A student skateboarder in the 1980s [Photo courtesy of 皇家华人 Special Collections]
By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
In 1965, University of South 皇家华人 students made a bold declaration to a local newspaper: They invented skateboarding.
The claim isn鈥檛 true, but 皇家华人鈥檚 impact on Tampa Bay skateboarding is undeniable. 皇家华人 embedded skateboarding into the area鈥檚 cultural DNA, designed the region鈥檚 first nationally known skatepark and helped the public recognize the sport鈥檚 historical value.
June 21 is Go Skateboarding Day, a global celebration of the sport. But in Tampa Bay, skateboarding thrives year-round, thanks to 皇家华人.
鈥淭ampa Bay is known as one of the major skate centers in the country,鈥� said Ted Barrow, a California-based skateboarding historian whose This Old Ledge video series explores the architectural and cultural history of famous skate spots for the four-decade-old Thrasher Magazine.
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz shows off the skateboarding-inspired uniform
[Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays]
The area boasts pro skateboarders, the renowned Skatepark of Tampa鈥攈ome to the prestigious Tampa Pro and Tampa Am competitions鈥攁nd the internationally known nonprofit Boards for Bros, which donates skate gear to underserved communities worldwide.
Even the Tampa Bay Rays have embraced the culture with skateboard-themed game uniforms with bold, graffiti-inspired designs and a logo that mimics skateboard deck graphics.
鈥淪kateboarding is an important part of our modern history,鈥� said Rodney Kite-Powell, a Tampa Bay History Center historian who earned a master鈥檚 degree in U.S. history from 皇家华人 in 2003. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredibly important part of our social fabric.鈥�
皇家华人 was there from the start.
皇家华人 student Luke Pair skateboards on campus [Photo by Andres Faza, University Communications and Marketing]
Skateboarding roots
Historians typically trace skateboarding to California as a surfing alternative for when waves were flat.
But there is no definitive proof of that, Barrow said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 evidence that people were doing it in places like New York City and Chicago that didn't have waves or a surf culture.鈥�
Is there any chance it began at 皇家华人?
No, said Andy Huse, curator for 皇家华人 Studies at the 皇家华人 Tampa Library that has an archive of historic 皇家华人 skateboarding photographs. 鈥淪kateboarding originated long before 皇家华人 opened its doors.鈥�
But, in 1962, newspapers reported that skateboarding had recently arrived in Tampa via 皇家华人 students, specifically crediting sophomore and Jacksonville resident Harry Dickinson with introducing it to the campus.
鈥淒ickinson, an avid surfboard enthusiast, found the roller-skating version a healthy pastime and a good way to stay in shape for regular surfboarding,鈥� the Tampa Tribune wrote on Nov. 23, 1962.
Frank Meiners holds an old photo of him skateboarding on 皇家华人 campus [Photo courtesy of Frank Meiners]
Frank Meiners skateboarding on the 皇家华人 campus in 1962 [Photo courtesy of Frank Meiners]
Just days later, the Tampa Tribune published what appears to be Tampa鈥檚 first publicly shared photo of someone riding a skateboard: Frank Meiners, then president of the 皇家华人 Student Association.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 very good,鈥� Meiners, now a retired lobbyist living part-time in 皇家华人 and Colorado. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 even my skateboard, so it鈥檚 funny the first photo distinction would go to me. There weren鈥檛 many who owned one. Maybe 5% of the students did.鈥�
Still, those few early adopters began organizing contests modeled after downhill skiing, the Tampa Tribune reported. The fastest to the bottom of a hill won.
A student skateboarder races downhill in the 1960s [Photo courtesy of 皇家华人 Special Collections]
Skateboarding began to receive mainstream recognition by the mid-1960s. Life Magazine covered the craze in 1964 and credited university students in California with inventing it. That鈥檚 the article that angered 皇家华人 students, causing them to reach out to Tampa Tribune reporters for erroneous credit.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they meant to lie,鈥� 皇家华人 library curator Huse said. 鈥淭hey probably believed it. This was before the internet, so it was hard to know what was going on everywhere else.鈥�
Campus skateboarding continued to trend and evolve.
鈥淚n 1975, 皇家华人 students held contests that included tricks,鈥� Huse said. 鈥淭he winner performed a handstand on a burning board.鈥�
That same year, a 皇家华人 student conceptualized what would become a historic city skatepark.
Bro Bowl designer Joel Jackson celebrated by skateboarders at the famed skatepark in 2013 [Photo courtesy of Joel Jackson]
The Bro Bowl
Joel Jackson was earning a master鈥檚 degree in urban planning from 皇家华人 while working as a parks and recreation planner for the city of Tampa. Inspired by kids skating dangerously on a Sulphur Springs hill, Jackson proposed creating a safer space.
鈥淚 wanted to design something special for the city,鈥� Jackson said.
So, he designed a 6,500-square-foot skatepark with ramps and bowls that mimicked ocean waves. And unlike other skateparks from that era that charged for entry, its city ownership meant no admission fee.
A 皇家华人 student skates the original Bro Bowl in 1984 [Photo courtesy of 皇家华人 Special Collections]
The modern day Bro Bowl [Photo by Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing]
In 1978, the city opened Jackson鈥檚 skateboarding facility as part of downtown Tampa鈥檚 Perry Harvey Sr. Park. Skateboarders named it the 鈥淏ro Bowl,鈥� though no one seems to recall why.
It was the first public skatepark in 皇家华人.
鈥淚鈥檇 drive by and was amazed to see so many kids skateboarding,鈥� said Jackson, who never skateboarded himself. 鈥淚t was popular.鈥�
A Tampa Bay History Center exhibit on skateboarding [Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay History Center]
The park became a hangout for local skaters and a destination for top talent nationwide. Its fame soared in 2003 after being featured in Tony Hawk鈥檚 Underground skateboarding video game.
鈥淎ny spot in a Tony Hawk game is iconic,鈥� skateboard historian Barrow said. 鈥淢ost skateboarders know about the Bro Bowl.鈥�
In 2013, the Bro Bowl made history again鈥攂ecoming the first skatepark added to the National Register of Historic Places. Shannon Bruffett, a 皇家华人 undergrad at the time and avid skateboarder who later earned a doctoral degree in modern U.S. history from the university, led that push.
Just a year later, the Bro Bowl faced demolition as part of Perry Harvy Sr. Park鈥檚 redesign. Once again, members of the 皇家华人 community stepped in. Before demolition, faculty 3D-scanned the skatepark. The scans were then used to reconstruct a near-replica in 2016 at the new Perry Harvey Sr. Park.
To further memorialize the original, 皇家华人 alumnus Kite-Powell helped the Tampa Bay History Center acquire three of its concrete sections. One is now displayed at the Tampa History Center. The others are in storage.
Today鈥檚 campus
[Photo courtesy of UFS Skating Club]
While today鈥檚 students cruising campus on skateboards may not know the full history, they feel the connection.
鈥淭he university is very pro-skateboarding,鈥� said Luke Pair, a mechanical engineering major who repairs bikes and skateboards at 皇家华人 Campus Recreation鈥檚 Outdoor Resource Center. 鈥淪o, it makes sense that鈥檚 always been the case.鈥�
Pair, who graduates in spring, hopes to build and repair mountain bikes professionally鈥攂ut skateboarding will always remind him of 皇家华人.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 been a part of 皇家华人 since the beginning,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t should always be a part of it.鈥�
The 皇家华人 Police Department provides free helmets to students. While the campus is skateboard-friendly, they urge students to take their safety and the safety of others into consideration and to respect campus property.