A Chat With Stefan Janoski's Mom Article at Skatepark of Tampa

A Chat With Stefan Janoski's Mom

Posted on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 by Rob

By Rob Meronek

In your memory, how did Stefan first get into skateboarding?
Stefan got introduced to skateboarding in junior high by a friend of his.

In his younger years, were you immediately supportive or resisting at first? Maybe due to bad grades, sketchy friends, and/or other things skateboarding tends to lead you into.
I was always supportive especially at first because it kept him busy, outside, and active. He had tried many sports but other than karate, he never became passionate about them like skateboarding. Later on, it was a little scary because he would hang out with kids a lot older than himself and would go to San Francisco with these friends all the time. In high school, it really became his passion. That is when the so- so grades, and "other activities" had to be closely monitored. But when he wanted to try to become a pro and needed to be available during the day to be noticed, I allowed him to use the college money I had saved for him so that he didn't have to work at another job. Lucky for him, in the year and half that he lived off that money, he got picked up as an amateur and then two years later, turned pro! Paid off!

Do you wear your son's shoes?
I have a pair of Stefan's shoes in my size and will wear them when the weather gets cooler. I love them!

Does anyone else in the family skate? Dad, brother, sister, etc?
No one else in the family skates.

Does Stefan call you enough? If not, I will tell him to next time I see him.
Stefan actually texted me today! He is in New York. But no, of course, he doesn't call enough! It is hard to keep up with where he is! And we take care of Liam (his Boston Terrier) when he is gone...so that is a lot.

A funny story: Stefan asked me to watch Liam FOR A DAY while he went to Napa for. A week later I text him, "Are you still in Napa?"

"Oh sorry Mom I forgot to tell you I am in LA."
"When will you be home?"
"I will be home this weekend."
A week later, "Are you still in LA?"
"Oh sorry Mom I forgot to tell you I am in Miami."
"When will you be home?"
"Well I have to go to Australia for two weeks and then back to New York and then back to Spain."

So a month and a half later he picked up his dog. Funny huh? (It went something like that. I may have gotten the last country wrong, but you got the point.)

Just for fun I enclosed a great picture of Stefan and Jessica at the shoe release party for his Nike shoe. It is my favorite of them.


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