3rd National Title: Hot Rodders @ Loara

Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) 

Auto Show 2012

Aileen Melendez, Josh Coman, Andrew Romero, Chris Shamtiz, Steven Brown, Coach Russ Baccerala
(not pictured alternate Robert Loera)

THE EVENT

The event itself resembles the tear down between rounds at a drag race. The engines are identically prepared small block Chevy's complete with all the goodies, Edelbrock air cleaners - carbs – aluminum manifolds - heads - water pumps and valve covers, MSD distributors - wires, K&N oil filters, Hedman ceramic headers, TD timing chain covers, Moroso oil pans, ARP head bolts, Fel-Pro/Speed Pro gaskets and components, Melling oil pumps and Royal Purple lubricants. As you can see, we have many companies already involved with this event that show case their products. We have numerous manufactures supporting this program that do not build engine products. These Manufactures show support by sponsoring teams at each event. Students must properly disassemble the engine down to just crank, cam, and block using hand tools only with proper detorque and disassembly procedure. The team then returns behind their work bench, and when approved by the judges, teams begin working to reassemble once again with correct assembly procedure and torque specs, all while being viewed by judges and spectators. Time added penalties are assessed for dropped components, improper disassembly/assembly, poor sportsmanship, etc. All procedural penalties are in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow rule book provided to the High Schools at the start of the school year. The team with the fastest time including penalty minutes wins.

HOT RODDERS OF TOMORROW NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!

Las Vegas NV. - "Showdown at SEMA" is the title of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. This year 13 High School Auto Tech teams competed Oct 29 through Nov. 1, 2012 in the engine teardown and rebuild contest in front of thousands of spectators at the entrance of the SEMA show.

Loara High School Wins Their Third Straight National Championship Title

Team MOTIVE GEAR - Loara High School from Anaheim CA. won the 4th Annual "Showdown at SEMA" their third straight, with the average time of 21:24 minutes. The top three teams were so competitive that they all ended up less than a minute apart! All thirteen teams competing this year did fantastically well with the 13th placed team average being only 33:46!

Event Winners and Wildcard Teams Compete 

The thirteen teams earned their way to the "Showdown at SEMA" national championship. Eight teams by winning their events straight out and five additional teams that had the next best qualifying times in the Nation were invited to compete.

Time Averaged Playoff Format 

During the normal event competitions through the year, all teams compete once. The best time wins the event and that team has the opportunity to compete at SEMA. But during the national championship "Showdown at SEMA" all the teams competed a total of 4 times during the SEMA show starting Monday. At the end of the fourth day each team's highest time was thrown out and the remaining three times were averaged.


The National Champion for 2012 - Team MOTIVE GEAR (Loara High School from Anaheim CA.) was determined the winner with the best average time of 21:24. Trophies and scholarships were given out on Friday morning at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow award presentation.

Second Place - Team ENERGY SUSPENSION - Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Ctr., Choctaw, OK. - Average Time - 21:54

Third Place - Team MR. GASKET - East Ridge High School from Chattanooga, TN. - Average Time - 22:19

Fourth Place - Team AEROMOTIVE – Burton Center for Arts & Technology, Salem, VA.- Average Time - 24:46

Fifth Place - Team MAGNAFLOW - North Orange County ROP, Anaheim, CA. - Average Time - 25:35

Sixth Place - Team ROYAL PURPLE - Elkhart Area Career Center #1 - Average Time - 25:50

Seventh Place - Team ARP- Elkhart Area Career Center #2- Average Time - 25:53

Eighth Place - Team PROFORM - Peach County High School Fort Valley, GA.- Average Time - 26:14

Ninth Place - Team THERMO-TEC –Thomas County Central High School, Thomasville, GA.- Average Time - 27:40

Tenth Place - Team EDELBROCK - Fremd High School, Palatine, IL.- Average Time - 28:50

