NJ Team
Five years ago in the small suburban town of Sayreville, NJ, just a mile up the road from the new cement skatepark that was being built, my partners Troy Jankowski, Steve Lenardo and myself opened NJ Skateshop. Last year we opened NJ II in New Brunswick, NJ (home of Rutgers University, New Jersey’s largest college) and we’re hoping to open a third store soon after you read this. As impressive as our growth has been over the years (going from 10 decks to nearly 200 decks on the wall), it seems without question our strongest attribute is our team. They are the true face of NJ Skateshop and great representation of not only our shop, but New Jersey skating as a whole. We’re very proud to have all the guys (and gal) on these pages representing our squad. There are a number of others that we just couldn’t fit into the layout that we wish we could, but all of them are equally important to our success; just as important as any kid that is down for our shop. Hope you enjoy.
Team Photo: (Back Row, L to R) Jeff "Bubba" Heckman, Sergio Lima, Chris Davis, Chris Schiafone, Khaliyl Stewart, Bill Marshall, Brian Connors, 9-Toe Joe Roxbury. (Front Row, L to R) John Foiles, Matt Daniels, Shaun Webber, Jimmy Pakidis, Kyle Giro, Lorena Lima, Chris Phillips.
Not Pictured: Brian Wenning, Ron Deily, Fred Gall, Chris Pastras, Quim Cardona, Dillon Constantine, Nico Magales, Chris Dziema, Adrian Vega & Ken Fernando.
[photo: darnell scott]
9-toe Joe Roxbury [photo: andy enos]
Age: 19
Sponsors: NJ, Nike SB, Reds
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
Being in the woods, but close to 2 big cities.
What's the worst part about being from New Jersey?
Shitty winters, the ground, the spots and driving everywhere.
What's the worst part about riding for NJ?
I can’t ride for other cool shops.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A gnarly, beer drinking, pool dude.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
Losing a toe on a 50cc dirtbike.
What’s the best story you've ever heard?
This kid was shit-faced and threw up in his pants. He put them back on and fell asleep. When he woke up in the morning all he wanted to know was who threw up on him!
Bill Marshall [photo: nick ceglia]
Hometown: Montclair, NJ
Age: 21
Sponsors: NJ, Foundation, Destructo, eS, Boner Bolts, Reds
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
Concrete Warfare.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A washed-up filmer.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?
I threw up in my lap on my way to work and had no clothes to change in to, rad.
What’s the best story you've ever heard?
This guy Tim I know is a recovering heroin addict. When he was younger he was dating/sleeping with a woman around the same age as him, 22-24 years old. One day he went to the woman's house and ended up sleeping with her mom. Now, 20 years later in rehab, Tim meets a young girl, age 18. He sleeps with her and it turns out that she is the daughter of that young woman he dated 20 years earlier. Tim slept with three generations of the same family, wow.
Nico Magales [photo: justin warias]
Hometown: Freehold, NJ
Age: 18
Sponsors: NJ, Real flow, Spitfire flow, Thunder flow, Fallen flow.
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
There's a curious sense of brotherhood between us New Jersians.
What's the worst part about being from New Jersey?
They don’t sell beer in Walmart like every other state.
What's the best part about riding for NJ?
Papa Steve and Chris know how to take care of their boys.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to skateboard professionally, but if that doesn't work out I'll just play the lottery everyday until I'm rich enough to do nothing.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?
In the Bahamas when I was a youngin’ a dolphin lifted me out of the water with me standing on the tip of his nose and my trunks got left behind as I stood up in the air naked in front of my entire family plus three other families who were watching.
Quim Cardona [photo: justin warias]
Hometown: Plainfield, NJ
Age: 27
Sponsors: NJ, Organika Skateboards, The Kayo Corp., Grind King, Domestics Clothing, Head Banger Boogie and Fulltime Records.
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
New Jersey is my home base. It’s close to N.Y.C, turnpikes, trains, and airports. The most creative and innovative skaters grew up or lived here once. It's where the Kinetoscope, and the first motion pictures was invented. It's quiet and offers opportunities and freedom to do what you want.
What's the worst part about being from New Jersey?
The pollution. The damn Patriotic Act got my microphone tapped. Getting pulled over at 2 A.M on my skateboard. Business's who have no business ganging up with the boys in blue to discriminate and force a business to shut down because it's effectiveness and healthy approach. The worst human’s stomping grounds.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?
In school, sitting in homeroom class with cat piss on the back of my shirt. I couldn't pinpoint the funky smell until I found out it was the cat that got me. The most glorious was watching a child of my own be born into this world.
Lorena Lima [photo: darnell scott]
Hometown: Sayreville, NJ
Age: 17
Sponsors: NJ, Redbull, 5boro, Etnies, Rockstar Bearings, Spitfire.
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
You actually know what "Rough" is.
What's the best part about riding for NJ?
They're not some skate shop trying to make it big and just get rich. They're in it for skateboarding and looking out for skateboarders.
What's the worst part about riding for NJ?
Oh man. Well for some reason everyone thinks I have a crush on Dillon and want to take him to prom. They must be nuts!
What do you want to be when you grow up?
If I ever get to the point that I could skate for a living, I`ll be psyched!
Jeff Heckman [photo: zander taketomo]
Hometown: Belmar, NJ
Age: 21
Sponsors: NJ, Stereo flow, Emerica flow, Reds
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
It’s close to Philly & New York. Diner capital of the world. Sayreville Bar & Cluck U.
What's the best part about riding for NJ?
I've never met people more willing to give back to so many people on the come up and do whatever is in their power to do so. Since day one, it's been a family.
What's the worst part about riding for NJ?
