By Athena Flores, Oct. 1, 2024
A group of students with scuffed shoes and well-worn skateboards sit along a ledge behind the BRIC. Their chit-chat and laughter are drowned out by the sound of polyurethane wheels slamming against the pavement.
Looks of determination, frustration and fatigue covered their faces as they watched their fellow rider flail in the air before landing both feet back on the skateboard. Instantly, the group erupted in cheers, and they rushed to celebrate. This is a typical meeting for the Cal Poly Pomona Skate Club.
Founded in 2021 by Ryan Paja and Kai Flynn Leeper-Sale, the CPP Skate Club has amassed more than 50 members and is now officially recognized as an organization on campus.
Beginning his skateboarding journey in high school, Paja quickly fell in love with the sport and was inspired to share his passion with others on campus.
“I had a lot of ups and downs in skating,” said Paja. “I sustained three major injuries, and that kind of sucked, but it made me prove that I am more resilient and kept me coming back for the love of the sport and the love of my friends. It’s really fun, and I can’t get rid of it as much as my body wants me to.”
When the club first began, Paja admitted it was difficult to find members to join. However, in recent years, the rise in the popularity of skateboarding on campus has created a sense of community for this group of students. From releasing an official skate video to hosting tournaments sponsored by local skate shops, Paja feels that the club is skating down a promising path.
“It’s already surpassed what I thought it would be,” said Paja. “I’m really proud of the guys and how they’re handling it, especially with the film projects coming out. I never would have imagined it this big.”
Notably, the CPP Skate Club released a skate video this year titled “Club Tapes Vol. 1,” which consists of a collage of various members performing tricks and was reminiscent of a ‘90s-style skate film.
Aaron Pangilinan, the club’s current president, hopes to create more projects like this one to showcase the club. He also welcomes riders of any skill level to join the club.
By fate, Pangilinan happened to join the club the day it was founded after running into Paja and Lepper-Sale at Ayala Skate Park in Chino, CA. Since that day, he has been a committed member.
“It’s changed my experience a lot,” Pangilinan said. “I made the club official through MyBar, and I have just been working on growing the club. It’s become such a passion project. It doesn’t really have anything to do with my major, but it’s really fun managing something I love doing and working with all these cool projects.”
For newer members, the club gives students an opportunity to step out of their shells and meet new people. Brandon “Bogie” Bocanegra was recruited to join after being spotted by a club member while riding his skateboard on campus. Although hesitant at first, Bocanegra fell into place and now does most of the club’s camera work.
“I was a bit shy at first,” said Bocanegra. “I started to go out to more meets, and everyone was super welcoming and supportive. Since then, I have gotten to connect with multiple people and make friendships with people of very different cultures, environments and backgrounds. It’s made me more confident to get out there and meet new people.”
Bocanegra admits that he has found something special both within skateboarding and his newfound friendships. For many like him, skateboarding is more than just a hobby. Instead, it is a powerful outlet to showcase originality and expression.
“For me, the biggest aspect is definitely creativity,” said Bocanegra. “There’s a lot of things that are already set in stone, but people come up with new tricks and ideas. Apart from that, it’s the community. When you see someone going for a trick over and over again, and they’re fighting for it, you rally behind them, and you feel that energy they’re feeling, and it motivates them.”
The CPP Skate Club continues to turn the campus into its own unique obstacle course, treading behind Olympic skateboarder Nyjah Huston who skated here before them.
Whether students just picked up a skateboard for the first time or have been skating for years, anyone interested in joining the club is urged to follow the club’s Instagram page @cppskateclub for updates on meetups and upcoming projects.
“Pretty much anything with wheels is welcome,” Pangilinan said. “We’re all friends here.”
The club is hosting a bracket-style game of SKATE called Battle at the BRIC in October. Similar to the game of HORSE in basketball, skateboarders will battle in a head-to-head, trick-for-trick game.
Feature image courtesy of Athena Flores