You Should Know Nyjah: A Primer

Jun 24 2006 / Louisville, KY Nyjah Huston is about to become a household name. Let us make the introduction.

Have you met 11 year-old Nyjah Huston yet? Maybe you first saw him ripping the final section of the new Element vid, Elementality. Maybe you’ve caught him at one of the stops on this summer’s Zumiez Couch Tour, or killing it at your local park, dreadlocks flailing in the wind as he flies through the air? Nope? Well, here’s a primer:  

Huston’s been throwing down since he was 5, and now skates for the Element Green Team. He’s also sponsored by éS Footwear, Silver Trucks, and FKD Bearings. When he’s not skating his hometown of Davis, California, you might find him traveling the world, skating in far-flung spots like Fiji or Tokyo, where he recently visited his 94 year-old great grandma.

In the last year, he’s won the Tampa Am and Am Getting Paid contests, and his Dew Tour debut suggests he’s hating the word “Am” as much as he hates “grom.” You’ll be hearing a lot about this kid this summer, and not just because the novelty of his age makes for good copy.

Sure, he’s the youngest competitor on the pro circuit, but he’s also seriously bringing it: He made his presence known at the Dew Tour on Wednesday by stomping the Open Qualifiers for the Panasonic Open, then placed 2nd in the Prelims on Thursday after Ryan Sheckler, who suddenly seems like an old pro in comparison. In practice sessions, Huston looks as solid as anybody in the field, with backside lipslides on the rail emerging as a signature trick.

We’re fully prepared to eat our words – our up-and-comer pick Kyle Berard is already out, and a few of us here at Lat34 are pulling for longshot Benji Galloway – but we expect big things from this little dude.