Whatever your skateboarding story may be, there is one common thread among the pros and amateurs: passion. Here are the six beloved symptoms that you’re a skateboarder.

Wardrobe fails occur weekly.
You’re part of the bloody brigade, dirt titans, and team grass stains from not landing certain tricks. Fortunately, you know the difference between your good pair of Dickies and the ones that are fair game to skate in. Just be sure to wear a dark shirt every time, unless you’re a fan of the dingy, white tee look.

You have a high tolerance for pain.
Nothing screams “skateboarder” than the battle wounds you acquire from a crooked grind-gone-wrong or a bad fakie. Yet for some odd reason (to outsiders at least), you keep coming back for more.

You’re persistent.
Skateboarding is to be especially valued because it teaches you priceless qualities in life, such as tenacity. You won’t let the sun set until you successfully grind the longest rail you’ve ever seen. The tolerance means you’re more than likely to follow through in major decisions in life than to give up. Kudos to you!

“Stage fright” isn’t an issue.
All eyes are on you whether you’re simply skating the neighborhood pavement or showing off your frontside at a skatepark. There’s plenty of room for error, yet no room for shyness. So, you’re cool with channeling your inner Ryan Decenzo without fret.

You accept that you’ll have good and bad days.
which is another quality life lesson that ties in with persistence. Some days you’ll be ready to compete in the X Games (or so you think) and other days you’re left wondering if you even know how to do a basic kickflip. You win some, you lose some – it’s all about perspective. True skateboarders don’t accept perfection, yet they don’t allow off days to rob them of their happiness.

You LOVE skateboarding and its culture.
Skateboarding is more than mastering the art of the craft. It’s about the sport’s culture as well. This includes the music, the events, those awesome product tosses, the laidback peeps, the rich history, and every other cultural nook and cranny of skating. Just the thought of not having a skateboard in your life gives you a bad vibe.

The ethos of skateboarding has always been one of comradery. It’s more than landing a trick, skate jams, X Games, and the other novelties associated with the sport. Along with the aforementioned, charities are also an integral part of skateboard culture. The world of skateboarding offers much good in the form of charitable foundations. This list of foundations only scratches the surfaces of the many charities launched by pro skateboarders and skate culture enthusiasts.

Skateistan
Their mission as a non-profit organization as stated on their site is to “use skateboarding as a tool for empowering youth, to create new opportunities and the potential for change.” Skateistan’s project sites include Kabul, Afghanistan, Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The sites’ provide skateboard oriented education programs that feature classrooms and a skatepark. Girls are primarily excluded in participating in traditional sports specifically in Afghanistan and Cambodia. So, this foundation paves the way for girls (s60% of the Skateistan students are female youths) to engage in skateboarding.

Amigo Skate Cuba
It’s so easy to take for granted that most of us have skateboard shops or the tools to create our own boards sprinkled throughout the cities we live in. There are countries, such as Cuba, that have difficulty in obtaining skateboards or the necessary supplies to even create a board. Despite these snags, Cuba’s skate scene has been around since the ‘80s thanks to the skateboards left behind by Russian soldiers. ASC is self-funded and 100% volunteer based. After collecting both new and refurbished skateboards, these are redistributed to children in need. Their main prerogative is “to provide kids with an outlet to express themselves.” What better a way to showcase your creativity than through skateboarding?

Let It Flow
Founded by pro skater, Nyjah Huston, and his mother, Kelle, LIF is inspired by Nyjah and Kelle’s own experience of living without clean, running water. LIF’s first well was built in an Ethiopian village, Debra Brehan. That well now provides safe, clean water to 900 people. The safe water in turn helps a community to thrive since more time is then allocated for children to attend school. Also, individuals can grow food and sell the extra food for profit to grow a sustainable community. So far, wells have been established in not only Ethiopia, but Kenya and Chad as well.

