Russ Howell - Message Board

Ed Nadalin
Italy

Ed Nadalin was one of the very best Freestyle skaters in the mid-70's. He worked for a Huntington Beach company that made urethane wheels and often skated at Huntington Beach pier. He was the featured skater in "The Magic Rolling Board" where he danced on his skateboard wearing a tuxedo. Ed gained the nickname "Mr. Fluidity" and was well respected by all skaters.

He never gained the recognition he deserved, but that was common among Freestyle skaters. I recently asked him if it would be alright to post some news about what he is doing currently. It's always good to hear that friends are doing well.

November 26, 2005

Hi Russ,

No I don't mind if you post anything about me .I can't believe anyone asks about me.

I wouldn't know where to start if I had to get you up to date about myself.

I was married to an Italian woman for 20 years and working as an assistant film editor here in Rome.Now I'm divorced with a dual nationality but living now with a lovely English woman by the name of Sue. We have bought an apartment here in Rome quite close to the city center and invested all our other funds in a little house in a hilltop village by the name of Casperia, in the countryside just one hour outside Rome.Its a little hideaway for the weekends.I'm currently working in Film lab called Fotocinema in Rome following the digital Intermediate process and workflow. Film recording plays a big part; that is, digital transfers to negative to create new intermediates.

I really don't do much skateboarding in my life anymore and so my career has remained in the film industry. I did try some snowboarding in the Italian Alps and enjoyed it very much but it only lasted a season. I really enjoyed skating Rome when I first got here. Villa Borghese was a freestyle hangout and I soon got the nickname of Uncle Ed. A very affectionate way of the local skaters respecting my approach to life, skateboarding and chatting about my past life in California. I haven't been back to California for over 3 years, something the Euro crunch can take responsibility for and also our corrupt prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who I'm sure you've heard about has contributed as well.

Besides all this I really like to sit and compose instrumentals with my Guild 12-string guitar that I bought in California way back in 1975, a beautiful instrument.

Dan Gesmer is the only one that I have hooked up with since my split with the California scene. He has visited me here in Rome and has actually skateboarded inside my living room, something I hadn't thought of doing although he did some nice 360s. Besides him, you, Russ have kept in touch. I'm grateful and very proud to have collaborated with you in the past. Your success and style are well deserved. Keep it up.

There it is all in a nutshell. Happy Thanksgiving to you and thanks for staying in touch.

Ed
[email protected]

Joachim 'YoYo' Schulz
Germany

The following was taken
from an interview done with
Joachim 'YoYo' Schulz.

YOYO has been my nickname for ages now,
because my other name is hard to pronounce
in the US and is too long.

When you started to practice the freestyle skateboarding, and where you live right now?
Y.S.- Well, I started to ride a skateboard more than 25 years ago. I don't know the exact date, but still have my very first skateboard in my little skate museum. Skateboarding is and was always having fun, so I would not call it really practicing for any special event such as Freestyle. Skateboarding is Freestyle. Me and my friends went out to do some routines, but not over and over. I remember that at the beginning of my contest career, we set up our routines during the trip to the contest and write down the lines and tricks. Basically back in the late 70's and 80's, most skaters skated everything, so Freestyle was just one element. These days I live with my wife and three kids near Frankfurt in a small town called Schwalbach.

Who were your sponsors, on yesterdays and today?
Y.S.- Tracker Trucks is still my sponsor since 1982. I was on Walker Skateboards, Speed wheels Santa Cruz and Life's A Beach Clothing in the late 80's. Right now I am working together with Witter Cheng from Decomposed Skates. He sells the decks in the US and I sell some over here in Germany and Europe. Check out the products at http://www.decomposedsk8.com/

What do you do today, besides skateboarding?
Y.S.- I have never made a living off skateboarding / Freestyle. Being in Europe is different than in the US, especially in the 80's. Skateboarding has always been a hobby not a profession, although I had and have Pro models. The standard was and still is very high in Europe and that's why I believe that people deserve Pro models in Europe as well.Today there are some European (street) skaters that can make a living off skateboarding and that's a good sign. My current job is in the service organization of the German Telekom, named T-Systems. I take care of service logistics in the distribution of computer spare parts to and from our technicians.

