ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

Jack , just one thing comes to my mind:

worldwide coverage

Leo

Great idea! That will become a very big book though. We have had the idea of the same thing but just around slalom skateboarding and doing it here on the forum. It's a huge task and something that changes all the time. That's why I have personally thought that a live encyclopedia on the internet is better. But if someone is ready to support a book, why not. One could even imagine the two ways side by side like many of the ordinary ones. The skate profiles are a first step on this forum towards that. Others will come.

Jack,

This is great news! This project has been on my mind too for more than 10 years. I really thought I was going to do it too and somewhere in my archives I have some outlines that I started to sketch out at the time.

My only concern at the time was how to limit the contents not to fill up as many volumes as an ordinary encyclopedia.

Sadly enough, I no longer dream of doing it. I changed my mind a couple of years ago when I realized that the sport I love is not really the same any more, or rather that the way "the kids" look at skateboarding might not be the same as the way I look at skateboarding.

You are certainly a good choice of author for this book as you have enjoyed skating with many generations of skateboarders and seen the various trends in this industry and still stayed active and in touch with the different aspects of the sport. With you as author I feel reassured that the sport will get the multi-faceted coverage it deserves.

Congratulations!

/Jani

Hello Everyone,

I have entered into an agreement with a major publishing company to write "The Encyclopedia of Skateboarding."
The book will contain entries on skateboarders, equipment, events, contests, parks, skate spots and other facets of skateboarding.

I would like to invite all of you to email me your suggestions of what you would like to see included based on the categories above.

I am very excited about this project, I have wanted to do this for many years. And, now I have been presented with the opportunity to chronicle the sport/lifestyle that all of us love.

Thanks for your support.

Sincerely,
Jack Smith