Amateur Skateboarder Sets Sights On Improving Local Skate Park

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – An amateur skateboarder from Northeast Mississippi is trying to make his mark in competitive skating. As he trains for a major event this summer, he is also leading an effort to improve the current skate park in Tupelo.

Carter Riley has spent countless hours practicing at the Hank and Helen Boerner skate park. The hard work is paying off.

“I’m going to Huntington Beach California for the whole month of July, there’s an amateur contest at the end of the month that’s a qualifier to take me on to the finals in Montreal Canada, if I can make it there big things can happen,” Riley said.

The 21-year-old is ranked in the top 1,600 out of 20,000 skaters in the global contest database. Riley even has sights set on the 2020 Olympics, when skateboarding will be part of the games. But until then he also wants to help younger skaters by improving Tupelo’s skatepark.

He has met with Parks and Rec director Alex Farned and shared some ideas, such as expanding the park, cutting some trees down that block lights and a new feature.

“I would think a bowl would be awesome, it looks like a drain pool, gives somebody like me something new to kind of learn on,” Riley said.

There is also an economic angle, with a few minor improvements, the skate park here in Tupelo could host some competitions and that means more out-of-town visitors.

“We do baseball, softball, so many different types of tournaments, this is just another type of event that could bring and attract visitors to Tupelo,” Farned said.

Of course any improvements will have a pricetag, but Riley believes the community will be eager to invest and give youngsters a safe place to skateboard.

Carter Riley will continue meeting with the Parks and Rec director, to come up with plans for improvements and additions at the skate park.