The A.skate Foundation
A.skate organizes autism friendly skateboard clinic environments to teach the basic skills of skateboarding to new and second-time participants. The beautiful thing about skateboarding is that it knows no boundaries and discriminates against no one. So, the establishment of A.skate aids in the skate culture movement by promoting autism awareness intertwined with that of skateboarding. Today approximately 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism, so ASF’s nationwide clinics, “Grants for Gear” for kids to purchase skateboard equipment, and the hosting of fundraisers helps society to embrace the aspects of autism that are challenging to understand while allowing these children a non-judgmental environment.

STOKED
Income inequality is the major component of the “opportunity gap.” STOKED aims to break that barrier by inspiring struggling students to tap into their awesomeness and full potential by way of action sports – not limited to skateboarding. The STOKED program is very hands-on for youths in that mentors in NYC and LA – from marketing mavens to film directors – with a passion for action sports take teens on day trips outside the urban jungle to show them how to board.

Go Skateboarding Foundation
Every avid skateboarder knows the significance of June 21^st every year. It’s the official – and global –holiday of skateboarding, Go Skateboarding Day. However, did you know there’s been a Go Skateboarding Foundation in action for over five years? Since 2005, GSF has provided educational programs, career building experiences, skate camp and college scholarships, along with the development of sustainable skateparks. By donating funds to this, you’re aiding in the growth of skateboarding and its positive impact on young skateboarders. Since its inception, thousands of dollars have been donated to the Tony Hawk Foundation and multiple scholarships to young skateboarders.

This year’s historic SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship competition took place October, 4 in Chicago, Illinois. Unique to the past several years of competitors was the first-ever addition of a women’s division to SLS. The women’s roster invited eight of the world’s top female pro skateboarders to the event: Leticia Bufoni, Alexis Sablone, Lacey Baker, Pamela Rosa, Vanessa Torres, Alana Smith, Marisa Dal Santo, and Samarria Brevard. Torres stated, “That hard work and commitment to the women’s skateboarding movement pays off, but there is always more work to do! To be a part of this milestone after being in this industry for so many years, it makes all the blood, sweat and tears so worth it.”

With the help of Kim Woozey, founder of MAHFIA.TV and VP of Marketing for Womens Skateboard Alliance (WSA), and Vanessa Torres, pro skateboarder and SLS competitor, Outdoor Tech breaks down the three key reasons why adding a women’s division to SLS is so important to the global community of skateboarders.

All Eyes Are on The Prize
What prize? The prize of promoting the longevity of skateboarding and its culture. By fostering the growth of new female participants, skateboarding develops an even bigger international scale. Regarding the new SLS development, Torres said, “It’s a monumental stepping stone in the right direction and a chance for us to be seen by all tuning in to watch. It’s an opportunity for us to keep women’s skateboarding progressing forward and really putting it on the map for future ladies of shred.” By including females in the SLS arena, it showcases the underrated talent that such leading ladies bring to the sport, something that is inspirational for any skater regardless of gender.

It Was Long Overdue
SLS was founded more than five years ago by entrepreneur and pro skater, Rob Dyrdek, with the concept of placing 24 pro skateboarders in a massive competition for the largest cash prize in skateboarding history. Also noteworthy is that SLS is the premiere pro league for street skateboarding, an event that women perform well in. Hence, the need for a women’s sector of the SLS competition. Kim Woozy made this vital point, “Street League has built the most legit event series in competitive skateboarding and the exposure and visibility that comes with it will provide the pro women with increased value—garnering further support from sponsors and exponential exposure from media coverage.”

It Promotes More Awareness
The visibility from this year’s SLS iconic move affects not only the skaters competing, but female skateboarders around the world. Woozy adds, “Seeing women skate at the highest level will motivate all the female skaters in the world to keep skating and no doubt spark a new generation of girls to get on boards.” The future of women’s skateboarding will continue to evolve into something greater with the help of competitions such as the recent SLS.