Eleventh Place - Team HEDMAN HEDDERS - Belvidere North High School, Belvidere, IL - Average Time - 31:04

Twelfth Place - Team MSD - Joliet Central High School, Joliet, IL.- Average Time - 32:31

Thirteenth Place - Team PAINLESS PERFORMANCE - Sequoyah High School, Soddy Daisy, TN.- Average Time - 33:46


1.2 MILLION DOLLARS Awarded to the participants in scholarship money

Three Auto Technological Colleges: 

Ohio Technical College (OTC), 

University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) and 

School of Automotive Machinists (SAM) 

are presenting all the High School students participating scholarship money.

Each College is awarding the following:

$10,000 to each first place team member,

$9,000 to each second place team member,

$8,000 to each third place team member,

$7,000 to each fourth place team member,

$6,000 to each fifth place team member and

$5,000 to each sixth thru thirteenth place team member.

November 1, 2012 Saxon Shield

The Saxon Shield is back, after a few lean budget years and a year where they didn't know the name was the Saxon Shield, the Shield prints it's first issue in years and does so on the 50th anniversary of the school opening.  On November 1, 2012 the following shield went out.

Just a disclaimer, this is not done as a class any longer and the kids do this by their self .  Yes there is an adviser but for the most part it is a true student publication so any typos or not knowing formatting of newspapers needs to be forgiven.  At least for now, it's their first one.  

click here to see issue one November 1, 1962

Saxon Shield / First Edition

I thought about waiting to release the first "Saxon Shield" in a blog because we are working hard at getting together an editor and staff listing of all the Shields that ever were.  But as I look at the calendar I see time is a ticking.

Although I don't see a print date on this first edition of the "Saxon Shield" I'm dating it From October 17, 1962 to November 1, 1962, maybe a 65' alum has clear memories to print date.  You'll notice that this Shield was hand typed and formatted.  It was printed prior to the Student Government elections which are held on November 8, 1962 and you'll notice that the editor in chief happens to be Bob Adler who becomes the first ASB President of the school.

Other staff members on this copy I can read are:

Bob Adler Editor in Chief

Brent Romney: Sports Editor

Steve Milner: Art Editor

Debi Murdoch: Feature Editor

Margaret LaPierre Co editor

Linda Bernard: Social Editor

Let me pull out a few of the articles so you can read them a little better:

SAXONS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

By Debi Murdoch

Debby Arnhardt

Doing a terrific job of leading cheers this year is Debby Arnhardt.  Debby along with being the former head cheerleader, keeps a high scholastic average. Among her favorites Debby names: blue, "Close to Cathy" and Johnny Mathis.  When asked about her favorite food, Debby quickly replied, "Anything." It sounds like she really likes to eat! Debby's most embarrassing moment occurred earlier this year when she walked into the boys' gym by intake.  Since then, though, she seems to have found her way around campus much better. Debby's classes this your include English, Geometry, Gym (of course), Office Practice, Drivers Ed. and French.  She doesn't have a favorite class or teacher. For an ambition, Debby in interested in becoming an English teacher.  This should be quite a chance --- instead of telling us Saxons to yell louder she'll probably have her hands full keeping her class down to a low roar.  Unfortunately, Debby's family is moving to Borneo in about two months.  We'll sure be sorry to see such a loyal and outstanding Saxon leaving.  We all, I'm sure, wish Debby all the luck and happiness in the world.

BANNER CARRIERS CHOSEN

Tuesday, October 16 four banner girls and one baton twirler were picked.  These girls were chosen from twenty other girls to represent our school in parades.  The judges, Miss Malucky and Mr. Marino, decided on these four girls:  Janet Clark, Carol Shaw, Mickey Smith and Carolyn Young.  All girls participating were judged on poise, posture and ability to march to music.  Our only baton twirler, Pat Nannes, was chosen from two other girls on the basis of poise and routine.

