Sahuaro senior, Dominic Albert remembers the very day he was given his first skateboard by his uncle, when he was 6, just like it was yesterday. And after around twelve years of eating dirt, but continuing to get up each and every time, he has found himself skating every day, including weekends.

“On most weekends I go to the skate park at Purple Heart Park in Rita Ranch, and during the week I find spots around my neighborhood to skate in between or after classes.” Dominic feels that he’s started to skate more than ever due to online school, further perfecting his skills. However, even though he skates often he does not classify himself as a “skater boy,” but rather as a boy who skates.😎

In 2020, new research showed a striking correlation between people who skateboard and having an improved mental state. The study conducted by Instinct Laboratory and Flo Skatepark, has shown involvement in skateboarding can reduce stress, increase confidence, and provide escapism, which is exactly what we all need while living amidst a pandemic. Dominic himself has found skateboarding to be just as fun as it is stress-relieving. “Skateboarding is definitely one of my favorite things to do because I’ve always felt it was a helpful way to deal with stress, which is why it became more of a daily activity during quarantine. I’ve maintained As and Bs all year, and I hope to keep it that way this semester to end my senior year on a good note.”

After skating for so long, Dominic is able to perform a variety of different tricks on his skateboard and has even started working on tricks of his own. However, it doesn’t always go as planned. “One time while I was attempting to do a blunt to board trick on a skating ramp, my body was too heavy for the board, so it snapped into three pieces. I was fine, but I do miss the board for sure.”

Dominic doesn’t know what he wants to do when he graduates high school just yet and feels that he has his whole life to think about that. And even though he was offered a skating sponsorship from Element, he respectively turned it down because he enjoys skating purely for the fun of it.