Baker Skateboards boss Andrew Reynolds was quite frank about how he feels about skateboarding in the Olympics.
Reynolds has been competing in skating contests since he was young, skating in the streets or small shop contests, up until he joined X Games 13, where he annihilated a frontside flip to lipslide on a massive handrail.
He has always been into competitive skating but was never a fan of skaters wearing uniforms, as he believes it takes away creativity and individuality.
Since skateboarding is about self-expression, the freedom to skate any spot, and rebellion, The Boss still thinks contests are okay, as they have been a part of skateboarding since the '80s.
In an interview with Tripping TV, he was asked how he feels about skateboarding being on the big stage at the Olympics - whether it would change everything or actually help skateboarding itself.
"I don't think it will change much because, like with everything - music, art, and skateboarding - there's always that raw side and a really clean side, you know?" he said. "There's pop music on the radio, and there's metal or some hip-hop that came from the streets, you know what I mean? So there's both sides. I don't think that will change."
The Boss also sees the Olympics as just another big contest, like any other skate competition, but with more corporate influence. "If you like it or are good at it, then do it," he said.
He added, "Personally, I like to watch guys that look like Figgy, not guys that are going to be wearing a uniform, but that's just me."
The 46-year-old also explained that skateboarding is much more of an art form than other sports since it’s not about a team. Despite having homies and sponsored teammates, at the end of the day, it’s still just you and your board.
In skateboarding, you can dress however you want, choose the tricks you want to land, skate any spot, and have a filmer capture your clips exactly how you envision them. It’s about creativity and personal expression.
"It's more like recording an album with music," Reynolds explained. "This is me, this is what represents me, this is what I'm all about. It's not much like a team sport because team sports are more organized - you have your own uniform, there's a coach, and there's a plan."
At the end of the day, Reynolds isn’t here to tell anyone what to do - he just knows what skateboarding means to him. For The Boss, it’s always been about individuality, creativity, and the raw expression that makes skateboarding more than just a sport.
While he respects contests and even the Olympics as just another stage, the idea of skaters suiting up in uniforms doesn’t sit right with him.
And honestly, that perspective speaks to the heart of what skateboarding has always been - a place where style, personality, and freedom matter more than just medals.