(Note: in the 1962 yearbook there appears to be a Marcia Young carrying the letter A, also they list Margery Jo Black as the Drum Majorette.  Many claim this is a picture of Pat Nannes.  As I graduated in 1982 I cannot confirm not deny this claim.  Maybe a member of the original Seaxe can clear up any claims.  Yet another mystery)

October 5, 1989 Lockdown

School Hostage

Whenever you hear about a school shooting you'll always hear Loara's name associated with them.  Early in October, 1989 Loara went on a lock down and the rest was History.  The story made news as fast as it could even without Facebook and Twitter.

Rock Hill Hearld, October 8, 1989

The real story for us was how quickly the school went into safety mode and how our Classified Employees stepped up and became the heroines of the day.  The counseling office was right next door to the room Cory Robb was holding the class hostage and when a kid ran into let the counseling secretary know what was going on Marilyn Erkenbrack stepped into action,  the student that entered was shot, she applied pressure to the wound "there was no time to be scared."  Nancy Snyder the health clerk administered first aid until paramedics arrived.

Although the employees had received no training in dealing with a hostage situation (remember this is pre-Columbine) they had received only training in earthquake and other emergency situations along with first aid training.  We know classified employees are often the first on the scene because they are not inside a classroom with 35 - 40 students under their immediate care.

Cory emulated "Heathers"

After Robb was lead away by police the day man Robert Gallegos secured classroom doors while attendance clerks Sharon Rasmussen and Linda Blain fielded numerous calls from worried parents.  The teachers hunkered down and waited for an all call that things were clear.

School Principal Jerry Glenn later commended the classified employees for their professional manner in which they handled the crisis.

I recall the day like it was yesterday, I was on the campus as a substitute in those days and it was an eye opening experience.  What lingers with me the most though is how it was handled in such a way that students dealt with the issue, faculty and staff handled it professionally and the world continued to rotate.  

Catcher in the Rye, another link

 Although potentially dangerous to all and quite scary we survived what would be a beginning to what becomes a major issue in the coming years ahead ... School violence and School bullying.  Loara seems to have an open policy in regards to student rights, Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation and Nationality.  In the 23 years here I feel that all are accepted here, I am proud to be a part of a school with that kind of acceptance.

The Inside scoop / The game changer

Although this was violence happening upon a campus, this one act brought an awareness of bullying in the late 80's that has become a national awareness of what has been going on behind the scenes for years.  

I'm not sure that anyone at any school has avoided being bullied.  I have worked with many organizations to make Loara a bully free zone.  One of those organizations, Teen Truth, has made a film called "Bully" that has been shown nationally and internationally and has made an impact on schools that many have failed to do.  I truly believe that to end bullying we need to focus on the positive that is going on a campus, to share everyone's story (because it's hard to hate someone once you know their story) and embrace student activities on all levels.  In fact, the California Association of Student Leaders (CASL) is using the theme of "Know the Story, Know the Person"  as their statewide conference theme.

Again, if you've reading these blogs, I bring up an organization that is near and dear to me, California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA), this organization has worked to further developed a program that helps Raise Student Voices, that was brought the them from The National Association of Student Councils (NASC).  Furthermore a group called the Alliance for Student Activities has become an important resource because they are bring to light what seems obvious, that the hidden equation at schools is student activities the x factor, x=student activities.  An involved student is a happy student and one that does well in school.

As October, coincidently, is anti bullying month, we as an ASB or student government want to share a message of love and embrace all that is good at schools, and Loara.  One of my students, Miguel Baligod, found this video on YouTube that I feel needs to be shared.  Although it may support a non profit I'm not fully aware the message of hope is clear and needs to be shared.

Loara is and will always be a Bully free zone.  Together we can end teasing and create a TEASE zone ... To Encourage A Safe Environment.  Let's work together to make Loara a safe, happy and healthy environment to learn.

following are articles found online in regards to the shooting.

