Interview duties for Sam Crofts’ feature were handled by James Bower and Matthew Stewart, over a curry and a few tins at the La Hore One restaurant in Whitechapel, East London. November 2nd, 2023. The company of friends well-versed in his journey and the relaxed atmosphere of the setting made for an insightful look into Sam’s history. Every skater that dreams of being sponsored should read it to get a sense of how the sausage is made. We thanks James, Matthew, and Sam for their work and want to share the Introduction James wrote to open the piece:
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When I first met Sam, I really didn’t know what to think. A very eager, fast driven skater moving at a 100 miles an hour. He was so unlike anyone else in London at the time, and I was probably the polar opposite of him. As time went by, he became a part of the fabric of the London skate scene, and the more I thought about it the clearer it became that it was important for skaters to break the stereotype that London skating was for so long.
We have watched him grow in to the controlled and measured professional we all know of him today and it has been an absolute pleasure to witness, although also terrifying! But more so than that, it’s been an honor to become such close friends over that time. I feel we counterbalance each other; where he might kick me up the arse to have a bit more drive, I’ll calm him down when he’s getting a bit too excited.
Ever since we first met, I knew he had a main passion for his life. It’s rare you get to witness friends achieve all their goals. But I feel with Sam, we have gradually watched him tick off the boxes one by one.
Cheers to you, Sam.” — James Bower (from Issue #27)
[The END]
Photos by Sam Cooper