Z - Boys

Though nowadays considered a major league sport, as well as a lifestyle, skateboarding was once considered to be child’s play, an accidental curiosity that held as much importance as a pogo stick or a unicycle. The beast as it breathes today, the marketing darling that thrives on ESPN, clothing labels, gaming and film, was a mere cub until a few SoCal surfers sharpened its claws and filed its teeth in the 1970’s.

They were known as the Z-Boys.

The Bert Slide named after Larry Bertleman

It was in Santa Monica, 1971, when “Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions” opened shop. The Zephyr Boys (Z-Boys) represented the shop in surfing competitions, the team comprised of young teens Nathan Pratt, Stacy Peralta, Allen Sarlo, Chris Cahill, Jay Adams and Tony Alva. The highly dangerous Pacific Ocean Park, dubbed “Dogtown” by locals, was where the squad practiced their aquatic passion. When the pier waves would fizzle after the early- morning peak, the boys would hang out at the Zephyr shop, where they would pass the time flirting with girls, catching up on school work, and, of course, skating. A mere hobby at the time when not surfing, the Z-Boys had no idea they were to become the seeds of a revolution.

In 1975, to improve their wave form, the Zephyr team formed a skate squad, where they would practice their surf style on four wheels and concrete. Skateboarding had begun to rise back in popularity, so much so that the first big skateboarding competition since the 1960s was held, the famous 1975 Del Mar Nationals. Enter California cult status. Armed in their best Levi’s, Vans canvas shoes and Zephyr tees, the team instantly wowed the crowd, with their innovative trickery and aggressive style (a departure from the corny, gymnastics – influenced approach of their competitors). Essentially, the Tony Hawk’s and Ryan Sheckler’s of the world were born that day.

From this contest, the Z-Boys would go on to innovate.

The mid-1970s brought a major drought to Los Angeles. With severe water restrictions, many pool owners were forced to leave their swimming pools drained. The Z-Boys saw opportunity, the skating realm saw the invention of bowl skating. Upon this discovery, the Z- Boys and their "Dogtown" style created vertical skating (what is seen today at the X Games), which essentially led to offshoot sports as BMX, snowboarding and wakeboarding.

Sponsorships and brand recognition were also introduced and grew with the Z-Boy's ascent. What ultimately broke the crew up, big money and corporate branding, foreign at the time for a fledgling pastime that had yet to be recognized as sport, overtook the skateboard universe. Overnight, posters, magazines, even television programs were littered with images of the new breed of American athletes. Almost all were Z-Boys.

The skating game has changed dramatically since 1975. Those alterations, however impactful, are mere earthquakes. Once upon a time, when the decks were skinny, the dreams were big and the hair was long and wispy in the wind, the Lords of Dogtown started the Big Bang. No religion v science debate needed with that last theory, but in the annals of skating history, there are a few Gods.

They were known as the Z-Boys.

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