Loara High School, Anaheim, California

Thursday, October 5, 1989

15-year-old Cordell "Cory" Robb's father committed suicide. This left the young boy in the custody of his stepfather, who wanted to move the family to San Mateo. Cory did not want leave southern California. He began dropping hints to his friends in the last few weeks that he was planning a violent act to kill his stepfather at school. He told his friends he was going to take the second period drama class hostage until his stepfather arrived, at which point he would kill the man. He showed one his neighbors a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol he had obtained and even gave some of his personal items to his friends. Around 9:30 this morning, Cory entered classroom 77, where the drama class had been focusing on overacting for the past 20 minutes.   He pulled out his pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun and ordered the teacher, Ken Tuttle, to leave. Ken told his students to grab their things and leave, however, Cory pointed one of his guns directly at Ken and said, "I don't think so." Ken then left the room. Many of the students thought Cory was part of the lesson. He sat down on a piano bench, laid out five bullets and unlocked the safety on the shotgun. He made small talk and even offered his captives sips from his can of Coca-Cola. One of the students in the room, Anthony Lopez, also 15, and still believing this to be part of the overacting lesson asked Cory if he could see is gun. Cory said, "No." and pointed his pistol at Anthony and told him to sit down. A few minutes later, after Cory had moved to the back of the room, Anthony and another student went to the front of the classroom where Cory had left the shotgun unattended. Anthony said, "If that is a real pistol then why don't you shoot me?" Cory replied, "If you want me to shoot, then I will." The two boys exchanged curse words for about ten minutes before Cory shot Anthony and wounded him in the jaw. Anthony left the room as the girls were going hysterical from the gunfire. Cory's best friend Mike Berault, 14, convinced him to let the girls leave the room. Cory agreed and the girls left the choir room. Over the next half hour, Cory talked to his mother and stepfather, and police negotiator Steve Stempniak over the phone to bring the hostage situation to a peaceful end. Steve was able to get Cory to surrender without firing another shot. He was taken into custody at 10:10 in the morning. Cory was sentenced to nine years in prison and released when he was 25-years-old.

Source: The Orange County Register - Armed Boy Holds Class Captive- Anaheim Drama Student Shot in Face Before 'Suicidal' 15-Year-Old Gives Up; The Orange County Register - Shooting Victim Thought it Was an Act

Teen-Ager Holds Class Captive at Anaheim School

October 06, 1989|BOB SCHWARTZ and MARIA NEWMAN | Times Staff Writer

A 15-year-old Loara High School student, armed with a shotgun and pistol, walked into a drama class, shot one boy in the face and held other students hostage for more than a half hour Thursday, Anaheim authorities said.

The armed ninth-grader, reportedly beset with family problems, ordered the drama teacher out of the room and later allowed the injured student and terrified female classmates to leave. The student held the rest of the class at gunpoint while talking to police on a classroom phone and then surrendered.

"Who would have thought he was serious?" said the wounded student, 15-year-old Anthony Lopez, interviewed at his hospital bed Thursday evening. "I mean, the guy was calm. He didn't look crazy. . . .

"I asked him whether the gun was for real and then I said if it was real, why didn't he just start shooting."

Lopez was in satisfactory condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange after being shot in the left side of his face. His jaw is shattered, and the bullet is lodged in his neck, said Lopez's mother, Pam Lopez. He is the son of an Anaheim police officer.

Police said the incident began shortly before 9:30 a.m. when the youth, identified by students as ninth-grader Cory Robb, entered the school's choir room where the drama class was being held and ordered the teacher, Kenneth Tuttle, to leave. The teacher tried to take the rest of the class with him, but Robb insisted that Tuttle leave alone, students said.

About 10 minutes later, after firing one shot, Robb allowed most of the girls in the class and the wounded boy to walk out, said Police Lt. Marc Hedgpeth. Police negotiators talked Robb into surrendering about 10:10 a.m.

