I often refer to certain aspects of my skating as my favourite part, or the thing i like best, but the truth is there are so many epic things i love about skateboarding. One thing that has always stood out to me is the diversity of people that make up the longboarding community. It amazes me how longboarding has a way of drawing genuinely good people to it. Most people involved are genuinely fully stoked and very accepting toward newcomers. It doesn't take long and you are soon part of the family. Once part of the Australian community, travelling throughout the country and overseas is made a lot easier due to the welcoming nature of the extended family. People's willingness to go out of their way to help a skater from out of town is common practice . Attending events is a great way to meet new people and an even better way to progress your skills. Learning from others and just being a part of it gets you skating better a lot quicker than going it alone. There are groups of skaters in most local areas that you can hook up with for sessions. There are a lot of events that suit skaters of all ages and skill levels. If you do turn up to an event and feel out of your depth, there is never any pressure to perform. Riding at your own ability is respected and everyone is there to firstly have fun. There are also the occasional intuitive day, sometimes referred to as grom schools. Keep your eyes on ASRA,its like a longboarders calendar, it keeps you up to date with what is on and when. If you are thinking of getting more involved, feel free to approach myself or anyone else from the hopkin racing team for a chat and some tips or advice or call in to the shop, the staff and team are happy to have a chat. The same can be said for most of the people i have met while being involved with skateboard racing. Not only is it a great and exciting sport, its full of down to earth people with a common passion for having fun on skateboards with a strong emphasis on safety.