Rodney Mullen Skateboarding Legend | Generated by AI
Rodney Mullen is an American professional skateboarder widely regarded as the “Godfather of Street Skating” for pioneering dozens of foundational tricks that revolutionized the sport. Born on August 17, 1966, in Gainesville, Florida, he began skating at age 10 and quickly rose to prominence in freestyle competitions.
Key Achievements
- Early Success: At just 14, Mullen won the boys’ freestyle division at the 1980 Del Mar Skatepark contest, beating adult competitors. He dominated the 1980s freestyle scene, securing 34 out of 35 major contest wins, including multiple Vans Skatepark Championships and World Cup titles.
- Inventions: Mullen is credited with inventing over 30 tricks, many of which form the basis of modern street skating. Notable ones include:
- Kickflip (1983)
- Heelflip (1983)
- Impossible (1982)
- 360 Flip (1983)
- Casper Slide (1980s)
- Flatground Ollie (1979, popularized by him)
- Transition to Street Skating: In the late 1980s, he shifted from freestyle to street skating, influencing a new generation through videos like A Secret History of the Ollie (2007).
Career Highlights
- Co-founded influential skate brands like World Industries (1988) and A-Team (1991), which helped commercialize street skating.
- Competed in the first X Games in 1995, winning gold in street.
- Retired from competitions in 1997 but continued innovating and performing demos.
- Featured in films like Gleaming the Cube (1989) and documentaries such as Bones Brigade: An Autobiography (2010).
Beyond Skating
Mullen is also an inventor and entrepreneur with interests in technology and neuroscience. He holds patents for a robotic exoskeleton and has explored AI and robotics through his company, Autodidactic Studios. In 2013, he delivered a TED Talk titled “Population growth, the environment and our future,” blending skating analogies with discussions on innovation and sustainability. As of 2025, he remains active in skate culture, occasionally teaching clinics and advocating for mental health awareness in extreme sports.
Rodney Mullen Wikipedia
Rodney Mullen Official Site
TED Talk: The Art of Invention