By the time the police had talked Robb out of the room, word of the hostage situation had spread. Students were lined up to call their parents on the two pay phones outside the school office, and many of the girls were crying.

"My son called me from here and said, 'Get me out of here. There's a shooting going on,' " said Jackie Blacketer, who waited for her son Brian along with other parents who said they had heard word of the shooting on the radio or from friends and neighbors.

Most of the school's 1,600 students remained in class for the rest of the day. Two psychologists were sent to the school to talk to students from the drama class, and three psychologists will be at the campus today, said Anaheim Union High School District Assistant Supt. Lee Kellogg.

Police and school officials provided few details about the incident and what might have led up to it. Family members refused to discuss the incident. Students and parents, some shaken by the ordeal, talked about what they knew of the young man and his problems.

They described the brown-haired freshman as a troubled but friendly youth who fought bitterly with his stepfather and was upset about his family's impending move to Northern California. Several students, some of whom said they have known Robb for years, said Robb had also told them that his father, a Vietnam veteran, committed suicide, although that account could not be confirmed by family members.

Several students said Robb had hinted for the past few weeks that he was planning some act involving weapons and possible violence. But they had not taken him seriously, they said.

Drama Class

Nor did most of the students in the drama class at first take seriously the threat posed by Robb, dressed in jeans and a green T-shirt beneath a red-plaid flannel shirt, when he walked into the ampitheater-style classroom and ordered teacher Tuttle to get out.

Tuttle tried to take some students with him, Pam Lopez said, but Robb would not let him and ordered him to leave again.

The teacher could not be reached for comment.

Tuttle had been teaching the class--in which Robb was not enrolled--about the various parts of a theater stage, students said.

"Everybody thought it was a joke," said ninth-grader Season Rodriguez, who was in the room. "He came in and kicked back, said 'I'm not gonna hurt you, don't worry.' I don't think Cory meant to go in there and shoot anyone."

After Tuttle left, Robb--who police said was armed with a .12-gauge, short-barreled shotgun and a semiautomatic handgun--told the students that they could change seats and sit by their friends if they wanted to, said 15-year-old Matt Grimsley.

"He just kind of screwed around," Grimsley said. "Then he said he wanted to get back at his stepfather."

Anthony Lopez, said Season Rodriguez, mocked Robb, saying, " 'Oh, we've got a suicidal killer on our hands.' " Other students said Lopez told Robb he didn't believe the guns were real.

Robb fired one shot in the classroom of 36 students, hitting Lopez in the face, students said.

"He grabbed his face and fell down by my feet," Grimsley said. "There was blood everywhere. I went to help him, but he (Robb) said, 'Don't move.' "

Larry Lawrence Memorial Senior Circle

The Larry Lawrence Memorial Senior Circle

by Ken Hecker, Saxon Shield Staff, Loara Class of 1966

In the middle of campus are a few bricks and some cement, surrounded by pavers. As of this writing there is still a bronze plaque mounted on a roughly-poured block of concrete near the center of that "circle". It was once a circle, but now, as of a month or so ago, appears more like a hexagon. Half the original bricks are gone, as walls have become a seating area. But let's look back at what this "circle" was, or was meant to be.

Larry Lawrence (Wayne Lowell Lawrence Jr.) was Loara's first Senior Class President. Class of 1965.

He was also an athlete (quarterback and pitcher for the baseball team). Larry was the main force in developing plans for a Senior Circle, an area where Seniors could go to socialize, eat lunch, and study. It would give them something to be proud of, and to look forward to, year after year. 

This overhead view was the original vision for the Senior Circle. Vertical surfaces would be red brick, and it would be raised approximately one and one-half feet above the surrounding pavement, have three ramps up to the center of the Circle, and have raised lawns, trees, and shrubs. In the center would be a fountain. 

