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An opportunity to soar...
Justin Nakaishi shouted out his dissatisfaction as he stumbled trying the nail the landing before Saturday's Open Soar competition at Richard Aguirre Park in Mountain Home.
It was his second attempt at trying to successfully complete the maneuver, and the fact it was a trick he's just tried to learn that day didn't seem to deter the teen.
In fact, the desire to succeed compelled Nakaishi to regain his composure, climb back on his skateboard and try once again.
The tenacity to keep trying is part of a mantra shared by the others that gathered at the park on Saturday -- "skate, ride, fall, repeat." In the end, the teen and others like him hoped to prove they can achieve what they want in life if they keep trying.
That chance to achieve that personal satisfaction took center stage as dozens of amateur skateboard enthusiasts from Mountain Home and surrounding communities packed into Richard Aguirre Park for a chance to test their mettle during the yearly competition.
Celebrating its fifth year here, the Open Soar skate competition also gave these teens a chance to claim some bragging rights.
"The goal of Open Soar is discovering what's inside of us," said Phillip Garcia, who organizes the yearly competition. It also encourages friendly competition and the spirit of self expression.
Before the competition started, teens like Nick Plueard were launching their BMX bikes into the air as part of a stunt known as "jumping the spine." While the rider and their bike are still airborne, the goal is to move the bike sideways before they successfully land on the other side.
It took Plueard six months of trial and error to learn how to successfully land that maneuver. He said it took the same amount of time to learn how to pull off the "flat ground 360 tire tap" in which he spins the bike around as it remains balanced on its rear tire.
Like others lured into the world of skateboards and BMX bikes, Plueard got hooked when he was in fifth grade. His cousins were all BMX riders, and watching them perform various stunts was all it took to convince him to try.
Saturday's windy weather made it a little trickier for experienced riders like Joseph Kirklan to correctly land some tricks.
"The wind can throw you off, so you have to be careful," said Kirklan, who was drawn to BMX tricks while growing up in California. He lived in a community with empty lots filled with lots of dirt jumps, which was more than enough encouragement to draw him into this type of riding.
"It's a good sport. It's good exercise and keeps you out of trouble," he added.
The yearly competition included seasoned skateboard riders like Trell Simmons, who started performing these types of tricks more than 4 1/2 years ago. The toughest trick to learn? Every one of them, he said.
"You never get it on the first try," Simmons said.
Mason Paris got into riding skateboards when he was 14. His friends showed him the basics, and two years later he continues to build upon his mastery of various tricks, which he admits gives him a great deal of satisfaction.
While each competitor hoped to walk away with top prizes in their respective divisions, they all knew that not everything goes exactly as planned, regardless of how many years they've been practicing.
After making a particularly strong landing on the rear tire of his bike, Kirklan heard a telltale hissing sound coming from the same tire. He immediately knew he had blown out the tire's inner tube.
Plunking down a couple of dollars on a new tube, he took a few minutes to make the needed repairs. Satisfied that he successfully landed his bike on another trick, he once again heard the same hissing sound and once again knew he needed to fix the tire.
It just comes with the territory, he admitted.