Ben Brogadir

Benjamin Brogadir, 12 years old, attends the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. Skateboards every free moment. The guitar is his other passion along with recently picking up the saxophone. He is also currently trying to get used equipment (decks, wheels, trucks, and bearings) to put boards together for kids who are less fortunate.

Conan

Conan is one of our most hardcore army members. He’s a core Nebraska skater that represents the underground skate scene. Conan is the real thing. He rides a 8 ¼ Pool King Disciple. Conan requested some sic skull art from JT for a tat. JT whipped his usual style of art. Conan took it to an ink man and there it is. Conan has a rare tat of JT’s art. The title of this ink spot is Skullnan.

Big (Ray) Country

Ray Walker (Bigcountry) The name Bigcountry is because I am 6'5" 240 lbs. I was born in Georgia. I started skating about the time of Back to the Future and the Bones Brigade. The skate scene in my town wasn't all that great until i saw my first Pro Contest called The Savannah Slamma. Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi, Mark Gonzales, and Steve Caballero were a few that stuck in my head. I skated on and off until 1993. I joined the US Navy and for 12 years I took a short break from skateboarding. I rode my first taste of concrete tranny in CT at a local homeade park and fell in love. In September of 2006, I moved to San Diego. After slowly skating bowls and tranny at Poway and Coronado, I began to progress a little more. One day I met some different kind of skaters. You have your Kickflippers and your Bowl Riders, but I met some rad guys that were Longboarders...Not your cruise down to the corner store and get some milk guys, but some that get in the Pools and Pipes and blast some airs and some fat grinds on steel or concrete, Jeff Tatum and Mike Early. I was feeling a little insecure once I saw them riding these ironing board size decks like they were 9x33's. I asked to try it and was instantly hooked. the rest is history. I can never go back to the shortboard.

Bigcountry cookin' it up at the Etnies So.Cal. session

Chris (Mr. X) Major

Name: Chris Major
Age: 14 almost 15
Location: Irvine, California
Hobbies: Skating, playing bass, and listening to music
Music: Punk and reggae
Movies: Dogtown and Z-boys, Lords of Dogtown, Search for Animal Chin
Heros: Mom, Jay adams,Wentzle ruml IV, Jeff Tatum, and Jeff Ho
Favorite tricks: Bert slide, 540's, carves and bombing hills
Setup: Pool king stefaun reform model with tracker trucks, Z-smooth wheels, and bones red bearings

I was born in 1992 in Maryland and moved to California when i was 6 months old. The first time I was on a skateboard I was little and my dad used to help me ride his board. I really got into skating when I was about seven and my aunt got me a target board. Then what really got me pumped when I first saw Dogtown and z-boys. I was just amazed...like how do they do that? I wanna learn that. Then I started practicing my bert slides but then I tried to street skate for a while and it wasn't really my thing. Then When I was 12 I found out I had a brain tumor it was really scary and it basically hit me like a ton of bricks. Then I went through surgery then some radation but i'm good now. And the good part about having the tumor was I had my mom and sister and they have supported me and through all my skating. But for now you can find me at any empty pool drainage ditch or bank or at etnies skatepark. My main skate buddy and partner in crime is Jacob Nestor. We both like skating, punk rock girls, and just being weird. I first saw a pool king board was when I met Jeff at etnies and he let me try it out and it was just gnarly and I said to myself I have to get one of those and Jeff said i'll sell you one. I was stoked so checked out the boards and it turned out I had no money then months later I bought one and have loved it ever since.

P.S. Live fast, Skate hard!!!!!!!!