I did it...Finally!!

Dave Barousse · Faceplant Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 5

Thanks to che blanc for giving me the motivation to start trying kickflips again!

I used to try one or two a day in the 2002 season and was coming very close, but I kind of gave up on them when my riding time was next to nothing in the 2003 season and the beginning of this season.

Anyhow, enough with the excuses. My buddy called me up today to go ride after work. I have a hour and ten minute commute from my office to my house and another 30 minute drive from my house to our riding location (hence why my riding time was non existent for a while). While driving home from work and to the boat ramp to meet up with everyone, I couldn't stop visualizing myself doing a kickflip over and over (On a side note, I can kickflip very well on a skateboard).

By the time I hit the water, I was mentally prepared to land a kickflip. I had my mind made up and my confidence was sky high. I was the first one to ride today. I got up and rode around a bit, did a few tricks and fell. At that point, I decided I would devote the rest of my day to learning a kickflip. On the next pull, the boat pulled me up, I cut out and BAM! I did a perfect kickflip, landed on the board, was riding away and couldn't quite hold on. I was so stoked and mad all at the same time! From then on, I tried about 6 or 7 more and progressively my attempts were getting worse and worse. I decided to chill for a while and try again on my next set.

Anxiously awaiting to ride again, I started to visualize some more, but this time I knew the feeling of popping it, flipping it and landing on the board. I knew what I had to do, I just had to do it!

My buddy had a good set on his wakeboard and was on the verge of landing a new trick, so that stoked me out even more. When my turn came up again, I was ready to start attempting to accomplish my misson for the day. To finish off this painful story, about 3 more attempts later, I I finally stuck a kickflip and rode away!!!! So now I can officially say that I can kickflip on a wakeskate. Hopefully I can get some video footage soon.

I am always stoked on riding, but I haven't been this pumped about my own riding in quite some time. It is awesome to have that feeling again. Very Happy

Yuri · Raley Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 1977 City: orlando

Dave, You the man!! How did you do it? Inside out?

Dave Barousse · Faceplant Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 5

Yeah, inside out. Thanks.

RUSSIAN · Posted: Aug 25, 2004 11:31 pm Post subject:

sweet man. There is some things I need to focus on like that

wakesk8r9610 · Backside 180 Joined: 23 Sep 2003 Posts: 1267

Dave Barousse, nice now i jsut need 2 one.

Fluid · Posted: Aug 26, 2004 1:25 am Post subject:

Hmm, there's an opening for a new Fluid team member...

nick · Posted: Aug 26, 2004 5:47 am Post subject:

dave that is so sick! i cant wait to see that footage

byronnash · Pop Shuvit Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 104 City: Charlotte

Congrats Dave!

Mr. F · Ollie Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 52

Awesome Dave,

Proof that practice makes perfect. Congratulations!!!!! Very Happy

Paul · Posted: Aug 26, 2004 10:44 am Post subject:

That's great Dave! Congrats! Must be an awesome feeling.
A remotivated administrator is always good for a website... Laughing

BTW, I remember a funny flip attempt at the end of your video.

_

Pat McCarthy · Moderator Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 9 City: Eugene

Hmm, that's great and all Dave, but I can't believe you were out in the boat with a wakeboarder. Smash

Seth Martin · Faceplant Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 7

Kick Azz Dave!!

I was pumped when i finally saw you do a shuv-3! So this is really cool.

But, don't you have to do a trick more than once to claim it?

Dave Barousse · Faceplant Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 5

Thanks for the support guys. I feel kind of dumb because I should have done this a long time ago, but it still feels good to finally do it.

Jaysen · Faceplant Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Posts: 1 City: Morgan City

ohhhhh Seth always below the belt huh Dave....Don't talk to u get in the boat Mr "I don't feel it amymore"

484rider · Frontside 180 Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 442 City: orlando

sweet dave...it feels great doesnt it. i love the story, it got the mood set when you said that you landed it and got me all pumped.

ride5 · Frontside 180 Joined: 14 Oct 2003 Posts: 325 City: san jo

what board were you ridin, Dave...

Dave Barousse · Faceplant Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 5

rukusrider103 · Backside 180 Joined: 11 Feb 2004 Posts: 961

dam, hell yea dave i rememberd you were coming close off the ollies, but thats sick, and hey fool where are my props for telling you where to put your feet punk? ohh and me and tony going ride this weekend behind some dudes picklefork, you should come down to the lake man, im gunna have a camra out there and stuff. call me. im stoked for you.

Patrick Quinn · Pop Shuvit Joined: 13 Sep 2003 Posts: 117

Congrats Dave, that must be just the sickest feeling. You should write up a little instructional for the rest of us kickflip dreamers since its so fresh in your mind. I think your insight would probably be more real than hearing it from Danny Hampson in Alliance.

Man, if I landed a kickflip I would just go wild, that would be and must have been the best feeling.

Dave Barousse · Faceplant Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 5

rukusrider103, thanks man. I don't think I will be able to make it this weekend, but if anything changes, I'll give you a call. You guys have fun.

Patrick Quinn, thanks! To be honest with you, if I wrote an instructional, it would look exactly like the kickflip trick tip by George Daniels. That is exactly how I do it, step by step.

http://www.wakeskating.com/showarticle.php?a=213

One of my biggest problems in the past was getting my feet out of the way because the board is so much bigger than my skateboard. To overcome that, I just made an extra effort to over exagerate getting my feet out of the way a few times and then it became routine.

My biggest problem now is the landing. On most attempts, unless I really muck it up, I will complete the flip, catch the board and land. Then I either fall back or get bounced off from the impact of the landing. I'll let you know if I ever figure out what I need to do to get past that.