It appears that by the end of the 1965 school year, the plans had changed. I suspect that money was the main concern, and so the brick walls were shortened to about one quarter their original length, and the height-above-grade of the Circle decreased to about six inches. Larry seems to have replaced the long brick walls with brick pillars and a chain around the Senior Circle. 

A computer-generated model shows how the original design might have appeared. 

During the summer of 1965, Larry Lawrence died while attempting to save two women, members of a tour group he was with, who were caught in heavy surf off the coast of Italy on June 30th. 

Medaglia D'Argento Al Valore Civile

Fort Rosecrans

At home, shocked Loara alumni and present students were brought together for a memorial service. At the time we were told that Larry's body was never found, but his niece, Erin Armstrong, has told me that he was found four days later. Larry was awarded the Medaglia D'Argento Al Valore Civile, which is Italy's second highest civilian award for bravery. Larry's family was invited to the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C. in the spring of 1966 to accept the award on behalf of Larry. 

Larry is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California. 

Construction began on the Larry Lawrence Memorial Senior Circle in 1965, and was dedicated before Loara's first Homecoming Game. 

ASB President John Longtin presided over the dedication ceremonies. 

John Longtin dedication to Larry Lawrence

Leonard Rumery &
Principal O.G. Thomason

Construction, by L.B. Penhall, continued off and on for several years.

Penhall Trucks hit the campus

Plans were made to replace the fountain at the center of the Senior Circle with a statue of a Saxon.  The class of 1969 proclaimed that they would finish the Senior Circle. Included was a promise to future Seniors of a place of their own. 

It seemed those pesky corner bricks just wouldn't stay put.  (see a few photos down)

In an article from the Saxon Shield from November 6, 1970, we see another promise made to students about the Senior Circle in their future. 

Before the Sammy statue as the Circle was being built.

Late in the 1960s a statue, built under the leadership of Metalshop instructor Ronald Tracy, with help from Loara's Art Department head, Wilber Ahlvers, was finally added. 

Sammy being built

In the early 2000s this was the lovely scene of the Larry Lawrence Memorial Senior Circle. Grass and large shade trees (which a satellite view from 2010 shows were still there). Picnic tables and benches for sitting. The statue, affectionately referred to as "Sammy" standing at the center, behind the bronze plaque that still proclaims the "LARRY LAWRENCE MEMORIAL SENIOR CIRCLE." 

Saxon Shield 11.6.70

Problem was, when the Anaheim Union High School District changed to four year high schools (originally all AUHSD high schools were three year institutions, and junior highs were three years, including Freshmen), there were only three "courts" for students. Where to put the new Freshmen? The school gave them the Circle. 

The Original Concept

What it became, although notice pesky corner bricks not staying (oddly enough a problem that continued.

After Sammy's dedication

Sammy early in the 2000's notice the grass and high walls

Sammy surrounded by pavers, the brick walls are the next to go

The Death of the Senior Circle?

In the spring of 2012 many of the trees on campus were marked for removal. We of the new Loara Saxons Alumni Association were led to believe by the school district that this was simply landscaping. When faculty and students returned from the summer to prepare for the new school year (2013), they found the Circle had lost half its brick, as the walls were turned into support for seating areas. What we'd been told was upgrading of the Circle had turned into the destruction of any personality it had. Areas where trees had been planted were squared off with cinder block to create raised planters, losing any semblance of a "circle." 

Senior Circle September 2012

Brick walls are lowered to create more seating 

What I believe is that the Larry Lawrence Memorial Senior Circle, or as Larry would have expected it to be called, "The Senior Circle" was doomed from the start. It lost its meaning over the years - from our not being able to come up with enough money to build it as large as envisioned (maybe if there had been alumni to help out, it could have happened, but we were the first), to its being placed in the middle of the open area... 

Ariel view after modernization prior to trees being removed in the summer of 2012

(see the tiny circle in the satellite view) of campus, where, after another building was added, it could never be expanded, to the Students of Loara finally coming to a point of not having a clue what it meant to them, or anyone else. 

