Inspiring Words: Tony Hawk
This megastar seeks balance on and off his skateboard.
Long before Tony Hawk became the world's most famous professional skateboarder, he was a typical California kid who played youth league baseball and basketball. That all changed, however, when he was 11 and visited a skateboard park for the first time. "I saw these guys flying in and out of the park," says Hawk, "and I thought, ‘Wow, that's what I want to do.'"
Hawk soon quit playing basketball and baseball to spend more time at the skate park. He found that the solitary pursuit gave him a greater sense of accomplishment and self-reliance than team sports. Freed from the pressure to perform in front of teammates, Hawk blossomed as an athlete. He turned pro at 14 and won 73 of 103 contests. In 1999, he became an international icon when he landed skate boarding's first 900-degree spin (three full rotations) at the Summer X Games. After he became the star of the mega-selling video game series that bears his name, his fame skyrocketed.
Now 39 and retired from competition, Hawk not only created an empire, he runs a foundation that raises money to build skate parks in impoverished neighborhoods. He's also devoted to raising his three boys, ages 14, 8, and 6. All three skate and play soccer. While Hawk does appreciate the benefits of team sports, especially "being a part of the group," he still believes in kids carving out their own niches.
And he is a living example of how doing just that can lead to success. "Your kids have to find their own path," says Hawk. "You don't want to smother them in your involvement. But at the same time, you should support them." He sums it up with true skateboarder philosophy: "You've got to find that balance."
