Francis Lavallée

Profession: skateboarder!

Skateboarding is far more than a hobby for Francis Lavallée, Freestyle Skateboarding champion. Chrome caught up with him, and here's what he had to tell us.

Video demonstration

Hi Francis, can you explain freestyle skateboarding to us?
It's done on a flat surface, without modules or ramps and was one of the first skateboarding styles to emerge, but it became less popular in the 80s when street came on the scene. But interest in freestyle has grown over the past few years, especially in the States, Brazil and Japan.

As you might expect, there aren't any rules in freestyle and riders are free to do whatever moves they please. The objective is to perform the most tricks and come up with a sort of choreography.

What's your current competitive standing?
For skateboarders, the World Championships are as big as it gets. I entered and placed 7^th in the professional category and 1^st in the amateur.

I also entered the American Championships and came 4^th at the professional level and 1^st at the amateur level.

How did you get into skateboarding?
When I was in grade 9 I saw a kid skateboarding in the school yard. He was doing a kick flip, which is a fairly simple basic move, and I was really impressed. I immediately asked my parents for a skateboard… the first one I had was plastic and didn't even cost 20 dollars. When I started grade 10, I bought a more advanced model in a sports store and that's when I really began to do tricks with my board.

By the time I really got started I was nearly 17. I always brought my board to school and practiced whenever I had the chance.

In those days, I did mainly street and only took up freestyle after an ankle injury. While my ankle was healing, I couldn't skateboard like I had before, so I did tricks on the ground. That's when I discovered how quickly I could learn freestyle and decided to focus on that alone.

What attracted you to this sport?
What I like best about freestyle—and the reason I chose it—is that it's impossible for anyone else to be like you or copy your style. Everyone has their own individual style—which is a reflection of their personality. People even recognize us by our board moves.

How did you break into the professional level?
Early on, I spent my free time exercising and training and pushed myself very hard: over 6 hours a day. In those days, it was largely recreational, something I did for fun but didn't take too seriously. I was determined to outdo myself. I was a bit better than the others and a skateboard shop agreed to sponsor me. Then one of my friends persuaded me to do a video which I sent to two American companies. They called and offered to sponsor me. That's when I realized it was getting serious.

When I entered my first competition (the American Championships), I had no idea whether or not I was any good. I thought so, but didn't have anything to compare to. I was afraid I was out of my element. It took a lot of self-confidence to compete.

The results of that first competition gave me a real boost: 4^th place in the professional category and 1^st in the amateur category. That helped me make a name for myself in freestyle in the States.

How much time do you spend training?
Now that I have a real job (I’m working for Canada Post), I don’t train as much as I used to. I train for 1 or 2 hours a day. I used to train for 6 or 7 hours a day.

How do you manage to train in the winter?
It's tougher in the winter. I have to find indoor parking lots to train in, but as soon as there's a bit of dry pavement, I take advantage of it. By the end of winter, I can't wait for the snow to melt.

I've also been snowboarding a bit longer than I've been skateboarding. I like it, but not as much as skateboarding. It doesn't offer the freedom of skateboarding and I feel that hampers my moves and creativity and it's difficult to go every day.

Do you train by yourself or in a group?
Skateboarding is often viewed as a group sport, but I always train alone with my Walkman. I'm very focused, in my bubble, in my own little world.

I'm very sociable. I like talking to young people who are interested in skateboarding and showing them tricks or doing demonstrations. I tend to be shy and I really like it when people talk to me or ask me to explain my moves.

Is skateboarding an expensive sport?
The equipment isn't expensive but it doesn't last all that long. Unlike other sports where the equipment can be quite expensive, you can easily gear up for skateboarding for about $200.

But at my level, I go through a pair of shoes every 2 weeks and 1 skateboard a month. So that ends up being pretty expensive. Fortunately, I have sponsors for my shoes and boards; I'd never be able to swing it on my own, that's for sure!

How do you manage to cover the cost of training and competing?
I have a job and I have sponsors like Food to help pay for equipment, clothing and competitions. I also give skateboarding lessons and often give demonstrations at fairs and special events.

I'll also earn royalties on my pro-model, a skateboard that will feature my name and a design of my choosing (drawn by my best friend), which is about to be produced by an American company.

Could you live off your sport?
It might be possible to live off my sport; you have to be in the right place at the right time. I do whatever I can to support myself with skateboarding, but I have other interests as well.

But I'd really like to be involved in something related to skateboarding for the rest of my life. Maybe I'll start a skateboard company some day…

What were you like as a teenager?
I was a bit of a loner and I've always liked individual sports.

I didn't really like school, but now I realize it was one of the best periods of my life.

I preferred being outside with my board than spending my days playing video games. I used my skateboard for fun, recreation and transportation.

What special talents or qualities do you need to make it in skateboarding?
Ambition and talent aren't everything… hard work is the most important thing.

Naturally, you have to begin by learning the basic moves. Then you can keep on doing them or invent new ones. I've invented and named four new freestyle moves. I now create my own moves and that takes a lot of training, trial and error.

Have you ever hurt yourself skateboarding?
I've often hurt myself during training… back pain, strains, sprains, cuts, dislocations etc. But nothing very serious. I'm always very careful when I practice moves I haven't perfected.

In closing, tell us about your future goals and challenges.
I recently moved to Vancouver because the skateboarding community is more developed here. It’s also much warmer, so it’s easier to practice outside during the winter! I’d like to be able to work in the field of skateboarding here in the West. I also host the Frank Show, where I give skateboarding tricks and do demos. You can watch the show on the Amnesia Web site.

If you want to learn more about Francis, have any questions for him or just want some skateboarding tips, write to him at: frankfreestyle@hotmail.com