Wildrose Arts

CONNAR HOTLE

[TRACK 1]

 

A J CREEDY:

So it was Connor?

 

CONNAR HOTLE:

Yes.

 

AJC:

We’ve got Connor here who’s a local Hebden Bridge skateboarder. Hello.

 

CH:

Hello.

 

AJC:

So what is it you like about skateboarding?

 

CH:

It’s fun, it gives me something to do….that’s pretty much it.

 

AJC:

Fair enough, that’s okay. And what kind of skating do you like doing best?

 

CH:

Well I’ve pretty much just started, so just flat ground.

 

AJC:

Till you just get used to it?

 

CH:

Yeah.

 

AJC:

What skills do you think you need to be a good skater?

CH:

Balance…….co-ordination…..

 

AJC:

Fair enough. That covers quite a lot of it. What skate parks have you been to already then?

 

CH:

Just this Hebden one….I’ve been to Hyde but not skated it, just been on it, and seen pictures of other places but…yeah

 

AJC:

So, which one’s do you think’s the best out of the ones you’ve been to?

 

CH:

…..Hyde probably, cos it’s big, there’s like lots to do on it

 

AJC:

What do you make of the local skate park in Hebden Bridge?

 

CH:

It’s small and then there’s bikes on it so you can’t really do anything….yeah, you can’t really do very much without being…..having to wait for ages, so it needs to be a bit bigger.

 

AJC:

Fair enough. What about plus points for Hebden Bridge’s skate park?

 

CH:

It’s a good place to meet up and do stuff together with people….and yeah, it’s just a big chilling place.

 

AJC:

Fair enough. Nothing wrong with that….so here’s a weird one. Do you think skateboarding should be an Olympic sport?

 

CH:

….Yeah. You could have…..snowboarding’s one isn’t it, so it’s like that but with more tricks and stuff…..so yeah, it should be

 

AJC:

So you think it would be good for skateboarding to be Olympic and out there?

 

CH:

Yeah.

 

AJC:

Would you say there’s a good skateboarding crowd?

 

CH:

Yeah, there’s a mixture of people so it’s not really one type of people, it’s like a whole range of community.

 

AJC:

Fairly eclectic mix then of people and styles. Are there any rules or conventions to skateboarding that you’ve noticed?

 

CH:

No….just do what you want really.

 

AJC:

There’s no unwritten rules or anything like that, or…

 

CH:

Not that I know of.

 

AJC:

Okay, that’s fair enough. What about famous skateboarders; have you got any famous skateboarders you particularly like or teams?

 

CH:

Probably just DC cos….I like the group and they’re good, so….

 

AJC:

That’s fair enough. What other things do you do when you’re not skating?

 

CH:

Sit on my computer or go to school,so…

 

AJC:

What kind of things do you do on the computer?

 

CH:

Facebook [laughter]

 

AJC:

It’s pretty popular at the moment! You don’t have a job then?

 

CH:

No, I need a job, but….yeah, don’t have one, so…

 

AJC:

Fair enough. It gives you plenty more time to be on Facebook! How often do you go skating and when you do, how long is a session, on average?

 

CH:

Probably most days….it depends if it’s dry or wet

 

AJC:

Oh there is that, yeah.

 

CH:

Yeah, it just like depends what it is as well. If it’s like a school day, then it’s just like a couple of hours, but if it’s like a weekend, then I’ll probably just go all day with some of my mates.

 

AJC:

So you’re down all day skating?

 

CH:

Yeah.

 

AJC:

Cool. What about music? What kind of music do you like and….or maybe skate videos?.....Any particular favourites of yours?

 

CH:

Hip-hop probably in music, like rapping and drum and bass is good….my favourite skate video is Bristol Spineless cos there’s a load of good skate spots in Bristol, and then….yeah, I like that video.

 

AJC:

Have you skated in Bristol?

 

CH:

No, but I might be moving to Bristol soon, so…..yeah, I might skate it.

 

AJC:

There’s your opportunity! [laughing]. Do you have any footage of yourself on the internet?

 

CH:

No, I’ve never been filmed or anything, I’ve just started, so…..

 

AJC:

So the time is yet to come.

 

CH:

Yeah.

 

AJC:

Okay, well thanks very much Connor, and I will see you, take care mate, thank you.

 

CH:

Cheers.

 

[END OF TRACK 1]