Steve Rodriguez (skateboarder)

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Steve Rodriguez
Steve Rodriguez, Cooper Qua, Jiro Platt, Nicholas Ramos at the 2019 Battle at the Beach - Far Rockaway Skatepark, Queens, NY.jpg
First place winner Jiro Platt holds his trophy surrounded by Steve Rodriguez, Cooper Qua, and Nicholas Ramos at the 2019 Battle at the Beach – Far Rockaway Skatepark, Queens, NY
Personal information
Birth nameSteven Rodriguez
Born Sayreville, New Jersey
Sport
CountryUSA
Sport Skateboarding
Steve Rodriguez and Jamie Foy Steve Rodriguez and Jamie Foy during best trick contest 2019-06.jpg
Steve Rodriguez and Jamie Foy

Steve Rodriguez (born 1971) is a goofy-footed American skateboarder, skate company owner, skatepark designer, community organizer, and creative services director, who lives and skates in NYC. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Rodriguez is a leader in the effort to restore the iconic New York City skate spot: the Brooklyn Banks, a place where Rodriguez spent much time skateboarding. [10] Until it closed for construction in 2010, Rodriguez hosted skate contests at the Banks. [10]

Contents

Skateboarding

Early life

Raised in Sayreville, New Jersey, Rodriguez discovered skateboarding around 1983 and started skating not long after. [11] He started skating in New York City as a teen, working for his mom who managed a store in the City. Rodriguez would skate through the city while doing deliveries and running other errands. [11]

Skateboarding career

In 1996, Rodriguez and a group of NYC skaters founded 5Boro skateboards. [12] The original 5Boro squad being: Andy Henry, Neil Morgan, Pat Guidotti, Jim Young, JP Lotz, Alex Corporan, Dan Pensyl, Tato Feliciano, Ben Wall, and Jay Hammond. [12] In 2004, 5Boro collaborated with the Beastie Boys to produce an exclusive co-branded board graphic. [13]

Skate video appearances

  • 1999: Fire It Up – 5boro [14]
  • 2004: Word of Mouth – 5boro [15]
  • 2007: Short Ends – Champman Skateboards [16]
  • 2012: Join, Or Die – 5boro [17]

Skateparks designed or co-designed

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References

  1. "NYC SKATE HISTORY WITH STEVE RODRIGUEZ". Jenkem Magazine. 2011-11-26. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  2. Alvarez, Lizette (2009-11-13). "Greenwich Village Skateboarder is Also a Rockaways Surfboarder". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  3. "Steve Rodriguez Profile < Skately Library". skately.com. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  4. 1 2 Stapinski, Helene (2016-10-21). "Good News, Brooklyn Skaters: Fat Kid Spot Is Coming Back". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  5. "Steve Rodriguez Archives | NYSkateboarding.com" . Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  6. Porter, Justin (2005-06-24). "Under a Bridge, and on Top of the World". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  7. Higgins, Matt (2010-06-06). "A Skate Park Is Built With Variety in Mind". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  8. Branch, John (2010-05-13). "To Fix Bridge, Skateboard Mecca May Be Lost for Years". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  9. Kilgannon, Corey (2010-01-15). "With Brooklyn Banks Set to Close, Homage Opens for Skaters". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  10. 1 2 Hu, Winnie (2023-01-26). "The Mecca of New York Skateboarding, Back From the Dead?". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  11. 1 2 "STEVE RODRIGUEZ | 2007 – 48 BLOCKS MEDIA" . Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  12. 1 2 "Steve Rodriguez | Things to Do | reviews, guides, things to do, film". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  13. "Beastiemania.com – Interviews – 5BORO Skateboards". www.beastiemania.com. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  14. "5boro – Fire It Up skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite". www.skatevideosite.com.
  15. "5boro – Word of Mouth skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite". www.skatevideosite.com. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  16. "Chapman Skateboards skate videos, online skateboarding videos | Skatevideosite". www.skatevideosite.com.
  17. Skateboarding, N. Y. (2012-02-09). "5Boro: Join, or Die Deck Series (2012)". NYSkateboarding.com. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  18. "From Brooklyn to the Olympics, skate parks are booming all around the world" . The Independent. 2018-05-10. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  19. "Greenpoint Is Getting a Playground With Skate Park Designed By Steve Rodriguez". Bedford + Bowery. 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  20. Skateboarding, N. Y. (2010-08-31). "River Ave Skatepark – Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Today (2010)". NYSkateboarding.com. Retrieved 2019-08-27.