3:08PM – BONDI JUNCTION – SYDNEY
What’s happening Cody?
I’m just at work at STM (Skate shop) in Bondi Junction, I’m just waiting to get a bunch of parcels picked up right now, so I’m all good to chat.
Perfect! Would you rather chat skateboarding or golf?
Let’s go with a bit of both
Do you share the passion for both equally?
Yeah, I guess. I mean golf is just something I do and something I’ve always had in me. My Grandma and Grandpa use to give me their old clubs and were always like “C’mon. Go play, go play!”. But I was more in to skating, but as I got a bit older and had a bit of money. It gave me a chance to get out and play a bit more golf and hopefully, I’m doing my Gran and Pa proud. They’d be hyped. I wish I’d actually got to play some golf with them, but I was too young at the time and you don’t really think of all that stuff when you’re 10 years old.
What was the original appeal that got you hooked on skateboarding?
The first time I ever saw a skateboard was when I met these two young Lebanese kids in my street and they had a skateboard and were riding it near their garage. I think I was about eight at the time and I stood on it to have a go, and I instantly fell off, hit my head and had to get stitches. But I still ended up getting one that Christmas and it just went from there. I never saw those two guys ever skate again come to think of it. After that I would just hang at Vert-X all the time, cos it was about a minute from my house. I quit playing soccer and just started skating Vert-X every Saturday and Sunday.
Let’s not beat around the bush, word on the street is that you are more than an accomplished golfer… A recent victory is perhaps the best way to describe that to the folks reading this?
Well, I won my club championship. Every year the club you’re a member of has a club champions and I won the top-grade in my club. I guess you could say that means I was the best golfer in my club this year. I had to beat about 10 other dudes to get it done.
Congrats.
Thanks, I was pretty happy with it.
What was the prize?
I only won $200, but it’s more the rep that goes with it. You get your name up on the board and get awarded a trophy at the presentation night. I had my Grandpa there walking around watching me on the final day too – so that was great.
Let’s just do a little comparison on your $200 prize purse, what would a top grade pro make for a win?
If it’s the majors or a comp like that, I think they’re getting about 4 million! That’s not even going in to what their sponsors are paying them on top of that. But that really is on a whole different level, like some Nyjah shit! There’re just crazy freaks now that have been playing since they were eight.
“…my first time skating in the city was also the first time I’d worn jeans. I don’t even know what I would have worn before that, probably my LITTLE soccer shorts…”
When did you make the jump from skating close to home at Vert-X and start heading in to Sydney’s CBD?
I would have been about 13. Jai Smith worked there and he ended up taking me under his wing. He said he’d take me in to the city skating, but that I had to wear jeans [Laughs]. I got a box off Juice clothing and that had a my first pair of jeans in there, so I rocked up to Padstow station and Jai was like “Holy shit, you actually wore jeans!”. Yeah, so my first time skating in the city was also the first time I’d worn jeans, I don’t even know what I would have worn before that. Probably my little soccer shorts! [Laughs] We skated around Cannonball and all that stuff and that was it. I pretty much only went to the city from then on in.
Tell about going to the States and hanging out with Dane (Burman)…
When I went over there last time, I told him a week before when I was going to arrive. I got to the airport, got some wi-fi and called him and he was like “Fuck, you’re here already? I thought it was next week!”. So, I waited there a while, then he picks me up, we drive back to his place which took a while because there was quite a bit of traffic and almost as soon as we get there he says “Oh, I gotta go back to the airport to pick up Jake (Hayes)” So, we jump straight back in the car and drive back there again! When I see Jake, I haven’t seen him in ages, so I give him a hug, then the next person that rocks up leans in through the passenger window and says “Hey! What’s up? I’m Andrew!” and it was Reynolds!
The Boss-man himself!
How fucked up is that? I get to the States and literally the first person I meet is Andrew Reynolds! So that was pretty outrageous, just sitting there star struck, while he tells us how much Jake killed it on the Baker trip.
Would it be true to say Dane is one of your biggest fans?
[Laughs] Well, he’s definitely a good, good friend. He looks after me so much, as a friend he’ll do anything for you, pull you in to line and always take your call. Some people think he’s mean, but he just speaks the truth. He’s just solid as a person.
You just did a trip to China with him right?
Yeah, we had to share a little futon every night. But it was chill, we just snuggled and watched King of The Road! (Laughs)
You had a solid crew on that trip…
Yeah, it was so good, just all best mates… You know what’s funny, I have mates who have grown up and have jobs and make money now and they’ll hit me up and like “Hey let’s all go snowboarding this weekend, get all the boys together for the first time in ages, drive 5 hours to the snow, it’ll be the best!” and all I can think is that I’ve been lucky enough to be doing that every single weekend since I was 13, just going in to the city and hanging out with my mates all day, every day. There’s nothing better than that…
