EDINA, Minn. — With the Olympic Games underway in Tokyo, we wanted to give everyone a feel for some of the newer sports in the world competition.
Enter KARE 11 Sunrise's very own Guy Brown, who's up for whatever is thrown his way.
In the first edition of "Guy's Games," he traveled to Edina to the Help Boardshop for some skateboarding lessons.
Johnny Nelson was Guy's guide at the indoor skatepark, showing him the ins and outs of the rails and drop-in ramps.
"I mean there's always two sides to skateboarding. Like there's the artistic side of it and there's the competitive side of it," Nelson said.
Even with a fresh pair of kicks, Guy said he hadn't been on a board in about a decade, so for him the day was a little less than artistic.
But after a little practice, Guy was able to land a trick!
When asked how he felt about skateboarding becoming an Olympic event, Nelson affirmed that he thought it was rad to see some of the best talent perform on the world stage.
But for Nelson, and many other skaters, riding a board isn't just about getting around or showing off your skills.
"Skateboarding was my escape. It was my place to get out and I found a lot of really solid community," Nelson said. "People that cared about me and eventually it just kind of became my passion."
That kind of passion is what all Olympic skateboarders need to carry them through to the gold.