I really wish Ryan Sheckler rode for NJ. He is a super cool guy with an awesome outlook on skateboarding. He's got it all...I wish he was my friend.
What’s the best story you've ever heard?
So the story starts off with two guys and seventeen dollars. They hit up a bar in Center City, spend all their cash and leave. They decide to hit up a few other bars only to skip out on the tab while outside having a cigarette. After a few bars, they start telling the bartenders that they are graduate students who just passed their final exam, getting them a few extra shots. One turns to two, two to 6 when they both puke all over the bar. Another cigarette and another bar later they catch a taxi. While driving, the taxi's right side-view mirror gets wrapped in a banner and rips it off hitting the car behind them. At this point, the taxi driver is freakin' out and the two guys jump out of the cab and start running down the street. They finally stop running and sit on a bench where they find an envelope with seventeen dollars in it. True story.
Chris Pastras [photo: allen ying]
Hometown: Metuchen, NJ
Age: Been sponsored since the eighties
Sponsors: NJ, Stereo, Dekline, WeSC, Ace Trucks, Hi Fi Wheels, Bones Bearings
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
Being from New Jersey, visiting my Mom, pizza, The Boss, no one can find me there, haters, City people being snobs about Jersey; obnoxious drunk fashion chicks, bartenders, and people that don't skate that often love to hate on it especially, but that's good cause they don't go there.
What's the worst part about being from New Jersey?
No such thing, but in the eighties the girls had really high hair and no one tolerated skateboarding at all. But wait... I don't think those things were bad.
What's the best part about riding for NJ?
Riding for NJ.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Doing exactly what I want to be doing already, but don't ever plan on growing up.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?
I accidentally farted on Hillary Clinton's lap at a fund-raiser for hair replacement.
Dillon Constantine [photo: justin warias]
Hometown: West Windsor, NJ
Age: 16
Sponsors: NJ, Zoo York flow, Vans flow, Reds
What's the best part about being from New Jersey?
The best part is finding really shitty spots.
What's the worst part about being from New Jersey?
The worst part is skating shitty spots.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Drinking a 6 pack and skating a mini.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?
I shit my pants at a party.
What’s the best story you've ever heard?
I’ve heard about some kid who rides for the shop wanting to fuck a chicken for 300 bucks.
I heard you’re taking Lorena to the prom.
Dude. Shut up.
Khaliyl Stewart [photo: darnell scott]
Hometown: Piscataway, NJ
Age: 21
Sponsors: NJ, Black Label flow, DC Shoes flow, 8103 Clothing, Reds
What’s the best part about living in New Jersey?
The cold as hell winters, the hot humid summers, the worst spots, NJ Skateshop, Edison Skatepark, and Kool-Aid.
What’s the worst part about living in New Jersey?
The worst part of NJ is driving laws, expensive everything and dirty beaches.
What’s the worst part about riding for NJ Skateshop?
It’s the best skateshop in the world so you got a lot of haters.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
An out of work hair dresser.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
My penis.
What is the best story that you have ever heard?
It was my boy getting into a fight with mad dudes on Thanksgiving and almost died. I don’t know if its true, but that’s what I heard.
Chris Davis [photo: justin warias]
Hometown: Trenton, NJ
Age: 24
Sponsors: NJ, Adidas, HiJinx Skateboarding, Reds
What’s the best part about Jersey?
It seems like being from Jersey has made me become a much harder worker. You can’t sit around here and wait for things to happen. You gotta make them happen yourself. It has definitely given me a lot of character. NJ is a pretty ghetto state too, so it toughens ya up.
What’s the worst part about Jersey?
Definitely the winters. It’s so cold that your body turns into a block of ice. It’s almost impossible to skate during these times. You have to put 5 layers of clothes on just to get out of your house. It’s a very depressing time for a skateboarder.
What’s the best part about riding for NJ Skate Shop?
As soon as I got on NJ I became part of a family. Not only did NJ help me out with my skating, but they helped me out with my personal life too. The guys are there for you no matter what and that’s a dope feeling.
They also have the best NJ fitted hats and t-shirts.
What’s the worst part about riding for NJ?
Having to be around Nieratko and his stunning good looks. You can’t go out in public with him without having girls chasing him down. Save some ladies for the rest of us Chris.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
When I was really young I went to Sea World on a family vacation. We were at the dolphin tank feeding them fish when I got an explosive feeling in my stomach. I tried to tell my parents that I needed to go to the bathroom but they were to caught up watching flipper catch the fish they threw. I decided to take matters into my own hands. Moments later my parents realized I was gone and started to panic. They checked everywhere and there was no sign of me. They told the Sea World Staff that I disappeared and shut Sea World down. They locked all the gates so no one could escape with me. Everyone began searching for me. The search came to an end when someone heard some rustling in a bush. They peeked their head in and found me pants down pushing some logs out.
Ron Deily [photo: sean cronan]
Hometown: Union Beach, NJ
Age: 21
Sponsors: NJ, Zoo York, Vans flow, Matix flow, Venture, Autobahn and Red Bull.
What’s the best part about living in New Jersey?
The best part about Jersey is the fickle climate. It always keeps you guessing.
What’s the worst part about living in New Jersey?
The worst part about Jersey are the stupid people that visit.
What’s the best part about riding for NJ?
The best part about riding for NJ skateshop is the radical people that got your back.
What’s the worst part about riding for NJ Skate Shop?
The worst part about NJ Skateshop is that it's the most awkward place to take a shit.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I would like to be an old fart with a with a gnarly gut and long flowing hair.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
I blacked out outside in the middle of February in my boxers all night.
What story have you heard that is the best story ever?
Detachable penis.