Danny Ruiz never imagined he would be competing and traveling the world as a skateboarder.
For the 29-year-old El Paso native, the skateboard became more than a hobby, it became an outlet.
“I really believe it saved my life, just based off of the route I was going, growing up in the Lower Valley,” Ruiz said. “A lot of my friends now are either, in jail, passed away or on drugs.
“And for whatever reason, the skateboard just kept my mind right and was an outlet for me from that. So, it just, it went from one thing to the next. Next thing you know, I’m competing, and I’m starting to travel, so I gotta thank the skateboard for that, ’cause who knows where I’d be right now without it.”
Ruiz was first introduced to skateboarding in 2005 at age 8 or 9 by his father, Peter Ruiz, a Spanish teacher at Gadsden and Chaparral High Schools, who also coached tennis and cross country.
His dad showed Danny and his older brother, Peter, the skate film “Shorty’s Fulfill the Dream film.”
At 12, Ruiz competed in his first contest at Carolina Skatepark during a Skate for Jesus event.
In 2014, at 17 and a year before graduating from Del Valle High School, Ruiz’s friend Rudy Garcia introduced him to filming skate videos and pursuing sponsorships, opening the door to larger competitions and travel. He began competing at a higher level around 19 or 20.
“I always wanted to travel, but it was more for filming parts in the streets skating, but as far as contests, never did I think it was going to be this big and in the Olympics,” Ruiz said. “I never thought it would take me this far.”
With dual citizenship, Ruiz will represent Mexico at the Skateboarding World Championships in São Paulo, Brazil, from March 1-8.
“So, we have, stops in Mexico, to gain points for their team. And as long as you’re making the team, you’ll be able to get invitations to the international ones, which are the more important ones. And those are the points that you need to get to the Olympics in 2028. So with those, my main goal is to try and stay on that list in Mexico and just get invited to the contests.”
Ruiz has skated in Yucatán, Guadalajara, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Chihuahua and Ciudad Juárez. In Europe, he has skated in Barcelona, where he goes every year for a month or two, as well as Amsterdam and Rome. In the United States, he has skated in Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver and Phoenix.
“I really enjoy that you get to meet people from different parts of the world, and understand their perspective on the sport,” Ruiz said.
In addition to Brazil, Ruiz hopes to compete for Olympic qualifying points in Canada, Dubai, Japan and China.
Currently ranked No. 89 in the world, Ruiz is working to break into the top 44, which he said is required to qualify for the 2028 Olympics.
Olympic skateboarding features four events, men’s street, women’s street, men’s park and women’s park. Each event includes 22 skaters, for a total of 88 competitors.
Ruiz said he couldn’t believe he was ranked among the top 100.
“I was there with my favorite skaters growing up and seeing my face next to them,” he said. “It was surreal for me.”
Ruiz is sponsored by Vans Mexico, while local shops and businesses support him by providing items such as shirts, grip tape and skate gear. Those include Deza Skateboards, Sosa Grip, The Sushi Plug, DumbCo and Freeworld Thrift Shop in Ciudad Juárez.
Ruiz said it would mean the world to him if he were to make it to the Olympics but it wouldn’t be the end of skateboarding for him, if he didn’t.
“It would feel really great to me in the end,” he said. “I think my dad would be really proud.”
Ruiz said he plans to continue skating regardless of the outcome.
“I’m always going to keep going. I’m never going to stop skating,” he said. “Even after my career kind of stops, it’s something I’ll always do.”
For Ruiz, skateboarding has given him confidence, pushing him out of his comfort zone and helping him develop social skills.
He hopes younger skaters understand that it is possible to build a career in the sport through competitions, sponsorships and by taking care of their bodies and minds.
“I really love connecting with everyone, it doesn’t matter how old or what,” Ruiz said. “It doesn’t really matter, what connects is this piece of wood. And that’s beautiful to me.”
Gaby Velasquez may be reached at gavelasquez@elpasotimes.com; @gabyavelasquez on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso skateboarder Danny Ruiz rides toward 2028 Olympics with Mexico
Reporting by Gaby Velasquez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
