Why I Play: Muhammad Firdaus Bin Abdul Rahman, skateboarding
“Why I Play” is a weekly column every Wednesday showcasing the stories of people who enjoy playing sports in Singapore. Want to see your sport featured? Let us know via Facebook, Twitter or email.
Muhammad Firdaus Bin Abdul Rahman poses for a photo at Somerset Skate Park. (Photo: Lim Yong Teck)
Muhammad Firdaus Bin Abdul Rahman did something not many Singaporeans will consider doing - he became a professional skateboarder. With gradual hard work and effort, the 29-year-old has become a well-known figure in the skateboarding community. Firdaus has been invited to compete alongside world-class skateboarders in several international platforms such as the Tampa Pro in the US and the Street League Skateboarding in Barcelona, Spain.
How did you get involved in skateboarding?
When I was really young, about three to four years old, my dad bought me a board but at that point of time, I wasn’t really serious about it.
A few years later, I was at the old McDonald’s outlet at East Coast Park, and I was rollerblading at the skate park there, which is unfortunately not there anymore. I saw a few people skating, and I decided to try it out. I got a board from Carrefour and things developed from there.
What is it about skateboarding that interests you so much?
Skateboarding is all about having fun. Some people call it a sport, some people call it a lifestyle. For me, I just do it as a hobby and for leisure, so on my off-days, I skate and I can learn how to be more independent. It helps me raise my confidence and helps me in my day-to-day interactions as well. Because everywhere around the world today, everyone’s on their phones and I don’t like that. So skateboarding gives me a platform to make friends and it makes one more sociable.
Muhammad Firdaus Bin Abdul Rahman skates at Somerset Skate Park. (Photo: Lim Yong Teck)
What was your most memorable experience in skateboarding?
There’s too much, but the most recent one has to be competing at Tampa Pro in United States in 2014 and 2015. I got an email invitation after to represent Singapore at the Street League Skateboarding in Barcelona and that was the biggest moment for me, because there were only two Asians competing, me and Ryo Sejiri of Japan. We were both happy to just be participating, because that is the biggest competition in skateboarding right now and it features the best skateboarders in the world.
And your most heartbreaking?
I don’t think I have one yet, because I love this sport so much. I don’t dislike nor hate it. I’ve been doing it since I was turning 13 and I can’t think of a moment that broke my heart.
What are the biggest misconceptions people have of skateboarding?
A lot of people used to think that skateboarding is something for people to waste time and people who don’t go to school. Some people in Singapore will think, “Ah boy ah, don’t do this sport, later you grow up to become trash or something.” It is actually not like that. It’s the same with other sports like football, basketball or badminton. Everyone has their own interests so it’s up to every individual to select what they want to do. As long as they do something healthy and exercise, that’s a good thing. Even in skateboarding, we have people who hold degrees and people who are businessmen. There are skateboarders that come from all walks of life. At the skate park, it doesn’t matter who you are and what your career is. We come here and share our experiences and some of them even have ideas to promote skateboarding from the business perspective and also to make it as a career and make money from it.
Muhammad Firdaus Bin Abdul Rahman skates at Somerset Skate Park. (Photo: Lim Yong Teck)
How far do you think the sport has developed since you started?
There are several skateboarding schools and clinics today, and we didn’t have it back when I started out. In the past, it was more of a close community. People skate, but generally they don’t mix around much. Today, on the other hand, people know that there are skating facilities right here at the heart of the town, and it’s the easiest and most accessible place to skate. And also, thanks to social media, everyone in the community pretty much knows everyone, so it’s easy to mingle and keep in touch.
Also, there are more skate parks (Somerset, East Coast, Bedok, Bukit Batok, Jurong etc.) available today. However, at some of these skate parks, I’m sorry to say, the facilities are not up to standard because I think the manufacturers did not really consult someone who’s in skateboarding. For instance, angle of ramps are not done properly and the material used is not sturdy enough and can break apart within a few weeks. Nobody would want to skate at a park with facilities that are not done properly because of safety considerations, so to a certain extent, it might seem as a waste of money.
My sport is unique because...
It’s all about having fun.
Skateboarding is featured as an Active Enabler programme, which is a component of GetActive! Singapore, a week-long sporting bash that leads up to National Day. Organized by Millenial Events Pte Ltd, Skate Singapore is one such event and will feature a competition between Firdaus and several other top local skaters. Skateboarding tryouts will also be available for members of the public who are keen to pick up the sport. The event will be held at Marina Bay on Saturday, August 6, 2016. For more information, visit: https://www.myactivesg.com/whats-on/event/2016/8/active-enabler-skate-singapore
