Nyjah Huston

Once in a great while, an athlete emerges from the long shadows of a sports’ top competitors to remind them that glory is fleeting and fame is only temporary. In skateboarding, this inevitable sea-change is happening now. The athlete’s name is Nyjah Huston of Davis, California, and at an astounding eleven-years-old he's bringing a blistering heat to the ramps that's causing his well established competitors to break out in a cold sweat.

Some cynics are calling this young park assassin a flash-in-the-pan. Only time will tell if that's the case. But to be so irrefutably talented at age 11? Huston appears to have all it takes to make high-ranking veterans twice his age -- and thirty-something standouts like Ronnie Creager and Element teammate Chris Senn -- wondering if their days are numbered.

For those who have yet to experience it, watching Nyjah creates an instant sense of duality. He appears utterly unfazed by the glitz-blitz that surrounds current pro skate events. Liberated from the pressure of high expectations, Nyjah takes flight with a poise and confidence that lifts the spirit of all onlookers. It's as if he's simply there for the joy of finding that zone where the only thing that matters is having fun. The five-digit paydays are just icing on the cake. He has the smile of a Boy Scout, the self-assurance of a gladiator, and the air of a carefree youngster, all crammed into a frame that makes you wonder if he could pass the height requirement for the rides at Six Flags.

Not that Nyjah cares; who needs and amusement park when you can shred the Park Finals on the pro skate circuit the way he did last month in Louisville. Even though he placed second behind 16 year-old Ryan Shackler (a red-hot pistol in his own right) Huston so ignited the crowd and the judges that Panasonic and the Kentucky Sports Authority presented him with the first ever Kentucky Unbridled Spirit Award for Action Sports. How’s that for standing tall?

Nyjah’s next duel-on-the-decks comes this week at the next stop of the Dew Action Sport Tour: The Right Guard Open. Tongues are already wagging in anticipation, wondering if he can pull off a history-making upset against a talented field of established competitors. If he does, he'll be one of the youngest to ever do so. For Huston, though, one gets the impression that respect and adulation aren't a big part of what he's seeking. Not yet, anyway. For the time being, He's just here to slay another rail, and plant a smile across the face of anyone who ever landed a trick.