Sacramento native Miles Silvas named Thrasher Magazine's Skater of the Year
SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento native has been named Skateboarder of the Year by Thrasher Magazine.
Meet Miles Silvas, 28, who has been skateboarding for more than two decades. He's wanted to be a pro skater since he was a young kid.
"I just wanted to pick up a board, and I was kind of around a ton of other sports in my younger years, and just skateboarding stood out more than the rest and I stuck with that," he said.
Silvas comes from a family of athletes. His dad is a former boxer and his brother is a former professional soccer player. However, once his older cousin introduced him to skateboarding, Silvas knew that was his passion – and his friends and family couldn't be more proud.
"My phone has been going crazy the last couple of days just with congratulations," he said.
The skateboarder's wife, Jessica Silvas, said she's proud of him.
"We've been together for ten years and this has been his main goal," she said. "It's just amazing he reached it."
Miles' claim to fame is being ambidextrous. He's mastered what's called "the opposite stance," allowing him to effortlessly switch the position of his leading foot.
"I worked hard all year and it was definitely the outcome I was hoping for," he said of his achievement with Thrasher. "It doesn't feel real."
Jessica said her husband is out skateboarding every day.
"I would say skateboarding and his commitment and loyalty to that translates to his commitment and loyalty to his friends and family in his life," she added.
We asked Miles what a title like this means for his hometown.
"It's big because it just shows younger kids that are skating and up and coming that they can be someone that can get this award and make it happen out of Sacramento," she said.
Miles Silvas is the first Sacramento native to be named Skateboarder of the Year. John Cardiel of Half Moon Bay has lived in Sacramento and won the award in 1992. Miles Silvas said there is more to come in 2024.