Kyle Kraus

Kyle Kraus
Contestant: AM-234
From: Lombard, Illinois, USA
Division: Amateur
Sponsored by: N/A
Age: 33
Skating: 21 years

I have been skating for half of my existence in the suburbs of Chicago. Since there was a lack of skateparks near our home I had to get creative, thus our family driveway became my skate spot where I would practice all the tricks I had seen on those Rodney Mullen YouTube videos. One day I met a skateboarder who was actually doing those tricks I wanted to imitate. He took the time and helped to teach me how to do them and we soon became good friends. As he was just starting his career as a cinematographer he would use me as a guinea pig for his skate videos. That friend was videographer/effects wizard Brett Novak who I am still good friends with today.

You can catch me doing my own YouTube videos, contributing to Brett’s ShortSided series, as well as making some cameos with the Revive Skateboarders. I have skated in several contests in the past including a contest I took first place in at an indoor park that landed me a sponsorship by Almost Skateboards. Most of the other contests that I entered were so long ago I can’t remember how I placed.

After graduating from Illinois State University in Business Management I became a purchaser for Sentinel Technologies were I order supplies for the maintenance and service of networking and computer hardware. When I’m not skating I also like, biking, kickboxing, geocaching, playing games, learning guitar, going to the gym, cooking, and binge watching movies and TV. Lately I have been getting into the martial artist-philosopher Daniele Boleti who can be heard doing podcasts with my long time skateboarding mentor Mike Vallely.

I have a few other skateboard mentors that I hope to meet at the World Round-Up as well as skate with people who share a common interest . . . Freestyle.

RECENT CONTEST HISTORY:

N/A