Thought is a Crime interviews sponsored skateboarder Shawn Wright!!

How old are you, Shawn?

Shawn: I'm 15 years old.

Where do you live and skate?

Shawn: I live in Williamstown, West Virginia. I skate in Ohio most of the time but take several road trips.

How long have you been skating for?

Shawn: I've been skating for a few years now.

What kind of setup do you ride and Why did you choose it?

Shawn: I have a blank Gr8 Sk8 shop deck, krux trucks, jessup grip, pig bearings, and I think pig hardware. I chose this stuff because it is what my shop offers me for free.

What skateboarding companies do you like the best and why?

Shawn: I'd have to say Ateam or maybe Toy Machine. Both of these teams have some awesome riders and I really admire teams that don't just hook up anyone. They have to have talent.

How long have you been sponsored for? And, who sponsors you?

Shawn: I've been sponsored about half a year and at the moment I only have one sponsor, The Great Skate shop.

How does your sponsor support you?

Shawn: They hook me up with free stuff and often stick me on the van for a road trip around local states and pay for everything.

How did you come into contact with your sponsor for the first time?

Shawn: I've known the owner since I started skating and he saw how fast I was learning and after I could land more tricks than him he sponsored me on the spot.

What is the latest trick you have been working on?

Shawn: I guess a switch varial flip. I've also began skating vert not too long ago.

Do you think you alot more people or even girls interested in you because you are sponsored?

Shawn: Well, I know other skaters are and I'm pretty sure a few girls but overall I'd have to say no, because most of the people out there don't know what being sponsored is.

How long does it usualy take you to be able to learn a trick or does it depend on the trick?

Shawn: Most of the time I can do it within a day if I keep practicing but doing switch tricks takes a lot longer for me to learn except the basics like switch pop shuv its or 180's.

Do you dress like a skater or do you have your own style?

Shawn: I don't go out and buy stuff because they look like a skater might wear it but I also don't get stuff that they wouldn't. I like the hip hop skate style a lot better than the punk. I think it makes us look kinda good and well taken care of.

What does skating mean to you? Is it just a hobby for this time in your life or Do you want to do it forever?

Shawn: I feel like it is my whole life and I can't invision life without it. I hope to skate until I'm too old to do a kickflip even when I have a kid I will encourage him to skate and maybe I might skate with him, hopefully. Skateboarding means to me a way to let every worry go (for the time being) and just skate and think about tricks not life. It is my ultimate stress reliever.

Have you entered any contests and if not, are their any coming up?

Shawn: No, I haven't yet but that is because none are held around here. There is one in a few weeks the shop is putting together and I will definately enter that.

How would you consider where your ability of skateboarding is right now and would you like to be a Pro one day?

Shawn: I don't even want to think about being pro right now I just wan't to skate but if a big company asked me to join, I would probably say yes. I am advancing really fast in this sport and would like some day to take my abilities further.

Do you think skating should be a fun thing or should it be a competition with other skaters? And, why did you pick that answer?

Shawn: Oh definately fun, I joined skateboarding to get away from competition sports like soccer and baseball. I still like to play them but I'm glad there is a sport I can do without worrying about losing a game.

What made you choose to skateboard over any other sport?

Shawn: The other sports were just to hectic and had certain times to play games and have team practice, but on skating you can do it any time day or night.

What interests do you have out of skating if anything?

Shawn: I think all the different skate movies. Thats about it.

What kind of music do you listen to? What are your favorite bands? Shawn: Hip hop and anything, MXPX, Wu-tang, and Nofx are my favorites.

What are your favorite skateboard magazines to read in order of preference?

Shawn: Umm Transworld, Big Brother and Thrasher there all cool.

Do you have any good sites on the 'net you know about, that other skaters should check out?

Shawn: Tumyeto.com is cool and so is Skater.net and this one for the interview.

Why do you think skateboarding is the only sport to have a bad rap?

Shawn: I think in older movies it was portrayed bad and it has never shaken it off yet. You never see a evil bike rider or tennis player in movies just us.

Do you think authority has a right to bug you about your skateboarding in certain areas or should it be a free for all zone?

Shawn: There has to be some authority in certain areas with a lot of people but I really don't see the problem with skating in empty parking lots.

Are you interested in politics at all? Or does the word bore you?

Shawn: Man, I'm too young to care but the Lewinsky and Clinton thing is pretty funny.

Any comments you'd like to leave your fellow skaters with?

Shawn: Skate for fun and never go slow always go fast. Try to lay off some bladers if they haven't done anything to you but if they have beat em down.

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