Did you invented any trick? If so, what are they?
Y.S.- Well, I am known for my YOYO Plant for sure. I invented this trick some twenty years ago and only a handful of skaters have ever managed to pull it off. It is a rolling street plant where you don't take your feet off to push yourself up in a one armed handstand. There are different variations of this trick as well. I know that today Terry Synnott does YOYO to HOHO plants in his routine as well as regular yoyo plants.

What musics do you use to play when you are in a contest?
Y.S.- It just depends. Back in the 80's it was mostly Depeche Mode as far as I remember. These days I listen and skate to different kinds of music, depending on my mood etc. Sometimes even top 40 stuff if it's skatable and has some good beats to do tricks to. It also depends on the style you have, so everyone has their own preferences. Todays kids seem to be seduced by the "skate and destroy" style. But at least I noticed that most of them even don�t know anything about the existence of freestyle skateboarding, it�s best athletes, and stuff. The videos and magazines are one of the greatest keepers to the continuing of this kind of mentality... While freestyle is on another corner (skate and create).

Do you think that it will take much time to people turn back their attentions to the freestyle way of skating, and then we could have the possibity of having freestyle reaching close to the mainstream again?
Y.S.- I am very aware of what's happening, but I also see a lot of kids going more into Oldschool stuff. A reason for this may be the Dogtown & Z-Boys documentary as well as a new magazine called Concrete Wave from Canada and the 80's revival in general. I see more and more kids getting into Flatland these days, not calling it Freestyle though. But after some time they will realize what they are doing and Freestyle will be a bigger part again. Remember: Freestyle and Slalom are the roots of skateboarding. First do some turns and then master your skateboard doing tricks such as wheelies and walk the dogs.Most street Pros can do some Freesytle moves, so they definitely know the basics and the history. Back in the 80's most major Vert Pros even competed in the Freestyle events.......

What�s the point or fact that kept you freestyling all these years? (well, you could be a street skater...)
Y.S.- I never stopped skating throughout all the years, I just skated less on a regular basis. For the last six years I got back into skating and Freestyle a little more. Freestyle has always been my roots and I like it so much, because of the creativity. Not that street can not be creative, but as I am getting older street skating is just too dangerous getting hurt very badly. Notice all the torn ligaments from street skating in lo-top shoes??? I never tore any ligamnets and Freestyle keeps you flexible; even at age 40.

By the way that the marketing is running, can the kids dream of being sponsored by freestyle companies?
Y.S.- Sure they can dream about it. First they have to buy boards, so that todays little Freestyle companies start to grow and then maybe they will get sponsored. But please do not take a sponsorship as a goal to reach in skateboarding. When the time is right it will happen, otherwise just forget about it and ENJOY skateboarding. It's all about fun and not competition and sponsorships in the first place.

And about the freestyle contests, are they growing up, or they are just some curiosity to attract more people on street or vert events?
Y.S.- We have organized some ``Only- Freestyle`` events here in Germany with big success and not just as a sideshow event to draw some crowd. The success is determined by the skaters that participate in these events and just recently I have seen some new young talented skaters to get more into Freestyle, so things look promising.

Do you think that the product line is growing, besides Tracker, Nicotine, Decomposed and others..?
Y.S.- There are some companies working on new designs as I write this. It is just a matter of time and things will happen for sure. The main factor is money needed for development of new wheel molds . It is so much easier to press and shape a deck than to make a new wheel. I cut my Freestyle decks out of kicknose street decks for the last 10 years, so these things are fairly easy to do, but I simply can not pour my own wheels...

What contests made your best moments as a skater?
Y.S.- Getting second place at a Pro Contest in the US back in 1987, and the last World Championships 2005 in Brazil, because so many old and new people showed up and the whole atmosphere was truly great. Holding my very first Pro model from Walker in my hands was a great experience as well. Every time I land a new trick, even in my age, gets me stoked!

