Skateboarding Keeps You Young; Julian Etheridge

A cracked rib that punctures a liver. A pro-era contest scene where the most technical skating didn’t always win. A Virginia Beach style that still shows up every time the board hits smooth concrete. We’re sitting down with legendary East Coast skateboarder Julian Etheridge, and the stories go way deeper than a trick list.We talk about where Julian comes from, how he started skating back in 1988, and what it was like growing up in the mini ramp and vert-heavy days before today’s million-dollar skateparks. From first shop sponsors to traveling footage, we connect the dots between Virginia Beach, Florida trips, and eventually landing in Jacksonville. If you care about skateboarding history, East Coast skate culture, and how local scenes actually get built, you’ll feel right at home here.Then we get into the big questions: how competition skateboarding evolved from old-school course runs to modern SLS and park formats, why judging is always subjective, and why the current generation is doing “Tony Hawk Pro Skater” lines in real life. We also keep it real about injuries, aging, and what it takes to stay in skating when recovery becomes part of the routine. And yes, we still make time for our “Is It a Sport” game and a completely unnecessary debate about Taco Town food trucks.If you enjoyed the conversation, subscribe, share it with your skate crew, and leave a review so more skaters can find it. What’s the gnarliest slam you’ve seen someone come back from?