Now, forty-six years later, all that is left are some bricks, and a bronze plaque with the name of someone no one apparently cares about - except we, the earliest Loara Saxon alumni. 

When Pam Krey attended her first Fall Athletic banquet as Loara's Principal, she found the coaches awarding a trophy named after Mike Carr. Now Mike (class of '65 and a great member of the football team) did die in 1966, but not, as the coaches believed, trying to save two women caught in heavy surf in Italy. They had confused one Loara Saxon with another. Again, no one had a clue. Pam, who had lived it, corrected that immediately, but I have no idea how long it had been going on. Now I'm told that journalism students have never heard of the Saxon Shield, which hopefully will be revived this year. 

How would Larry Lawrence feel about all this? He'd probably say "It's their school, let them decide." And he'd be right. This is a school district which shows more pride in a high percentage of its students qualifying for the Assisted Lunch Program than in traditions that keep a school strong. 

I've coined an expression. It goes like this: "Tradition is something to add to, not replace." Sadly, the Senior Circle has been replaced with a seating area. Next! 

(note: this was written by a graduate of Loara High School, I did not edit the document in opinion, feeling or tone)

Neil Blender

Saxon Shield February 17, 1981

Saxon skates towards success

The more I dig through the History of Loara I find alumni that are doing some amazing things.  However this one is closer to me because I went to school with Neil Blender (class of 81).

Neil skated in parks like the Concrete Wave, Skatetopia, Big O Skate park and back yard pools.  Soon after Neil's senior year he went pro.  Brad Jackman (class of 81) also was influential in the skate world and got Neil introduced to the team Powerflex which led to Neil's road to success.

Our very own Saxon Shield on February 17, 1981 did an article on Neil just prior to him going pro.  In the Article they write of the old skate parks, punk bands, and art.

During Neil's skateboarding career he felt that the sport of skateboarding had changed (see interview below) so he turned to designing skateboard and working on his art and photography.

Neil Blender original

Today if you Google Neil Blender there are an over flow of article praising Neil Blender and the athlete he is.  From Thrasher Magazing to Transworld Skateboarding all seem to have a respect for Neil in the industry that makes me proud that his was and is a Saxon.  Also you will get a glimpse at his art of skateboards and the art he puts on canvas.

Articles on Neil Blender

The 30 Most INFLUENTIAL Skaters of All Time

by Transworld Skatboarding Magazing

Neil Blender / Transworld 12.11.12

In their 30 Anniversary edition, December 20, 2011, Transworld Skateboarding Magazine decided to chose the 30 most influential skaters of all time.  Neil Blender was number 19.  On the website they posted the picture you see on the left and this was the caption under the photo: 

He was one of the first guys to draw his own graphics. He was the first one to give tricks different names. He was our ringleader. Neil’s myth is more hidden and harder to find, but there would be no Mark Gonzales without Neil Blender.

***

NEIL BLENDER INTERVIEW
By Transworld
Tue, Dec 21 1999

Not only was Neil Blender a skateboarder, but in the early and mid 1980s, Neil was skateboarding. An artist, a creator, a laugher at people, a namer of tricks, he made skateboarding fun in the lean years before the boom of the late 80s. He opened the door for the skater/artist, who, to this day, keep skateboarding as much a lifestyle as a sport.

But change is constant, and to Neil’s dismay skateboarding’s direction turned toward hot pink, then gigantic clothes, then hip-hop music, and Neil wasn’t having any part of it. Sometime in the late 80s, he stepped away from the spotlight, but he didn’t abandon it completely, doing artwork and mindwork for Ohio’s Alien Workshop, skateboarding on his own time, and probably laughing whenever possible.

What was your favorite year and why?

That’s hard to know. I don’t know the years that much. Probably the sponsored years–’80 to ’86–just because you get flowed free shit and you’re already stoked on what you’re doing, so it just makes it easier.

