Around The Islands
Feature Profile
Thumper Nagasako: The Comeback Kid
Thumper Nagasako is temporarily down, but don't count him out of the hunt for a No. 1 ranking once he takes flight again in 2007.
Currently ranked No. 8 in the world and No. 2 in the United States, this professional vert (short for "vertical") in-line skater is preparing to make his comeback to the sport in May 2007, after taking all of 2006 off to recuperate from a separated right shoulder and broken left wrist.
Vert in-line skating is classified as an action sport because athletes are always at a high risk of injury from the wide array of aerial tricks performed on a 14-by-60 foot half pipe constructed of plywood. Like daredevils flying through the air, vert in-line skaters link together tricks 30 feet above the crowd with no safety net.
You Don't Know What You Got Till It's Gone
"I think when I go back to it I'm going to have so much more motivation and appreciation for it. When you're in something intensely for so long you can't really appreciate it until you step away from it," said Thumper Nagasako, who has been sidelined due to nagging injuries since November 2005." been rollerblading since I was 11-years-old. Half my life I've been rollerblading, and this last year has been bad in a sense that I've been plagued with injuries. But it's been cool because I got to experience a life that I've always been envious of."
On The Bright Side
While recovering from injuries, the Maui-born vert skater has discovered a life outside the world of competition. He is busy attending classes at the University of Hawaii Manoa, and freelancing in videography. "I never knew I'd be going to a university. I thought I'd go to a community college, but never did I imagine going to a university. Just to know that I experienced all this stuff outside of skating has helped me find out who I am. As great as being pro is, and as much as I love traveling and hanging out, my career in videography has just exploded in the last year."
The Comeback, Part I
In 2002 Nagasako was invited to the Action Sports Association (ASA) World Championships as an amateur competitor, but a stellar first place performance catapulted him into the professional ranks. "I won the World Championships, and that automatically turned me pro and qualified me for X Games. That was the best moment of my career because it was just redeeming myself for what happened in 1999."
Tough Times
Looking back at his short career, there was a time when the 22-year-old questioned himself and his future in rollerblading. "Back in 1999 I tried to turn pro and I didn't. I was the most disappointed I've ever been, and there was a period of time when I wasn't sure whether I'd ever skate again," he said. "Pro is a real generic term. It just helps the ASA divide the two classes up into separate tours."
A Select Few
The vert in-line skating industry is a small and select fraternity, made up of about 30 competitors from across the globe. "The industry is small, and everyone has so much to prove because we're all good friends. We cheer for each other, but we want to get our respect at the same time. We're competitive, but we want to see each other do well. You want to place because you belong, not because someone else was unlucky. But in the end, you have to win contests in order to get paid."
A Sprinter Mentality
In a competition, skaters are ranked based on their best score from two 50-second routines. A 50-second routine is so physically demanding that fans don't know how much stamina it takes to complete a run. "All this energy goes into two 50 second routines, it's like a sprint! That's 18 to 20 times back and forth, which is 18 to 20 tricks. You have two and a half seconds between tricks. You have to land so precisely, and you have to mentally not be dizzy to be ready for your next trick. It takes a lot of cardiovascular stamina and a lot of wind to complete a 50 second run. You must keep in mind, before a competition we're skating for two hours just to make sure we got our tricks down."
To be in top form, Nagasako does a lot of running to condition his legs, and he combines his daily workouts with a healthy diet. "My workouts are to prevent me from getting injured. I try not to do a lot of heavy stuff because it's more finesse than power. I'm at the gym everyday for two hours, and I reinforce that by eating right."
Mind Over Matter
According to Thumper, preparation for a competition is more mental than it is physical. "All the training and skating is really about getting yourself ready mentally because it's such a commitment. For me it becomes real mental because I come from Maui, and I go from skating this ramp by myself in a community park to skating in this stadium in front of 10,000 people. Going from here (Maui, Kahului State Park) to there (Staples Center, X Games) isn't so bad now, but before it would be intimidating."
A Little Getting Used To
Growing up on Maui, Nagasako learned to skate the vert ramp on an 11-by-40 foot half pipe at the Kahului Skate Park, which is much smaller in comparison to the 14-by-60 foot monstrosity at X Games. "There is no real standard size. Sometimes they will use a small transition with a lot of vert, other times you'll find a big transition with a little bit of vert. The speed of the ramp depends on the radius. Every ramp is different, and you have to learn to deal with all of these things. You can't let it hold you back!"
Imagine standing two stories in the air as your introduction announcement echoes throughout a jammed packed Staples Center. The crowd erupts and your picture lights up on the Jumbotron. Your heart races at a mile a minute, and you have to remind yourself to take the occasional breath. "When there's a massive ramp there's definitely going to be some nerves. I let go of everything, clear my head, and just breathe. When I first started, I would block everything out, and it was just me and the ramp. As I got better, I stopped doing that. Now I get energy from the crowd, and I feel like it helps me to stay focused."
The Comeback, Part II
Almost four years have gone by, and once again, the Wailuku native finds himself waiting in the wings. Thumper can only hope that his second comeback is nearly as successful as the first. "I think now when I go back to skating it's going to be intense. It's going to be an adrenaline rush, like it should be. I've gained so much more of an appreciation for it, especially after everything I've been through. I can't wait to stand up there before my next run knowing I'm back, skating again. I visualize my tricks so much that when I go back it should all click."
Advice To Teens
In any sport, don't get ahead of yourself. Go for what's within your reach, and what you feel is the next step for you. If it's not fun you're going to get burnt out. When I got into it, I got into it because it was fun. I got into skating because it was something I loved and truly enjoyed doing. I didn't do it because I thought I was going to be pro one day. I just did what seemed sensible at the time."
If Thumper's second comeback isn't as successful as the first, at least he has found satisfaction in other aspects of his life. "I do videography so I'm always editing videos. I make videos for my sponsors, and I enjoy doing that so much I decided that I could probably go into other things besides rollerblading. I've always tried to develop other skills and interests beyond skating. I think it's important to have options in life."
