On board the BVH Surf and Skate culture
Bonita Vista High students and teachers alike find joy in the outdoors. Surfing and skateboarding provide them with peaceful experiences.
Skate, surf and snowboarding culture means a variety of things to many different people. These activities are not only a sport but are used by Bonita Vista High (BVH) students to open up, get out of their comfort zone, and escape from reality. The Bonita Vista High BVH skate and surf culture has been found to provide a safe place for individuals.
“Surfing means a lot to me. It’s my way of relaxing. Being able to go surfing helps me stay calm and it is really fun,” sophomore Olivia Gutierrez said.
Not only are skating and surfing considered sports, but they are also referred to as a form of art. The academic interventions coordinator and BVH Skate club advisor, Steven Wiggs, shares how art can prove to be related to skateboarding.
“[Skate clubs are] actually connecting skateboarding to art. For example, we have a fundraiser coming up, and we have 35 different artists that are going to be there for an art show as well. There is a connection between the sport and artistic culture,” Wiggs said.
Wiggs learned to skate around the age of 10 and not only does he skate but he also enjoys surfing. BVH Italian 1-2, 3-4 and AP Italian Language and Culture teacher Robert Pirazzini finds surfing beneficial to his health and fitness.
“By preparing my body to surf and snowboard, it gets me into better shape. I am an older dad, and I want to be able to do these things with my friends and sons for as many years as I can,” Pirazzini said.
Wiggs finds that learning surf or skate tricks teaches individuals life lessons. He explains how surfing and skating doesn’t always come easily. It comes down to experimenting, practice and failure.
“You may see videos of a skateboarder, surfer or bodyboarder pulling off an extravagant trick, [but] it’s really how many times they had to try [the trick] before they captured it on video,” Wiggs said. “If you go and watch [skateboarders] at a skatepark, they’re attempting a certain move over and over again, until they get it.”
There is also a social aspect to surf and skate culture. Gutierrez finds skating and surfing as a way to connect with others.
“If I go surfing with my friends or family, we would trade waves and talk in the water while we are surfing. Sometimes, I go out by myself, it gives me time to relax,” Gutierrez said. “I feel like [surfing] is both for socializing and having fun.”
Participating in such sports could moreover be a way for people to express themselves. Pirazzini explains that snowboarding leads people to finding their inner confidence.
I love being out in nature. The water is very healing and breathing the mountain’s air while snowboarding is good for your health and soul.
— BVH Italian 1-2, 3-4 and AP Italian Language and Culture teacher Robert Pirazzini
“I love being out in nature. The water is very healing and breathing the mountain’s air while snowboarding is good for your health and soul. You can choose how you want to express yourself on them,” Pirazzini said.
Overall, Pirazzini, Gutierrez and Wiggs find skating, surfing and snowboarding brings happiness to themselves and others, is an opportunity to create memories, and brings health benefits. Gutierrez and Pirazzini similarly express their gratitude towards the sports because it allows them to have positivity in their life.
“I am happiest in life when I am out in the water surfing with my friends and sons or bombing a hill with them up in the mountains. It is therapeutic,” Pirazzini said. “These activities keep me feeling young. You don’t stop playing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop playing.”
I am a junior at Bonita Vista High and this is my third year as a staff member on the Crusader. I am currently the Opinion Editor and was previously...
As a junior, this is my third year as a part of the Crusader staff. This year I am a News Editor and was previously the Staff Artist and Photographer....
