Page 41 - THE ENDLESS WAVE | Skateboarding, Death & Spirituality

THE ENDLESS WAVE | PART ONE
Best Made Plans
Gregg Carroll played a unique role in skateboarding. As part of the first wave, you can catch him in the Academy Award-winning film “Skaterdater.” Greg plays the “baddie” in this short (18-minute) film and his skateboard- ing skills really shine. Shot in 1965, “Skaterdater” is a masterpiece that wonderfully showcases the best aspects of the clay-wheeled era. It’s worth viewing on YouTube and chances are you’ll wind up repeatedly viewing it — it’s that hypnotic!
During my first year as editor of Concrete Wave, I was able to contact Gregg and he wrote a lengthy essay detailing his experiences with both the film and life as a pro skater on the Mahaka team. The 60s were indeed a heady time and the surf/skate culture that Gregg was deeply involved with as a pre-teen stayed with him for his entire life.
Like a number of other folks in the skate industry who I have met, I didn’t have a great many face to face visits with Gregg. However, the times I spent with him were extremely memorable. He was a very down to earth person along with being very spiritual. I recall one day just hanging out in Dana Point sitting on two chairs discussing life and the afterlife. It was truly an emotional ex- perience that lasted well over 6 hours.
At the time we were sitting in Dana Point, Gregg had been diagnosed with cancer. It was starting to destroy his body, but his mind was still very sharp. Gregg had come to terms with his terminal illness. He had started to reflect on his life and his contributions to skateboarding. It was a privilege to be with
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