Wikipedia

Alec Beck

Alec Beck is an American professional skateboarder, public space advocate, skatepark designer, and Olympic coach.[1][2][3]

Alec Beck
Personal information
BornUnited States
Occupations
  • Skateboarder
  • Skatepark designer
  • Associate Director of Advocacy & Public Engagement at The Skatepark Project
SpouseAmelia Brodka
Sport
SportSkateboarding
Event(s)Park, Street, Vert, Bowl

As of 2024, Beck works as the Associate Director of Advocacy & Public Engagement at The Skatepark Project (formerly The Tony Hawk Foundation).[4]

Career

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Skateboarding

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Beck's skateboarding career spans over 20 years, from competing in national competitions to video parts for various brands. Beck and his ZJ Boarding House team won gold at ESPN X Games 16 held in Los Angeles.[5][6]

Beck was a featured athlete over three seasons on the Fuel TV, Built to Shred television series.[7]

Beck has produced numerous video parts, including his Birdhouse pro debut video.[8]

Skatepark advocacy

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Alec was the lead advocate for the development and designer of Stoner Skate Plaza at Stoner Park in West Los Angeles, California.[9]

After his successful advocacy for Stoner Skate Plaza, Alec worked with the local council, Aaron Snyder and Nike to liberate the famed West LA Courthouse for legalized skateboarding.[10][11][12]

Beck was hired at the Tony Hawk Foundation, now known as The Skatepark Project, in 2015.[1] In his work at The Skatepark Project, he supports skatepark advocates across the country and helps manage high profile skatepark development including the Brooklyn Banks, Brooklyn Skate Garden, Blue Park, Ann Arbor Skatepark, and others.[13][14][15][16][17][18] Beck authored the Skatepark Best Practices Guide.[19] Beck has published articles in Parks and Rec Business magazine.[20][21] Additionally, Beck is a regular speaker at National Recreation and Parks Association conference education sessions and podcast.[22]

Beck cohosted The Skatepark Podcast, a skatepark focused podcast produced by The Skatepark Project. In 2023, Beck was the guest of University of Chicago’s Architecture Professor Stewart Hick tour looking at Chicago through the lenses of urban planning and active city spaces.[23]

Skatepark design

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Beck was the lead designer for Stoner Park along with Colby Carter & California Skateparks.[24]

In 2017, Beck designed two Detroit-based skateparks with Tony Hawk and notable artists related to the Library Street Collective, including the Wayfinding Skatepark with Ryan McGinness and the It Takes A Village Skatepark at the Shepherd Art Center with McArthur Binion.[25][26][27]

Olympic coaching

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In 2021, Beck was an Olympic Skateboarding coach at Tokyo 2021 Olympics for the Polish Skate Federation, coaching his wife Amelia Brodka.[28]

Personal life

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Beck is married to professional skateboarder Amelia Brodka.[29][30][31] Their unconventional marriage proposal gained media attention.[31]

References

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  1. ^ a b Owens, Jaime (2018-10-18). "The Tony Hawk Foundation, An Interview With Alec Beck". TransWorld SKATEboarding Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  2. ^ Chiu, Chihsin; Giamarino, Christopher (December 2019). "Creativity, Conviviality, and Civil Society in Neoliberalizing Public Space: Changing Politics and Discourses in Skateboarder Activism From New York City to Los Angeles". Journal of Sport and Social Issues. 43 (6): 462–492. doi:10.1177/0193723519842219. ISSN 0193-7235.
  3. ^ Indigo Willing (2024-09-22). Amelia Brodka and Alec Beck SkateCER shout out. Retrieved 2024-11-16 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ "Leadership - The Skatepark Project". skatepark.org. 2016-06-05. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  5. ^ "X Games 16: Skate Results". ESPN.com. 2010-07-29. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  6. ^ NoahSkater (2010-07-30). X Games 2010 Shop V. Shop Battle - ZJ Boarding House takes Gold. Retrieved 2024-11-17 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ Built to Shred Built to Shred | Season 3 | Episodes. Retrieved 2024-11-17 – via fuel.tv.
  8. ^ RIDE Channel (2019-03-11). Alec Beck Part and Guest Birdhouse/THF Model. Retrieved 2024-11-17 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "Stoner Park: The Skatepark With a Great Name". Red Bull. 2017-02-19. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  10. ^ Eisenhour, Mackenzie (2014-09-09). "Interview: Alec Beck on Liberating the Courthouse". TransWorld SKATEboarding Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  11. ^ Eisenhour, Mackenzie (2014-09-09). "Interview: Alec Beck on Liberating the Courthouse". TransWorld SKATEboarding Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  12. ^ Bils, Alexis Castro & Bobby (2020-04-06). "THE EVOLUTION OF... THE WEST LOS ANGELES COURTHOUSE". Jenkem Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  13. ^ Dale, Emma (2019-05-16). "Ann Arbor Skatepark to celebrate five years with 'Light Up the Park' event". mlive. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  14. ^ Russo, Christine (2023-07-16). "Brooklyn's Blue Park skate park opens with upgrades". FOX 5 NY. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  15. ^ Pankonin, Russ. "Skatepark gets $10,000 grant from Tony Hawk". The Imperial Republican.
  16. ^ Lohse, Drake. "Familiar face helps bring massive skatepark to Des Moines". The Times-Delphic. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  17. ^ Gazette, JULIE FARREN, Record (2019-10-11). "Teens advocate for new skate park at Beaumont City Council meeting". Banning Record Gazette. Retrieved 2024-11-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "The Brooklyn Skate Garden: Skatepark With Green Space or Green Space With A Skatepark?". VILLAGE PSYCHIC. 2024-07-12. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  19. ^ "The Skatepark Project". Juice Magazine. 2022-03-20. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  20. ^ "modern-skateparks-are-for-everyone". PRB+.
  21. ^ "Grinding Out The Details". PRB+ Magazine. 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  22. ^ "Building Community Through Access to Skateparks — Episode 109 | Open Space | National Recreation and Park Association". www.nrpa.org. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  23. ^ Alley, Blair (2023-10-19). "How Tony Hawk Changed the Design of Cities". TransWorld SKATEboarding Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  24. ^ mirrormmg (2010-09-11). "West LA Skate Park Too Much Noise For Neighbors:". SM Mirror. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  25. ^ "Shepherd Arts Center: Detroit's Historic Cultural Hub". Library Street Collective. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  26. ^ "tony-hawk-proud-excited-to-bring-skate-park-to-life-in-detroit".
  27. ^ Martin, Hannah (2024-02-16). "From a Reimagined Detroit Church to an Emerging Furniture Maker's Explorations in Resin, Here Are AD's Discoveries of the Month". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  28. ^ "Amelia Brodka". The Nine Club. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  29. ^ "Even Tony Hawk Was Impressed By This Skateboarder's Marriage Proposal". HuffPost. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  30. ^ Kramer, Jesse (2017-05-23). "Pro skater Alec Beck pulls off knee sliding proposal stunt to shock girlfriend". The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  31. ^ a b Staff, BarDown (2017-05-15). "Pro skateboarder throws down extreme proposal by knee sliding into his engagement - Article". BARDOWN. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
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