There’s nothing quite like falling in love, breaking in that new Sector 9 cruiser, or better yet, testing the grounds of unknown skate park territory (kudos if you manage to land all three). There’s a wide variety of stunning skateparks around the globe. Some of them are in your backyard, while others are tailored for a destination vacay. Whatever your location sitch is, make these hot spots a part of your skatepark bucket list.

Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa, Florida

History
This renowned locale is the veteran of skateparks having opened in 1993. Like fine wine, SPoT continues to evolve into an even better place to skate. It is home to the annual Tampa Am and Tampa Pro competitions that have included pro contenders such as Lizard King, Ryan Decenzo, Ishod Wair, Shane O’Neill, and just about any name in the world of skateboarding you can fathom.

What’s cool
SPoT looks out for the little guy. The “little guy” being the beginners that aren’t ready for full-on slides and grinds the park has to offer. Amateurs can enjoy smaller ramps and rails before dipping into the bowl. One of the most intriguing aspect of the park is that pro courses have received a yearly makeover since the ‘90s. Although your usual half pipes and railings will exist, the obstacles will never have the same layouts as the years prior.

Surf Ranch Hotels & Resorts, San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

History
Before you sink your nails into the commercialism clause of a skatepark hosted by a resort, catch the background. The skatepark at the resort was designed and built by two Canadian brothers (and owners of Surf Ranch), Lucas and Travis Boychuk, who have skated over 15 years.

What’s cool
Last year, pro skateboarder, Chico Brenes, partnered his Central Skateboarding with Surf Ranch to host the first-ever skateboard camps in Latin America. It’s no small feat. It’s an opportunity that brings skateboarding to the local Nicaraguan community by sponsoring five-day long camps that include tours to skate spots around the beautiful country with world-renowned pro skaters. For the non-rookies, there are quarter pipes, hubbas, flat bars, and more to keep you busy well into the evening. By the way, it’s free to skate here—even if you’re not staying at the resort!

Skatehalle Berlin, Berlin (Friedrichshain), Germany
History
Skatehalle is located on the site of the former repair works shop of the German Imperial Railway, now a neighborhood mecca of art subculture.

What’s cool
The hall is more than your average skatepark. Sure, it has curbs, ledges, funboxes, and a 3.5 meter wall ride. However, this skatepark is home to the largest indoor half pipe in Germany. Splendid. The indoor-outdoor wonderland also hosts some of Berlin’s coolest parties.

Streetdome Haderslev, Haderslev, Denmark

History
This is the cohiba, Disneyworld, and 50 year-old scotch of skate land. Deemed by outlets such as Huffington Post and Redbull as one of the best skateparks in the world, we couldn’t agree more. Gifted architects at CEBRA worked in collaboration with Danish skater Rune Glifberg in completing this community center.

What’s cool
A community center? Yes, Streetdome is 65,000-square-feet of awesomeness that includes a climbing wall, basketball court, space for canoeing, in addition to its massive indoor-outdoor skate park. So, soak in the glory of the igloo-like structure in the video.

Fremont Skatepark, Fremont, California
History
Think of Fremont Skatepark as a farm as it certainly has the size to qualify. The park covers an acre and has 25,000 square feet of bliss, ahem, skating features.

What’s cool
This Cali gem has it all—a plaza, street course, snake run, and three bowls with depths of three-feet, six-feet, and eleven-feet.

The Gardens Skatepark, Capetown, South Africa

History
The Gardens is the first skatepark to grace Capetown. The park was the winner of an international design competition, held by Building Trust International in 2013. Since skateboarding in the streets of Capetown is largely forbidden, this park is a godsend.

What’s cool
The skatepark covers a 480 square-meters area. Its plaza style with stairs and handrails also feature marble ledges to ensure the best grinds. Other elements such as quarter pipes, banks, and a pipe jam adorn The Gardens. The pipe jam, a pipe stuck in the ground, at The Gardens is the only one of its kind in South Africa.