Zach Doelling took an unusual path to becoming a pro skater.
He first gained attention by posting skate clips and tutorials on YouTube, a platform many in the skate world never considered a serious route to recognition.
What started as casual uploads eventually built an audience large enough to catch the eye of Powell-Peralta, who have now officially added him to their pro team.
Within core skateboarding, YouTubers have long been dismissed as outsiders as some core heads think they are cringe and not real pros.
For the core community who came up through the traditional path, seeing someone elevated from YouTube to pro status feels undeserved. To them, influencer culture does not carry the same authenticity as paying dues in the streets.
Despite that backlash, Doelling’s work ethic and creativity are difficult to ignore. He has consistently shown commitment to skating and connected with a wide audience in ways traditional media no longer reaches.
Powell Peralta’s decision shows they still respect where skateboarding came from but are also open to where it is going.
By giving Doelling a spot, they’re admitting that new platforms matter while still holding onto their reputation as one of the most iconic names in skateboarding.
It shows that skateboarding does not have just one way in anymore. Having his name on a Powell Peralta board proves that real commitment can come from unexpected places, even if some people in the scene are not ready to accept it.
Doelling Posted:
"Thank you for the opportunity Powell Peralta. There are no words to fully express what this means to me, even if I tried. So I just want to say thank you. These special people are the reason this happened and I owe them the world.
Thank you - Matt, Ryan and Dave; The Gandara Family; Steve, Geoff, Casey, Sam, Cris, Chris, Seth, Josh and all of the Hill Park locals; Escapist, Studio & Switch and all of their riders past and present; Guy, Bill, Ricky, Eric and all of the Dwindle crew; Daxter, Will, Chad, Kevin and all of the 224 Media crew; George, Billy, Stacey, Deville, Miciah, Justin, Andy and all of the Skate One crew; Dan, Dale, Nigel, Sebas, Wes, Drew, Ryan, Victor, Henry, Destin, Aldric, Spencer, Michael, Harrison, Jake, Hoops, Bruno, Luke, and everyone who has helped me film and shoot tricks over the years; All of the Powell Peralta team past and present who continue to inspire me when we skate; All of the Fallen Footwear team who continue to push me to want to be my best, skating with the legends I looked up to as a kid will always be so special to me; Fallen, Bones Bearings, Arcade Belts, Powell Peralta Skate Shop, Brunswick Grip tape, Independent Trucks, Dragon Wheels; All of the skate shops out there, supporting skateboarding - you are the cornerstone of this all; My family back in Missouri; And so so many more people, you all know who you are and I am grateful you’re in my life."