Let’s be honest. Skating is in the hands of a younger generation now, and they’re not just keeping up.
They’re doing things that older pros never had the chance to try. With better access to parks, videos, and information, these kids are developing serious skill at a younger age.
They’re faster, cleaner, and taking more risks. The level of talent keeps rising, and it’s becoming clear that the spotlight is shifting.
Former professional skateboarder and three-time X Games gold medalist Chris Senn has been around long enough to see that shift. As one of the rawest skaters of his era, Senn always brought an unfiltered perspective to skateboarding. That hasn’t changed.
Recently, after we reported on Mike Carroll speaking about parting ways with Brandon Biebel from Girl Skateboards, Senn decided to weigh in.
And oh boy, he sure didn’t sugarcoat anything.
“If you're over 35, you're not pro anymore. Let’s be real. Get off the way and let the youth have their turn,” Senn said.
For him, being a professional is more than having your name on a board or still skating in your forties. It’s about being the one that younger skaters look up to, the one leading the charge and setting the standard. When that stops, maybe it’s time to accept that things have moved forward.
“You may sell boards or shoes or energy drinks, video games or whatever,” he added. “But the talent and the future is in the kids coming up.”
That doesn’t mean people over 35 should quit skating. But it does question the idea of still being labeled as pro when you’re no longer progressing at the highest level. In Senn’s view, that space should be earned, not just kept out of nostalgia.
“No one is interested in 40-plus-year-olds doing slappys and nollie flips on hips,” he said. “Stop lying to yourself.”
At the same time, there’s another side to this conversation.
As we previously reported, Paul Rodriguez has been vocal about how robotic some of the newer skating looks.
In his words, there are too many flip-ins and flip-outs, and not enough style. That feeling of individuality, that rawness, can get lost in a sea of perfection.
While the youth are definitely taking things further, not everyone sees their rise as flawless.
Still, there’s no doubt that younger skaters are gaining attention fast. They’re dropping video parts that make people stop and watch twice. They’re learning quicker and going bigger. That kind of momentum needs space to grow.
Senn isn’t bitter. He’s just being honest. The next generation is ready, and they’re already raising the bar. Skating keeps moving. Senn is just saying it might be time to move over.