Colin Kennedy

March 05, 2008 @ 4:27 PM

Where are you at the moment?
Miami airport, waiting for my flight back to London.

What have you been up to in Miami?
We’ve been on a Nike SB skate trip for Kingpin Magazine.

You’re the TM for Nike SB UK these days, right?
Yes. Just began taking over that role, cause there’s not really been anyone in place since Nike had a presence in skateboarsding in the UK, so just trying to coordinate the team a little bit, something to do on the side.

This was your first trip as the TM as well as a rider?
Yeah, this is the first trip that I’ve organized and managed and it’s been a success, I’d say. Everyone enjoyed it and there’s not been any problems. And we got a fair bit of footage together.

Why Miami?
Weather and the weak dollar. And the skatespots I guess.

You’d been there before?
I’ve been here once before with Josh Stewart to film for the Static 2 video and only got to spend 3 days in Miami. But from what I saw it seemed like a viable destination for a skate trip.

And did it live up to expectations?
Yeah it did, but at the same time I didn’t really know what those expectations were, so I kind of just went on a wing and a prayer, knowing that the weather would be good and just take it from there. This was actually my first time back in America in four years.

So how was it different being the TM as opposed to a rider?
Well, although I’m the team manager, I’m also a team rider, but this time my responsibilities extended beyond just my personal skateboarding. It puts a whole other slant on a skate trip, cause you have to look after the team and arrange everything and figure out where the spots are and make contact with the locals. And drive. And after you’ve done all that you have to skate yourself as well. The biggest difference was maybe having shot a photo or filmed a line but not being done for the day after that but having to get back into the van and think about where to go next and what everyone else could skate. It’s been tiring, fuck…but interesting. I mean sure I have my job as a rider, but then on trips like this I have to find the balance between my duties to get shit done myself and making sure everyone else gets stuff as well, motivating the team and taking care of everything, basically.

Looking forward to the next trip as a mere professional skateboarder?
Funny, I was just thinking about that. Yeah definitely! We’re probably going somewhere with Blueprint in February so I can just sit at the back of a car, drink beer at the spot, relax a little and concentrate on skating. Ches and Paul will do the driving.

Shier does the driving?
He always drives on trips. He’s a control freak.

Wouldn’t have thought of that somehow.
Serious? He always drives. He loves it. He always has a plan for the day—not just for him, but for everyone, where we can take Mark or Jerome, who could get stuff on a certain spot. And this trip has made me realise how important that is. I see how difficult it is as well. Cause sure, you can have fun on a skatetrip, but when it comes down to it, someone is paying for it and you have to get your job done and get results.

What’s coming up next for you?
Stripping wallpaper in the kitchen. Then all the Christmas nonsense. Then probably another small Nike trip in January, maybe somewhere in Spain…can’t really see beyond that right now, just looking forward to getting home.