Youngsters benefit as Tony finds heart through stomach
I had a few hours to kill before heading to see the latest Hollywood rendition of the Harry Potter books in the cinema.
Don’t judge me (FYI, I’m currently working on an extensively-researched column focused on the scoring system in quidditch. Putting such an excessive points weight on catching the golden snitch completely ruins the game and skews it tactically in favour of the attackers. And the powers that be in headquarters should lock the well greased back door that is the Hogwarts quidditch championship, instead changing to a Champions League-style format as soon as possible, if you ask me. And to hell with the provincial finals; I don’t care what Dumbledore said at Congress in Mullingar last year).
It turned out this particular afternoon get-together was a charity gig and in order to get my mouth around the free fried chicken under the grill I needed to sit through an instructive video. In between mouthfuls, I learned a bit.
The man who pressed the play button on the DVD player stood in front of the bar in boardie surfer-type shorts, a T-shirt and sandals. He spoke with a big grin and what I guessed was a New Zealand accent. I was wrong: this is Tony Susuico, he’s from the picturesque island of Guam in the south Pacific.
To paraphrase another Leesider: Is turas fada ó Guam go Corcaigh. Susuico grew up against a tropical backdrop with salt air in his nostrils and sand between his toes. The pace of life, you can imagine, was slow — until he stood tentatively onto his first skateboard: an Uncle Wiggly Skateboard with Green Gullwing Trucks and Orange Slimeball wheels for those who know or care about such things.
From there he rolled towards a life in Ireland.
Working as a sea captain in Hawaii he ‘entertained’ groups as well as steering the ship. But when he wasn’t on the waves, he was on wheels. He met a Cork girl — thousands of miles from the sound of Shandon’s bells and eventually followed her back to the Rebel County.
Hey, you can skate and fish there too right? He shades in the details of his life to me this week. But before the BBQ he starts the tape on why everyone’s here — to raise money for his latest endeavour, giving skateboards to kids with autism.
“It’s basically a way of letting autistic kids be social — without having to be sociable, if you know what I mean,” says our host, who’s also a former mixed martial arts champ — though he doesn’t mention it.
He set up a shop on Cork’s famous old Singer’s Corner where those interested in skateboarding and/or jujitsu tramp up the stairs to his first-floor office. It’s a long way from glass bottom boats full of tourists. A long way.
How did he get to be here, pushing skateboards in the kids’ hands and strapping helmets on their heads in an admirable bid to help them through sport?
“I’ve been skateboarding for 20 years, man,” he explained in his islander accent, “and my wife works with autistic kids. We were looking to organise a skate festival — just a festival — but then we thought, ‘why not put a charity part into it?’
“But it just happened that I had friends visiting from Germany and they mentioned this foundation and we did some research and here we are.
“We also felt we wanted to show that skateboarders want to give something back. We want to contribute to society.”
The A.Skate Foundation is a non-profit that allows children with autism to ‘be a part of the social world through skateboarding’.
They hold clinics for children with autism for free and Tony explains it’s almost as therapeutic for the parents who get a couple of hours rest.
“It’s not for every kid,” he added, “I know that. But it’s something that helps a lot of kids.”
Tomorrow, the Phoenix Street area of Cork city will be cordoned off and two stages will be erected for bands and DJs to strut their stuff. Inside, kids can strap on a helmet and have a go on the skate ramp. And the barbecue might even get fired up.
adrian@thescore.ie Twitter: adrianrussell
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