Steve Rodriguez (skateboarder)

Steve Rodriguez
First place winner Jiro Platt holds his trophy surrounded by Steve Rodriguez, Cooper Qua, and Nicholas Ramos at the 2019 Battle at the Beach – Far Rockaway Skatepark, Queens, NY
Personal information
Birth nameSteven Rodriguez
BornSayreville, New Jersey
Sport
CountryUSA
SportSkateboarding
Steve Rodriguez and Jamie Foy

Steve Rodriguez (born 1971) is a goofy-footed American skateboarder, skate company owner, skatepark designer, community organizer, and creative services director, who lives and skates in NYC.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Rodriguez is a leader in the effort to restore the iconic New York City skate spot: the Brooklyn Banks, a place where Rodriguez spent much time skateboarding.[10] Until it closed for construction in 2010, Rodriguez hosted skate contests at the Banks.[10]

Skateboarding

Early life

Raised in Sayreville, New Jersey, Rodriguez discovered skateboarding around 1983 and started skating not long after.[11] He started skating in New York City as a teen, working for his mom who managed a store in the City. Rodriguez would skate through the city while doing deliveries and running other errands.[11]

Skateboarding career

In 1996, Rodriguez and a group of NYC skaters founded 5Boro skateboards.[12] The original 5Boro squad being: Andy Henry, Neil Morgan, Pat Guidotti, Jim Young, JP Lotz, Alex Corporan, Dan Pensyl, Tato Feliciano, Ben Wall, and Jay Hammond.[12] In 2004, 5Boro collaborated with the Beastie Boys to produce an exclusive co-branded board graphic.[13]

Skate video appearances

  • 1999: Fire It Up – 5boro[14]
  • 2004: Word of Mouth – 5boro[15]
  • 2007: Short Ends – Champman Skateboards[16]
  • 2012: Join, Or Die – 5boro[17]

Skateparks designed or co-designed

References

  1. ^ "NYC SKATE HISTORY WITH STEVE RODRIGUEZ". Jenkem Magazine. 2011-11-26. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  2. ^ Alvarez, Lizette (2009-11-13). "Greenwich Village Skateboarder is Also a Rockaways Surfboarder". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  3. ^ "Steve Rodriguez Profile < Skately Library". skately.com. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  4. ^ a b Stapinski, Helene (2016-10-21). "Good News, Brooklyn Skaters: Fat Kid Spot Is Coming Back". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  5. ^ "Steve Rodriguez Archives | NYSkateboarding.com". Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  6. ^ Porter, Justin (2005-06-24). "Under a Bridge, and on Top of the World". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  7. ^ Higgins, Matt (2010-06-06). "A Skate Park Is Built With Variety in Mind". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  8. ^ Branch, John (2010-05-13). "To Fix Bridge, Skateboard Mecca May Be Lost for Years". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  9. ^ Kilgannon, Corey (2010-01-15). "With Brooklyn Banks Set to Close, Homage Opens for Skaters". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  10. ^ a b Hu, Winnie (2023-01-26). "The Mecca of New York Skateboarding, Back From the Dead?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  11. ^ a b "STEVE RODRIGUEZ | 2007 – 48 BLOCKS MEDIA". Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  12. ^ a b "Steve Rodriguez | Things to Do | reviews, guides, things to do, film". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  13. ^ "Beastiemania.com – Interviews – 5BORO Skateboards". www.beastiemania.com. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  14. ^ "5boro – Fire It Up skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite". www.skatevideosite.com.
  15. ^ "5boro – Word of Mouth skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite". www.skatevideosite.com. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  16. ^ "Chapman Skateboards skate videos, online skateboarding videos | Skatevideosite". www.skatevideosite.com.
  17. ^ Skateboarding, N. Y. (2012-02-09). "5Boro: Join, or Die Deck Series (2012)". NYSkateboarding.com. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  18. ^ "From Brooklyn to the Olympics, skate parks are booming all around the world". The Independent. 2018-05-10. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  19. ^ "Greenpoint Is Getting a Playground With Skate Park Designed By Steve Rodriguez". Bedford + Bowery. 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  20. ^ Skateboarding, N. Y. (2010-08-31). "River Ave Skatepark – Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Today (2010)". NYSkateboarding.com. Retrieved 2019-08-27.


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