobiography, “The Mutt: How to Skateboard and Not Kill Yourself.” His book talks about his whole life and all the good things he does including when he got married.

The things I look for in my hero are all the great things they have done to inspire me. All the things Rodney Mullen has done to make skateboarding what it is today and how it has influenced me and the people around me, make him my hero.