Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Dubya.
Hi Joe, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Joe but most people know me as Socal_Legend on social media. I grew up in North County and lived in Escondido as a kid, I loved watching skateboarding on TV!
Especially Tony Hawk, he was the man!
In the early ’90s, Tony Hawk came
To my elementary school, broke a board and gave it to me, I was on cloud nine.
Soon after my dad relocated and I had to more to Missouri, Skateboarding was not popular there at all.
In my early 30s, I moved back to San Diego where my heart belongs and I got into longboarding.
But at my older age, my knee started popping and I wasn’t in the shape that I was when I was a 10–11-year-old kid.
I was looking around online to find a motorized or electric skateboard and I found a company that was local in Carlsbad and I was just hooked it was like an addiction that I’ve never had before.
I got my first electric skateboard and it changed my life.
Everything was now a new adventure.
where am I going to ride this board?
What new trails do I want to ride today?
I’ve been an ambassador for Evolve Skateboards for the last six years and working as a Quality control supervisor for 5 years.
They say you never work a day in your life if you love your job, it’s definitely true for me.
In 2015 I decided to reach out to some electric skateboarders and create our first group ride in Venice Beach.
Over the years the community has gotten bigger and bigger we started doing races, big events, and world cups all over the world.
I’ve been to Paris, United Kingdom, And South France.
But with this hobby comes danger,
Eight months after I got my first board I got hit by a car and didn’t walk for 10 months.
After that, the community came together and I went to South France for a competition.
the only American to represent the country at the first electric skateboard World Cup.
In 2018 The World Cup was going to be held in San Diego, I trained for eight months.
Six weeks before the event I was skating to work, I got hit and sideswiped and didn’t even see the person.
I thought it was a white minivan but she hit me going 50 mph and once she hit me and she slammed on her brakes and tossed me about 50 feet down the road at these points my adrenaline was pumping so hard I actually got up and started walking around my board was crushed I’ve already done 7500 miles on that thing and I felt like my best friend just died.
There were four or five witnesses and one guy got out of his truck and told me to sit down because what he just saw I should not be alive let alone walking around.
Needless to say, after that accident, I only suffered three fractured toes.
I was five weeks out from the event and I’ve already been through one accident where I couldn’t walk, I told myself I’m not gonna do that again so I just pushed myself and pushed myself and after two weeks of that traumatic accident I got back on the board and competed!
I placed 13th out of 65 riders.
I never gave up; I still don’t give up after seven years of doing this.
I still have a love and passion for the community.
I was asked to host a group ride in Las Vegas at the very first Esk8Con, we had 200+ people riding and enjoying that same exact adrenaline rush down the Las Vegas Blvd.
It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
I’ve skated with thousands and thousands of people all over the world and I’ve met some of the most smartest, unique individuals, and at the age of 40, I never thought this is how my life would turn out.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve worked at Evolve skateboard in Carlsbad for about 6 years started at the ground and moved up to a supervisor. We get all of our components and parts overseas in their shipped to the warehouse and I oversee all the assembly for all the boards.
From installing the motors and all the electronics and testing all the components on a load tester. I’ve always be an overarching my boss gave me a key to the shop and I’m always the first one to show up.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Be yourself!!! I’ve always been a leader I learned that at a young age.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://evolveskateboardsusa.com/?sca_ref=226193.Ujxa5xais3
- Instagram: @socal_legend
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jdubya13
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/SoCalLegend
- Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdGdxqXR/?k=1
