Rick Howard

For other people named Rick Howard, see Richard Howard (disambiguation).
Rick Howard
Residence California, US
Nationality Canadian
Occupation Professional skateboarder and entrepreneur

Rick Howard is a Canadian professional skateboarder, who is a part-owner of Girl Skateboards and cofounded the Lakai Limited Footwear company with fellow professional skateboarder Mike Carroll.[1][2]

Professional skateboarding

After relocating from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada[3] to California, US at the age of seventeen, Howard began his skateboarding career with Blockhead Skateboards (where he was assigned professional status) and Gullwing Trucks. Howard lived with the owner of Blockhead in San Diego and stated in 2011, "It was really fun living there and a lot of fun sessions, lot of different people coming through there, like Chris Miller that was awesome."[4]

Following Blockhead, Howard skated for Plan B Skateboards in 1991 and, during his time with Plan B, he left Gullwing and switched to Independent Trucks. His part in the second Plan B video, Virtual Reality, is well known for his advancement of "switch-stance" skating (skateboarding with the opposite stance of that which a rider naturally adopts).

The "fakie frontside big spin heelflip" is named the "Rick Flip" or "Howard Heel"—the invention of this trick has been credited to Howard; however, Howard has publicly stated that he does not appreciate the recognition, as he does not believe that he is the trick's inventor.[5][6]

While Howard was filmed performing in skits for the 2012 Girl/Chocolate co-production Pretty Sweet,[7]he is not featured in the actual film.[8][9]

Sponsors

As of December 2014, Howard is sponsored by Spitfire,[10] Girl, Fourstar Clothing,[11] Lakai Limited Footwear,[10] Independent Trucks[12] Glassy Sunhaters[13] and Diamond Supply Co.[14]

Company owner

Girl

After leaving Plan B, Howard formed a new company named Girl Skateboards with Spike Jonze, Carroll, and Megan Baltimore in 1993.[15] When asked in a 2011 interview about what he sought to make different with the formation of Girl, in comparison to other companies, Howard replied:

Everyone has a say. Efforts on everyone’s part, so just a team effort. There was a lot of things going on at that time that it was the natural thing to do. It’s not like people had plans and strategies and stuff like that. It’s like these were the people we skated with that were good at the time ... It was just all a group thing, it still is. We all still put in the same efforts as we did the day we started. That was the main idea, that it’s kind of a cooperative effort. Everyone has a say on the matter.[4]

Lakai Limited Footwear

Howard was sponsored by DC Shoes, where he had a signature model shoe,[16] but left DC to form his own shoe company with Carroll, Lakai Limited Footwear.[17][18]

2013 Howard Lakai shoe

In March 2013, Howard and Carroll conducted a video interview with the Active mail order company's YouTube channel, explaining the innovation of Howard signature model shoe that had been manufactured with a cup sole, as opposed to the vulcanized sole that Howard had preferred over the preceding five years. Howard explained that Carroll had managed to design a cup sole akin to a vulcanized sole, in addition to other technical aspects, and had therefore proceeded with the release of the design.[19] Johnston stated in a March 2013 interview for the Independent Truck Company that the shoe design was his favorite Lakai design since working for the company.[20]

Personal life

As of 2011, Howard resides in California, US, after relocating there from Canada as a teenager.[4]

Howard's personal life is not covered in the skateboard media and his role in the industry has not been publicized—the Lakai website provides the following description of Howard: "His role behind the scenes at Girl has been equally as important as his time on the board."[21]

Videography

References

  1. ↑ Manta (2012). "Rick Howard". Manta. Manta Media Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  2. ↑ Overload (2012). "Lakai". Overload. Shop-Overload, LLC. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  3. ↑ RouteOneDirect (23 August 2013). "Rick Howard & Mike Carroll: 20 Years of Girl - The Route One Interview. Part One" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Dave (25 November 2011). "Rick Howard Interview". Pop Magazine. Pop Magazine. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  5. ↑ gsosa and The Sinistral (17 August 2008). "Howard Heel?". Skateboard-City.com. Skateboard City. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  6. ↑ Jake Phelps (12 March 2010). "Ask The Phelper: Girl Dudes" (Video upload). Thrasher Magazine. High Speed Productions, Inc. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  7. 1 2 Jonathan Mehring (28 November 2012). "MEHRING'S BEARINGS: BEHIND THE SCENES OF PRETTY SWEET." (Photo upload). Skateboarder. Grind Media LLC. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Sandro (20 November 2012). "RICK HOWARD - LAZY TUESDAY". Color Magazine. Color Magazine. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  9. ↑ "Girl/Chocolate - Pretty Sweet". Skatevideosite.com. Skatevideosite.com. 2005–2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  10. 1 2 "Rick Howard". Lakai Limited Footwear. Lakai Limited Footwear. March 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  11. ↑ "Rick Howard". Fourstar Clothing. Fourstar Clothing. March 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Rick Howard...". Independent Trucks. Strange Notes. 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Team". Glassy Sunhaters. Glassy Sunhaters. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "Team". Diamond Supply Co. Diamond Supply Co. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  15. ↑ Vickie Chang (27 May 2010). "Hello Kitty + Skateboards = Art". OC Weekly. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "DC Shoes - Rick Howard Ad (1997)". Skately. Skately LLC. 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  17. ↑ Noah Johnson (28 October 2009). "Tricks to Kicks". ESPN Action Sports. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  18. ↑ biz_editor (11 July 2000). "GIRL DISTRIBUTION". Transworld Business. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  19. ↑ activemailorder2000 (6 March 2013). "Rick Howard & Mike Carroll review the Lakai Howard Shoe - Active Ride ..." (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  20. ↑ IndependentTrucks (16 March 2013). "5&5 with Scott Johnston" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  21. ↑ "Rick Howard". Lakai Limited Footwear. Lakai Limited Footwear. 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  22. ↑ "Lakai - The Final Flare!". Skatevideosite.com. Skatevideosite.com. 2005–2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  23. ↑ ilurvemymoosey (6 May 2012). "Rick Howard - Fully Flared" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  24. ↑ Elliot Komoto (16 September 2006). "Super Champion Fun Zone Trailer" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  25. ↑ criticalstorm26 (14 February 2010). "Girl - Yeah Right - Rick, Jeron and other 16/9" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  26. ↑ skaidernation (31 October 2009). "Montage 1/3 - Girl Skateboards Harsh Euro Barge '02" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  27. ↑ ilurvemymoosey (6 May 2012). "Rick Howard & Mike Carroll - Mouse" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  28. ↑ gee3peeo (6 March 2009). "Mike Carroll & Rick Howard: FTC's "Penal Code 100a" 1996" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  29. ↑ ilurvemymoosey (6 May 2012). "Rick Howard - Goldfish" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  30. ↑ oyajienator (16 January 2011). "rick howard virtual reality" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  31. ↑ "Classics: Rick Howard "Questionable"". Thrasher Magazine. High Speed Productions, Inc. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  32. ↑ TheLaybackRollout (19 October 2012). "Rick Howard Splendid Eye Torture" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  33. ↑ "Rick Howard skate videos". Skatevideosite.com. Skatevideosite.com. 2005–2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
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