Skate ATL Atlanta Creates Future Olympic Hopefuls

ATLANTA — Skateboarding is one of the newest sports to hit the Olympics, and while the world will be watching athletes race for a spot on the podium, there are aspiring skaters who are just launching their skating careers in Atlanta.

Messiah Massey, 14, is one of those hopefuls. It’s an unprecedented feeling, he says, when he’s on set.

“When you land your first trick, the adrenaline rushes through your body,” Massey shared. “The happiness continues.”

One summer morning, Massey is among other kids and teens gathered at the historic Old Fourth Ward skatepark for a special camp; Massey, a training advisor, is part of Skate ATL.

“It’s called the skate scene,” he explains. “So everyone has their own skate family.”

The group, conceived by Allan Minter, offers regular camps and classes to all ages with a goal of growth – on and off skateboarding.

“The main goal of this camp,” Minter told 11Alive, “and what Skate ATL does in general, is to build confidence in these kids. They can come to skate parks and it can be daunting.”

Skate ATL turns that feeling on its head, helping to break down the basics for beginners while providing advancement opportunities for the more skilled.

“These kids are learning how to do 180s and kick flips,” Minter said. “It’s a whole other level.”

As the world’s best skaters take to the international stage at the Paris Olympics, the sport’s popularity continues to grow.

“The youth movement has a lot to do with it,” Minter said. “These kids are 12, 13, 14 years old.”

“It’s pretty crazy to see how far we’ve come already,” said Matt “Atreau” Mercer, the team’s coach. “And I think about how much more we could do.”

This increased interest also means that Mercer and others must build on this culture.

“As skaters, we tend to look at the world a little differently,” he explains. “A lot of people see sidewalks and curbs and stairs. We see things that we can create on.”

Such obstacles also offer their own lessons for young people.

“You’re going to fall,” Massey said. “If you don’t get back up, you’re not going to succeed at what you’re trying to do.”