A schoolboy skateboarding champ realized a dream and finally went on a fabulous trip in the U.S. to hone his skills, five years after initially winning a competition to go.
In 2009, the Department of Tourism, with Red Bull as a sponsor, ran a program called Skate Cayman which was opened by Sean White, one of the world’s top skaters. Other big names also came to the Black Pearl Skate Park in Grand Harbour.
The idea was a great initiative for kids like Sean Myers who got to skate with them all, pick up tips and be inspired.
The 13-year-old John Gray High School pupil is the top skater for his age now and has won many competitions at Black Pearl.
Around the time of the White visit, the DOT and Red Bull had a competition for the children, which was also sponsored by Black Pearl, the second largest skate park in the world.
The organizer was Douglas “JR” Cameron who did so much to promote skateboarding at Black Pearl.
Competition entrants had to write an essay on why they deserved to go to the celebrated Woodward skateboard camp in Pennsylvania. A typical day there includes morning and evening skateboard sessions, trips to various skate parks in the area and many additional recreational activities such as trampolines, video editing and karting.
Myers won and received from Red Bull rep Andreas “Zulu” Kettner a certificate stating he would get a week’s all expenses paid trip there.
Myers was unable to go though the following year partly because his parents thought he was too young and because of budget constraints. The trip was finally put together by Logan Short, Red Bull’s Caribbean regional manager.
He attended the camp last week and had a great time. He hopes to have impressed the instructors enough to get a scholarship. He already has a sponsor – Peripheral sunglasses.
Myers seems to have been born into the sport, having first gone on a skateboard aged eight months, in Venice Beach and started skating at Black Pearl when only three years old.
He has skated nearly every week of his life since. Myers thanked Mike Bell for building Black Pearl, the DOT, Zulu, JR and also Philip Berry, his skate mentor.
Related Videos