What did you think of contests?

They were good at first–getting to go around to places and experience everything. After a while, it kind of wears on you.

Who’s been your biggest inspiration?

That’s a weird question–a lot of people I guess. When we first started skating, it was just whoever was older and better. People like Ray Rodriguez and Alan Gelfand. Any of those good guys who did tricks and you were just in awe, who you’d see photos of and stuff. It’s weird. Andrecht, Caballero. Eddie Elguera–he was like a guy to be like. Chris Strople was, too. He was a sketcher. And Duane Peters, he was hot.

What’s the stupidest trend you saw skateboarding go through?

Mixing rap in with it. The mixture of rap and skateboarding is pretty dumb. Freestyle (laughter). Street freestyle is what the modern shit is. That’s kind of dumb. Too much inconsistency can be really annoying.

What do you feel your biggest contribution to skateboarding was?

I don’t even know.

I was thinking about it, and I think the artwork.

Simple cartoon graphics?

Yeah. And art being done by the skaters themselves. You kind of set that whole thing up. And then the tricks you did, too, they were just a little off. There’s a picture here of a contest, and you’re doing a rocket air over this wooden hump.

Something that probably wasn’t makeable.

And then your ramp inside the house.That was Stacy’s idea.

You can’t think of any contributions you gave to skateboarding?

No. I just skated … did my part.

Did you get disillusioned with the whole pro scene?

It was mentally hard. You can only do so much.

Did it cease to be fun?

Kinda. The pain of putting on pads and everything smelling like shit all the time. Actually, ammonia. That was depressing. But if things were set up right … the Del Mar Keyhole would be fun. But only at night.

Have you been skating?

A little bit. I tried to skate those parks–the new ones they’ve built.

Did you go to the one under the bridge in San Diego?

Washington? Yeah. I rode around in that thing. There wasn’t much there when I went. I went to Carlsbad and Vista–Vista’s fun, you can cruise more there. At Carlsbad you run into dead ends. You’re doing a line, and there’s this one spot where you’ll ride right over the stairs if you’re not looking. Have you seen that?

Describe the current state of skateboarding.

It just seems like a bunch of video kids. It doesn’t seem like there’s much feeling coming out of it.

Do you think they’re skating for personal freedom, to show people up, or “look at me”?

Maybe a little of everything. All their clothes, and chain wallets, and shit, I just don’t understand. But that’s what will happen. MTV. Everything’s open for attack. Kids are really mean, and they don’t respect anyone very much.

What do you think about the pro side of skateboarding?

I don’t know about it.

It seems like in the 70s and 80s there were more characters, people had more personality, and it didn’t seem so robotic.

Yeah. It seems more cloned right now. It’s weird–all these handrails and stuff.

What are your predictions for skateboarding’s future?

I thought it was going to be dead years ago, but it’s not. It just changed its mold. Maybe there’ll be some hotter stuff. I’d like to see some slide-and-roll parks being made specifically for sliders–boards with no wheels. Picture roller-coaster tracks, and you’d just show up with a deck with rails on it, set it on the tracks, and pump through this weird roller coaster course. That’d be fun.

Neil Blender today

Oh yeah! I was thinking about the future: In malls, restaurants could all face toward the middle where there would be skate trannies that go up over windows. People would eat, and skaters would be hired to come in and skate in different shifts–two to four, six to seven. The skaters are pros, and they get paid, and everyone shows up at these modern, indoor malls. I picture it happening in Japan.

That’s kinda like Vans skatepark in Orange.

Yeah, but I’m picturing it more personal. The people are in a restaurant, and there’s like …

It’s like a dinner theater.

Yeah. Tony Jetton doing a f–kin’ loop!

That sounds good to me. And then, after that, you could shoot at the skaters. Or they’d ride over and you tuck a little dollar bill into their underwear.

They could skate in G-strings.