Behind The Art
A Kick Push Interview
Real stories. Raw Passion. Unstoppable Drive.
We also got to sit down with Ernie Ibarra and learn more about his journey as an adaptive skateboarder, his passion for skating, and the goals he is pushing toward.
I was a 9-year-old kid when I saw Tony Hawk do his 900. After that, I wanted to become a pro skater.
At first, I would just join regular competitions for fun, and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t until 2019, when I found adaptive skating, that I started learning more tricks and getting better at skating.
I love skateboarding. It is a way for me to feel free, feel normal, and feel like I am a part of something. It is my passion.
First, I ride around and look at the course to see what I can possibly hit and what I cannot. After that, I do a little run to figure out a possible line I can skate.
I felt proud, happy, and honored to be a part of something with my adaptive homies.
Kick Push helped me get to Jackalope for my second year, and they are helping me get to different events we have coming up this year.
I would say get your skateboard and just do it. As an adaptive skater, you get so much love from people.
You motivate and inspire so many others, so get out there and enjoy your life.
Some people misunderstand that some of us actually do have legs. They are just different and smaller than normal legs. Yes, I do have legs and feet.
One of my biggest inspirations was my mom. May she rest in peace. She showed me to never give up and taught me that I could do anything I put my mind to. She also taught me that my disability does not define who I am.
Another big inspiration is Ítalo Romano, an adaptive pro skater from Brazil. He is one of the main reasons I got back into skating again. After seeing him flip his board, I wanted to learn how to do that too, and I did.
Courage means going out and trying something you are afraid to try because of what people might say or think. I try to stay positive and tell myself, “I got this.” Then I attempt it, because you only fail when you quit trying. I want people to remember that I love skateboarding, and it is my passion.
I hope to get a pro model deck someday and hopefully make it to the Paralympics in 2028.
A Kick Push Interview
Behind The Art
Real stories. Raw Passion. Unstoppable Drive.
We got the chance to sit down with Dalton Odom and learn more about his journey as a blind skateboarder, his love for skating, and the faith that keeps him pushing forward.
Dalton started skateboarding when he was 10 years old. He was inspired by playing the Tony Hawk video games and watching Ryan Sheckler on TV. For his birthday, his father bought him his first skateboard, and even got one for himself too. They went home, skated together, and from that moment on, Dalton was hooked.
Three years ago, after losing his vision, Dalton’s life changed completely. He suddenly had all the time in the world, but didn’t know what to do with himself. Then one random day, he decided to get back on his skateboard. He started slowly, practicing stationary flat-ground tricks. After a few days of getting comfortable again, he realized something powerful:
he could still skateboard. He didn’t have to give up on his passion.
Now, Dalton uses his cane, hands, and feet to feel out the skate course. He relies heavily on memory, patience, and taking his time. He usually skates one section at a time until he can map out the entire layout in his head.
After losing his vision, Dalton made the choice to keep skateboarding, not only for himself but to inspire others, especially the youth. To him, skating is the ultimate freedom. It is how he clears his head, challenges himself, and keeps pushing forward.
Any time Dalton deals with fear in life, he turns to faith.
Kick Push: Pearson Skate event
Kick Push event: Skate Gala
Kickpush celebrated our two-year anniversary with our Skate Gala, where we honored and gave awards to our amazing volunteers for their continued support and dedication.
The event included a skate jam, a silent auction, and fundraising to help support future events and adaptive skaters. We want to give a special thank you to all of our speakers, Ninja Karaoke for providing the space, and everyone who came out to support us.
We truly appreciate all the love, support, and community that has helped us grow over the past two years.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far. Stay tuned. We have many more events coming soon.