Enjoy life! Later, YOYO

Joachim 'YoYo' Schulz
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: http://www.yoyoskates.com

Dr. Bill Robertson
El Paso, Texas

Dr. Skateboard Rolls at University of Texas at El Paso

When Bill Robertson first came to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in the summer of 2004, he knew that there would be plenty of opportunities to teach and serve within the community. With a Ph.D. in science and technology education, Bill applies solid instructional principles to the courses he teaches at UTEP and, on a broader scale, to the community in outreach activities through skateboarding.

Bill performs skateboarding demonstrations with an added instructional twist on the topics of physics and mathematics. Utilizing this platform to teach the physics of skateboarding has given him the unique identity of Dr. Skateboard. He also performs with a team of world-class performers in skateboarding, bicycle motocross (BMX), and inline skating. Dr. Skateboard's Web site (http://www.drskateboard.com) provides details on performances as well as curriculum materials for students and families. Bill says, "My audiences of children and parents typically do not see the connections between skateboarding and physics. They wonder, if you have a Ph.D., why do you skateboard?"

As Dr. Skateboard, Bill actively pursues his commitment to his skills and interest in teaching. Before coming to UTEP, Bill was a science and technology educator at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 10 years. While working in this capacity, he conducted his doctoral research. He developed the Critical Thinking Curriculum Model (CTCM) as his dissertation. The CTCM utilizes a multidisciplinary approach that integrates computer technology with effective learning and teaching practices. It provides students and teachers with a process and an opportunity to address current real world issues. The model is designed to be an example for teachers to follow as they develop integrated problem-based curriculum.

Bill's 30 years of experience in skateboarding and the fact that he won the Master's Freestyle World Champion title in 2004, qualify him well to hold the title Dr. Skateboard. He says, "The things that have made me successful in skateboarding have also made me successful in other areas of my life, including my educational career." This is the message that Bill strives to convey to his skateboarding-demonstration audiences.

Bill says that through skateboarding he has learned patience, discipline, creativity, and the art and science of practice. His audiences include elementary, middle-school, and high-school students in El Paso and around the country. "Much of my experience has been done in schools, and there are a number of options that a school can pursue to have live educational entertainment." He also performs with the Pro Impact Stunt Team (http://www.proimpactstuntteam.com), in which fellow stunt men entertain audiences with skateboarding, bicycle motocross (BMX), and inline skating at schools, fairs, festivals, corporate business parties, and community events.

The overarching theme about Dr. Skateboard is the appeal of skateboarding and other sports as teaching and learning vehicles for families, young people, and adults. As his work with pre-service and in-service teachers at UTEP expands, Bill also plans to continue his commitment to his real-life model of learning, teaching, and performing with skateboarding.

Dr. Bill Robertson
Dr. Skateboard
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.drskateboard.com

Witter Cheng
Elko, Nevada
Photos by: Cassie Crosby

Witter Cheng was born in Brunei, a tiny country in northern Borneo. He later moved to Australia, and is now living in Elko, Nevada. His current endeavors are flooding the scene with freestyle decks though his company:
www.decomposedsk8.com

Riders on his team include, Gunter Mokulys, Tim Morris, Joe Humeres, Russ Howell, YoYo Schulz and Daryl Grogan.

Witter has competed at the last two World FreeStyle Championships held in S. California.

Overview:

5-year degree in Interior Design and Architecture

Skating and playing the guitar for 19 years

Responsible for flooding the scene with freestyle decks

Enjoy art - all forms: sculpture, drawings, tattoos,...etc.

I started street skating in the mid-80s, and started freestyling in the late 90s. My influences are Tommy Harward, The Mutt, Frank Lee, Pierre Andre, Per Welinder, Primo, Ray Barbee, and Mike Vallelly.

I started with a GT plastic banana board, then several 'Walmart' type boards, then Santa Cruz, Powell Peralta,... when popsicle shapes came, my first one was a Stereo Jason Lee. I started freestyling seriously after I snapped my knee doing stairs back in Australia.

