A Local Pro Skateboarder Chasing A Life Long Dream
Rich Monday started skateboarding at the young ripe age of 7 years old in 1974. By the age of 10 years old in 1977, his skateboarding talents had increased dramatically and his mother and grandmother noticed these changes and the magnetic attraction Rich Monday had with his skateboard. On Rich's birthday he received 2 professional model skateboards and little Rich Monday fell in love with the one name Z-Flex, Jay Adams Model. Little Richie loved Jay Adams and the Z-Boyz and copied their moves at the local park The Heat Wave.
The Heat Wave skate park was an easy decision for Richie's grandma to make when deciding where to have Rich stay during the busy times of each day, so The Heat Wave skate park became Rich Monday's concrete babysitter and everyday this concrete babysitter would watch over little Richie as Richie would make use of every inch of this massive skateboard dream spot.
Rich Monday's talents were raging and his mother who had one a law suit over a liability case was at the perfect time, so Rich Monday persuaded his mother to build a half pipe ramp of his own in their back yard and this was done over a period of a month, costing nearly $20,000. Word spread around of this big back yard skateboard ramp and the top skaters from all over the state of California came to spend some time on Rich's half pipe. Rich and his friends were the obvious elite skateboarders in Northern California and they began to broaden their experiences by traveling themselves to neighboring skateboard ramps and skateboarding with the states best of the best.
The southern California skate scene was hot in the 1980's and several new skateboard parks wee popping up and drawing in big crowds. Skateboard parks were gaining popularity again, but only in the southern part of the state, like in Upland and Del Mar. Professional skateboarding and put on a new face and the talent was tight. big name sponsors took young skaters and paid them salaries to ride their products, just like the Dogtown days of the 1970's. Legends were being built in all meanings of the word, but the northern California skateboard kids were hand picked and only a few with money and talent received an opportunity to make their dreams come true. These hard facts bother Rich Monday and his skate friends. Although, road trips were made to San Diego and Southern California areas, the money was tight and sleeping on the beach and at girls apartments was becoming a hard task for the Norcal boys.
Rich Monday landed a sponsor from a Santa Cruz surf shop, but they only helped with small things regarding travel. The decision was made after a long discussion with Rich Monday's then fiance Melody to quit junior college early and move to Southern California to make a last attempt at being a pro skateboarder. His shining moments were in the late 1980's and early 1990's was when he qualified for the Powell Pow Wow Pro Contest in San Diego CA. This led to a 2 year contract skating as a pro demo rider for the Vans Shoe Team.
