He stands at the skatepark about to try a new trick. His mind goes blank. Then he just skates. For sophomore Joey Williams, each trip to the skatepark is a new opportunity to push his limits and execute a new trick.

“When I skate I don’t have to think about anything,” Joey said. “I just skate, and it is the best feeling.”

Joey is considered one of the best in the area due to the fact that many other skateboarders think he tries bigger tricks than most. With bigger tricks, an added amount of danger comes along. Joey has had multiple injuries because of skateboarding like broken legs, arms and concussions.

“Whenever something goes wrong there’s this thought of, ‘am I going to have to go to the hospital?’” Joey said.

Not only is Joey considered one of the best skateboarders in the area, he is also sponsored by Relax Skate Shop STL. The skate shop gives Joey free merchandise such as skateboards. He has been skating for them since last May which was when the shop opened. He was previously good friends with the owners so they asked him to skate for them.

“When they first opened the shop I was hanging out with them there,” Joey said. “We stayed there until 2 a.m. just skating around and they gave me a board and put me on the team.”

Joey has been skateboarding since he was in seventh grade. He had always been interested in skateboarding because he had seen his brother skating. Since he started, he has become one of the best skateboarders in the area according to some of the skaters at Elm Skatepark, his favorite place to skate.

“The first time I saw him, I literally thought he was the best skater around,” fellow skateboarder Lee Heidbrink said.

According to Joey, there is always that thought in the back of your mind that is scared, but his drive to become the best keeps him wanting to try bigger and better things. He wants to possibly turn skateboarding into his profession through future competitions. He also plans on skateboarding for as long as he possibly can.

“I just have a lot of ambition,” Joey said. “I just go out and skate every day, and when I try something new and get it, it’s great and you want to do it again.”