Goals....
Bobby Boyden, Capital Skateboards, Lillis, Bill Robertson,...etc did a great job with introducing freestyle to the 20th century. I'm here to make sure I continue with their duties.

Witter Cheng
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.decomposedsk8.com

Keith Butterfield
Oceanside, California / Iraq
Marine, Father, Freestyle Skateboarder

"After 24 years away, I started skating again in July 2007 when my 6-year old son challenged me do the Butterflip! It was so fun re-learning the trick that I decided to skate again for health, creativity and fun. I flowed my boy a deck and now we skate together and have a blast. I was searching for something just for me again and skateboarding came back into my life at just the right time. In the past 7 months, I have made 20 videos, learned so many New and Old School tricks and came out with two pro models with Decomposed Skateboards."

Keith Butterfield is now a 42-year old man that recently broke back into the (now underground scene) of FreeStyle skateboarding. After 24 years away, Keith enjoys skateboarding once again. Keith was a top pro skater in the early 80�s with a signature model out called the Vision Trickster. In the early 80�s, Keith won 16 out of 16 international amateur freestyle skateboard contests. This got him noticed, hyped up and eventually sponsored by the likes of Vision sports, Tracker Trucks, OJ, Wheels, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Bucci Sunglasses and a few others. He is in many Thrasher and Transworld magazines that, in the early 80's, covered FreeStyle on a regular basis. Keith is known for creating a popular freestyle trick called the �Butterflip.� Transworld Magazine published the "Butterflip" in 1983 as a trick tip. Keith also turned pro that year and stayed in the top five in the World until 1985 when he vanished from the scene. In the late 80's, Keith landed a roll in the ABC Sunday Night Movie Of The Week called, "Brotherhood Of Justice." He also landed a roll where he gets killed on the beach by a vampire in the cult movie classic �The Lost Boys.� Keith went on to do many things to include competitive skim boarding, amateur surfing, vert riding and eventually joined the United States Marine Corps in 1990. Currently, Keith is on his 18th year in the service, serving a seven-month tour of duty in Iraq as a Company 1st Sgt. Keith has been married for 17 years and has three children.

Keith is currently working on putting together the Armed Forces Skateboard Association (AFSA) with Bob Staton. This is a non-profit organization bringing skate parks, demonstrations and competitions on all genres of skateboarding to the military locations around the World.

"Even though FreeStyle competitions are rare today, and the public is basically unaware of freestyle skateboarding, it still offers me the same joys as it did 24 years ago. It gives me something that is all mine. It's always there for me and never talks back. It gives me tons of joy and keeps me lean. Moreover, it's a great opportunity to set a good example for my kids, other kids and allows me to mentor kids from around the world."

Keith Butterfield
Email: [email protected]

- E-mails from Keith -
Stationed in Iraq

April 16, 2008 - Sick in Baghdad
Russ, They medivacd me to Baghdad for a spinal tap and possible meningitus? I have been very sick for 5 days all starting from heat exhaustion. Anyway, once I got here they decided I don't have meningitus and simply pumped me full of IVs, steroids and atibiotocs. I have been on morphine and am now on vikodine. I have extream pain around my eyeballs and head (brain) I think I'm recovering now but not sure? This place is a trip. I'll write more later on to let you know how I am and catch up bro.
Keith

April 19, 2008 - Diagnosed with Q Fever
I have been dignosed with something called Q Fever. It is kicking my ass and I am taking many drugs. My fever has been as high as 103.6. I get the sweats just sitting still. I have been on at least 15 IV's and have had plenty of Tylenol, Vikoden and other things includind morphine today. Sometimes the pain in my head is so great that all the morphine does is make my body relax while my head still hurts. It feels like my brain is swollen or something; it sucks! They say I should be going home soon - back to the other part of the Country where my Marines are. Here in Baghdad, where the Hospital is, it is very dangerous right now. Just in the past few days that I have been here, we have been hit by rockets multiple times, right around the hospital! Down where the Marines smoke the"smoke pit" got blown up yesterday. Down the street a few blocks, a few people were killed on base when there building was hit. This is not the place you want to get sick at.
KB