Alphonzo Rawls facts for kids

Alphonzo Rawls, also known as Alf, is a famous American professional skateboarder. He is known for his "goofy-footed" style, which means he skates with his right foot forward. Besides his skateboarding career, he is also a talented shoe designer.

Early Life and Skating Beginnings

Alphonzo Rawls grew up in an exciting time for skateboarding. He spent a lot of his childhood at the famous Del Mar Skate Ranch in California. He was so passionate about skating that he even appeared in the background of the skateboarding film Animal Chin when it was filmed at Del Mar.

Rawls's skills improved a lot when a new park, McGill's skatepark, opened. This park had ramps of all different sizes, including large vertical ramps, which helped him become a better skater.

Professional Skateboarding Career

As a young skater, Rawls was noticed by big companies like Powell-Peralta and Dogtown, but his first official sponsor was H-Street. He made another small appearance in the H-Street video Shackle Me Not. In one scene, while skater Tony Magnusson is on a mini-ramp, you can see Rawls in the background doing a 540-degree spin over a spine ramp.

Rawls is also known for naming the "big-spin," a popular trick that was invented by another skater, Brian Lotti.

Famous Tricks and Recognition

Rawls was a skilled skater in both vert (skating on large ramps) and street styles. He was the first person to ever land a backside tailslide and a kickflip-indy on a vert ramp.

His talent earned him a spot on the cover of the November 1992 issue of Thrasher magazine. The photo showed him doing a difficult backside smith grind. After his time with H-Street, Rawls skated for ... Skateboards, a company started by Sal Rocco.

Career in Footwear Design

Besides being a pro skater, Alphonzo Rawls is also a successful footwear designer. He has used his creativity to design shoes for several different brands, both inside and outside of the skateboarding world.