Alright well lets start out with your name, age and where you grew up?
|
| I am Ian Edward Barry Sherk I’ve got two middle names three birthmarks, kinda super human right? [ Laughs ] I am 23. Hometown is kind of a tough one. I’m a Canadian citizen and moved to the Detroit area a while ago and now I’m living in Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti. |
|
| Bs 180. |
How long did you live in Canada for?
|
| For about ten years, not too long. Sometimes I feel bad saying I am Canadian but I’m able to justify it in my head cause until two years ago I was able to go back all summer every summer. |
|
| Bs 50-50 |
What is it like skating in Canada?
|
| It’s rad, Toronto is sick. I taught skating at this summer camp about two hours north of Toronto for years. Its kinda like the Woodward of Cananda, it’s called Muskoka Woods. I’d just skate for nine hours a day and not really do much else, it was the best job ever. I wanna work there right now, Meijer’s (is really awesome), Maybe that shouldn’t go in there, I need a job. [ Laughs ] |
|
| Fs 5-0 |
Would you ever move back to Canada?
|
| I’ve been thinking about it, like long term? My brother went American, but I’ve stayed Canadian cause I want to keep my options open. |
|
| Kickflip Rock Ride |
What was it like growing up in Canada?
|
| Uhh, Super Canadian, I dunno, it’s like the same as the States but a little more chill, a little less hectic, a little more relaxed. Maybe im jaded cause I was young when I moved out, but I’ve always spent a good 1/4 of each year there and I see the difference. It’s not as though it’s better than the states, it’s just different. |
|
| Fs Boardslide |
What do you do outside of skateboarding?
|
| Uhh, so much stuff... I make random things [Laughs] What’s the latest thing that I’ve made? [to the interviewer] You sacrificed your bedroom for a mini ramp...[Laughs] I sacrificed my apartment bedroom for a mini ramp, I like making random stuff when I’m bored. Outside of that I work for a nonprofit in Texas and their goal just to build public skate parks which is sick. |
|
| Ollie |
What is your role in the nonprofit?
|
| Officially, I am their director of development. I think I got that title because I had the idea to focus on the nonprofit online skate shop as our main way to raise money for parks. It’s cool, but it’s still real small. We set up an online mail order that gives all its profits back to the skateboarding community. Local skate shops give back a hundred percent to their community and hardly break even at best. I don’t want skaters that regular core shops buying from our shop. We’re more like, if you’re gonna buy online, buy nonprofit. Ya know? Cause that way the money is still going back into skateboarding. Right now, we’re working on expanding our site, seeing who is willing to work with us. |
|
| Kickflip |
They flew you out there, right?
|
| YEAH! YEAH! I went out there a little while back. Pretty much met up with all the people, had a few beers, talked about what’s up, stayed there for a long weekend. It was awesome; they really care about what they’re doing. No one there gets paid, all the people that work for it have full time jobs. They just dedicate as much as they can, I dunno I respect them because in non-profits you can take salaries, but they choose not to. Thats sick! |
|
| Bs 50-50 |
Other than your trip to Texas what would you say would be your favorite skate trip has been?
|
| ahhh Probably road tripping to New York and Boston. Two of my friends from the camp I worked at in Canada came with me. My parents were out of town on vacation or whatever and I borrowed my dad’s car. [ laughs ] But yeah dude he was bummed when he saw it was gone. Oh man, on the trip he was telling me that I had to go back immediately or he was going to report it stolen. Ahh man it was harsh for a minute, but in the end my dad was cool, I think it shocked him. [ laughs ] After New York we went to Boston were my sister lives. I called her up when we were about an hour away to let her know we were visiting. She had a one bedroom studio style apartment at the time... so cramped. My sister is awesome though, I can’t believe she was cool with it. But man, so many good spots in Boston. |
|
| Fs 50-50 |
Tell me about Adrian?
|
| ADRIAN GEPHART oh my god! [laughs] Adrian’s the man dude, that’s pretty much how everyone describes him when it first comes out. But it’s the truth, he just does what he wants. Its always, uh, exciting hanging out with him. I met him back when I lived in Indiana for a few years. He was supposed to come up this past weekend but now we’re working out the details for next weekend. Coors and McDonalds should sponsor him for sure. I think they’d be a good fit, and maybe tail devils, I don’t know. He definitely gets me stoked to skate, just how he goes about skating, not caring. |
|
| 50-50 Gap out |
Last words?
|
| I gotta get to class man. [ laughs ] I’m super late. |
|
