“Learning a trick is a great feeling,” says Jon Depoian (@d33zle), a 26-year-old skateboard instructor in Southern California, “but teaching a trick, seeing the progression from nothing to landing something, and knowing you were a part of it is incredible.” There weren’t many skaters in Jon’s hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan. “We didn't know what we where doing,” he says. “There was no YouTube, and no one to really show us, so we tried to copy ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater.’” But the connection was instant. “As soon as I discovered skateboarding, it was all I ever thought about and all I ever wanted to do.” Jon spent three years touring the US in a motor home with the King of Kings Skateboard Ministry before eventually making his way west, where he co-founded @intro2skate. When starting out, Jon stresses the importance of patience and persistence. “The most common mistake is that some expect to be doing ollies in the first week,” he says. “Work on getting comfortable riding and using the nose and tail first.” Video of @d33zle by @frankyvillani and @teejharris