The impact the 2010s brought to the Brighton skateboard scene

I started skateboarding regularly during lockdown after being away from the sport for several years as it was a fun way for me to exercise when I was living alone. Brighton is a great place for skating and has been for many years, especially with skateparks such as The Level, Hove Skatepark and The Brighton Youth Centre’s skatepark all being in central locations.

A better skate of mind explores the impact of skating with the main theme being suicide and how it helps people. I really liked how in this 10-minute video; a variety of people were interviewed from skate coaches to skate shop owners to the skaters themselves. They all had a very positive points to make about how skating is great for mental health with some making points about how they have helped people with suicidal thoughts as well as the training they have received to support people.

I also liked how the film was shot with lots of different angles, some that are hardly seen such as the opening shot being that of a camera attached to the front of a skateboard, so the audience see’s the skaters’ legs rather than a point-of-view shot of where they are going. Ranieri also uses drone shots (birds-eye view angles), to give the film a perspective that people wouldn’t usually see, of The Level Skatepark.

If you would like to view A better skate of mind, you can view it below.

Brighton has always been hugely popular for skating and in 2010, the most famous pro-skater in the world, Tony Hawk, came to the city as part of his European tour. The event saw huge numbers turn up to see the Birdhouse skaters perform on the seafront which shows the popularity and impact of skating in the area and it’s only gaining popularity as years go on.

As a skater, I love Hawk’s skating and watching him perform on 11ft vert ramps is amazing. The skill and mental power it takes to confidently complete tricks without falling is brilliant, even if half the tricks are ones that he’s created in his decades as a pro-skater.

If you would like to see when Val Aviv interviewed Tony and his team when they came to Brighton, you can watch the full video here.

Finally, the skate scene in Brighton is a brilliant ‘family’ of people of all ages whether that be sitting in the skate shops on rainy days to supporting huge names. Skating, just like any exercise, is hugely beneficial for mental health and helps to reduce the suicide rates among people. So much has changed during the last decade for the sport in the area, I personally, can’t wait to see the impact of the next 10 years!

Words by Ben Wheeler