The non-profit organization, Guam Skate Network, is spearheading Guam's very first Olympic Skateboarding team. KPRG's Mia Perez reports on this journey and what's to come.
TRANSCRIPT
HOST/NAINA RAO: Guam’s skateboarding community has long been fueled by DIY spirit and grassroots resilience. But now? That energy and drive has taken shape as Guam’s first Olympic Skateboarding Federation. KPRG’s Mia Perez has more on their journey.
BYLINE/MIA PEREZ: The Guam Skate Network, or GSN, is a group of local skateboarders who found one another through their drive to repair the skate parks on the island. Avery Tyquiengco is GSN’s Secretary General.
AVERY TYQUEINGCO: And instead of continually complaining we actually formed a group to address the problems proactively.
PEREZ: Now, they’re officially recognized by the Guam National Olympic Committee. But how did they get there? It started with a simple wish for lights at the skate park.
TYQUIENGCO: And kind of just, “Dude wouldn’t it be cool if they put lights here?” And it was like, yeah it would be, maybe we should do something about it. And then we started calling other people and in doing so, I actually found an interview with Clayton Duvall and I was like, wow hey! This guy also advocate for lights just like how we are trying to advocate for our own lights.
PEREZ: Clayton Duvall is GSN’s President.
CLAYTON DUVALL: Us and the community wanted to form together and becoming a non-profit organization was our primary goal.
PEREZ: That turned into strategy. They got organized, became a nonprofit, and more skaters got involved– including Terence Siongco.
TERENCE SIONGCO: Initially, as a kid I always dreamed about it, about being a part of a team, at least for Guam. And I believe Guam has that potential as well.
PEREZ: Today, Siongco, who’s VP of GSN, teaches youth classes every weekend and is seeing that dream passed down.
SIONGCO: There are a lot of kids who are interested in skateboarding, but when they bring it up to their parents, the parents wouldn’t know how to approach it. So that’s why for us to be there and to be heard, they know where to go and where to ask questions.
PEREZ: And while they’ve now been accredited as a sports federation, there are still requirements to be met for the Olympic path. Giacomo Turrini, G-S-N’s Treasurer, says that includes finding qualified judges and certifying them, holding island-wide competitions, and training a team that can represent Guam at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
GIACOMO TURRINI: We have to meet those officiating and reffing and judging guidelines. The simple fact is we are a very new organization and we're establishing ourselves.
PEREZ: They’re so new that they’re still waiting for tax exemption approvals from Gov Guam and the IRS, so they can’t deal with anything funding-related.
TURRINI: We have to check off a lot of boxes, we have to get officiating training you know things like refereeing, we have to have coaching training, we you know we we have to organize even more so you know.
PEREZ: But to offer young skaters a global platform is worth the challenge for Turrini.
TURRINI: Part of our organization's mission is to really shine bright the resiliency in an individual. And with skateboarding, it does that. It is an activity that brings forth the best in an individual, and that is why it’s recognized as part of the Olympic community.
PEREZ: GSN is turning the page on Guam’s skateboarding story. The next big step is GSN’s competition on National Go Skate Day, June 21st. It all leads to the national finals in December, where one skater will be crowned Guam’s first champion as a representative for the island at the Olympics. For KPRG’s Current Perspectives, I’m Mia Perez.
KPRG News transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a KPRG contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of KPRG's programming is the audio record.
