© Element Skateboards
Just Another Roll in the Park for Huston
Aug 24 2006 / Los Angeles, CA Anyone who’s been paying even the slightest attention to the world of skateboarding lately has heard the name Nyjah Huston. At age 11, this young meteor has ripped a hole through the pro circuit atmosphere and landed near the top of the sport’s most prestigious leader boards. Some might say this young park-assassin is a flash-in-the-pan. But if the heat and style he’s bringing to the park this season is any indication, Nyjah could soon be a household name.
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A case-in-point was this year’s Dew Action Sports Tour opener in Louisville. Huston wowed the judges (and the crowd,) placing second in both prelims and finals behind last year’s overall champion, Ryan Sheckler. This impressive debut earned Nyjah more than a nice payday. Panasonic and the Kentucky Sports Authority we so impressed with this kid’s moxy, they presented him with the first ever Kentucky Unbridled Spirit Award for Action Sports. That’s tall praise in anyone’s book.
But championships aren’t built on a slick award and a few great runs. Consistency is the hallmark of success in any sport, skateboarding included. At the next Dew Tour stop in Denver, fans and fellow-competitors were curious to see if young Nyjah could rock the house again. He did not disappoint. With Sheckler nursing an injured foot, Huston again nailed second in prelims and finals, putting the world on notice that his talent is for real. All under the watchful eyes of a seasoned pro like Eric Koston.
The ’06 Summer X-Games promised to be a pressure cooker for even the most seasoned competitors. With all the new hype and attention surrounding this young gun, no one could have blamed Nyjah for buckling in the Skate Park venue. While hopes were high, his scores were not, proving that talent is only half of a winning equation. 8th place may be better than last, but it was still a world away from where he wanted to be.
The countdown now begins for the Vans Invitational in Portland. This third stop on the Dew Actions Sports tour may give Nyjah a chance to find his focus, to dial-in his true talents and ride them to the top again. With two brilliant Dew Tour appearances behind him, Huston sits comfortably in second place overall. If he can hang onto his mojo for the balance of the season, it’s entirely possible that the championship could belong to him. As for the $75 thousand grand prize and new Toyota Tacoma he can't even drive yet? Well…that's one thing he'll actually have to wait until he's older to get his hands on. For now, he'll have to settle for the ability to skate like somebody who's years beyond his actual age.
Hubie G.
