Ryan Sheckler skates in a demo during the grand opening of the skatepark he designed at Woodward ... [+]
This week, pro skateboarder Ryan Sheckler and Woodward christened the action sports company’s new Sandlot East Skatepark in a grand opening ceremony with skate program campers.
Sandlot East, a new 8,800-square-foot indoor training facility at Woodward Pennsylvania, is based on the design of Sheckler’s personal training facility in California. It’s also named for the skateboard brand Sheckler founded, Sandlot Times.
Sheckler, who has been the Skate Program Designer at Woodward since 2001, said the ability to design and bring to life Sandlot East is an “awesome opportunity” in his partnership with Woodward.
“When I was at camp, I had mentioned that it would be epic to build a brand-new park, a park that Woodward did not have, and they were interested,” Sheckler said. “So to me, that just shows the power of that partnership and how much Woodward is actually supporting me and Sandlot Times. The park turned out absolutely amazing and I enjoyed every ounce of the process of building it.”
Sandlot East was designed for intermediate and higher-ability-level skaters; however, as Sheckler told me, the design thoughtfully included elements that would be suitable to skaters (and more) of any ability.
“I had in mind all the kids and everybody that was gonna be skating and BMX and even scooters in there,” Sheckler, who designed Sandlot East with Mike Roebke and BLDRS, whose portfolio includes parks for professional skateboarders Shane O’Neill and Paul Rodriguez and brands such as Primitive, April skateboards, and Diamond Supply Co.
“All the rails are a little bit smaller, the obstacles are a little bit smaller, but no matter what level you skate at, you’re going to have fun in this skatepark,” Sheckler added.
The skatepark includes quarter-pipes ranging from 3' to 7’ in height, three different stair sets, one hubba and four down rails. The perimeter features plenty of transition banks, corners and hips to allow skaters to envision and execute unique lines.
In all, approximately 15 unique features blend together seamlessly in Sandlot East. That’s why, when asked what his favorite feature of the new park is, Sheckler responds, “The whole skatepark is my favorite feature.”
Sheckler was the VIP athlete onsite at camp when Sandlot East celebrated its grand opening on August 14. The celebratory day was capped by an athlete demo featuring Sheckler, Manny Santiago, Axel Cruysberghs and David Reyes.
Ryan Sheckler takes photos with Woodward skate program campers during the grand opening of the ... [+]
“We could not be more honored to be home to the first Sandlot-themed skatepark on the East Coast,” said Woodward president Chris “Gunny” Gunnarson. “Ryan’s history with Woodward goes back 24 years—he has been a camper as well as a partner and camp mentor—so it’s incredibly fitting for a central piece of the renovated Woodward Pennsylvania to be a Sheckler-designed skatepark.”
Sandlot East is part of an ongoing renovation at Woodward Pennsylvania that also includes a new 22,850-square-foot Progression Centre and a reimagined snake run.
Sheckler, a three-time X Games gold medalist and four-time Dew Tour champion, has remained a fixture in pro skateboarding since he turned pro in 2003 for Almost. Now 33, the San Clemente native says he is “blessed” to be at a point in his career when he’s still skating professionally but also has the opportunity to mentor and shape the next generation.
“It means everything to me to, one, still be a professional skateboarder, and then two, be in this position where I have so much life experience on and off the skateboard that I can share,” Sheckler said. “The kids seem receptive to what I’m doing and I’m always available to talk to these kids if they need advice or if they’re about to go down a path that they’re not sure of. Chances are I’ve been down that path and I have an answer on how it could turn out. So being in a position to mentor this next generation is huge, and I feel like I’m just barely scratching the surface of what it could turn into.”
It’s been a busy summer for Sheckler, whose career has reached another apex. In July, Red Bull released Sheckler’s first first feature-length documentary, Rolling Away, which includes commentary from Tony Hawk, Paul Rodriguez and Zion Wright. The documentary covers Sheckler’s career highs and lows, from being rejected by the skate community in his teens to multiple devastating injuries, and above all his endless commitment to the sport.
In addition to Rolling Away, Sheckler also released Lifer, a full-length solo video part. Both are available to stream on Red Bull TV.
Sheckler and Sandlot Times also recently unveiled a new Tech Deck collection.
“Starting my own skateboard company is something I’ve always wanted to do, so to be able to do that was incredible and to have kids riding my board when I show up to Woodward is something super special,” Sheckler said.
Receiving a Tech Deck collection is a major accolade in skateboarding. “If you can get a Tech Deck collection or get them to build one of your skateparks or really anything with Tech Deck is an absolute honor,” Sheckler said. “I’ve worked with Tech Deck for many years and had pro skateparks with them and had boards with them for previous companies, but to see my own board company on a Tech Deck and kids playing with it is an absolute blessing.”
Sheckler’s personal life has also reached a high-water mark; he got married in 2022, and he and his wife, Abigail, welcomed their daughter earlier this year.
“For me, it’s everything I could hope for, and I just want to continue to inspire and hopefully be a great role model for my daughter,” Sheckler said.
“As far as my career, I still think about skateboarding all the time, every day. That’s what I do, and my family is super supportive of my career and of skateboarding. Becoming a dad is dope, and still being a professional skateboarder is dope. I plan to just keep moving forward and see where life takes me.”
