Whether he is ripping or just spot lurking with the boys, Sam Hatten shocks life into every session with his never-ending smiles and electric hype. Sam has been especially active as of late, clocking clips and learning tricks.

What’s under the hood?
Right now I’m riding the 8” Grief, 149 Thunders, and some Spits.

Early training grounds?
Shoot, I spent a lot of time skating around the neighborhood of Mullenix (in Port Orchard) as a kid. We would find whatever to skate and build obstacles out of plywood, crates, and whatever else we could find (laughs). I also skated at Discovery Elementary (also in Port Orchard) a lot when it rained.

Nollie or fakie?
Nollie.

All-time favorite part?
Damn, that’s a tough one. Probably Mike Mo’s part in Fully Flared. Although I watched Antwuan Dixon’s Baker 3 part and Wade Desarmo's part in Parental Advisory countless times.

Why skateboarding?
I don’t know. I’m about to quit (laughs). Nah. I think I got hooked when I first stepped on a board because of how challenging it is and how sick it felt to learn and land a new trick. Great training for the mental and physical, too. I also really love the social aspect of skateboarding.

Hobbies outside of skating?
I’ve been doing bonsai for the last five years. Lots of patience is involved in that. I also play lots of Counter-Strike (laughs).