Grit to Grind: Shaping Montana Communities One Skatepark at a Time

The inspirational story of the inception, growth, and continued work of the Montana Skatepark Association and their ongoing efforts to build skateparks for communities across Montana. Packed with 100+ vibrant color photographs. Long before skateboard culture entered mainstream consciousness, for a group of teens growing up in Montana, skateboarding represented the ultimate expression of freedom and creativity. With no dedicated skatepark nearby, skaters sought opportunities several hours or hundreds of miles away—until a core group of childhood friends decided to band together and change the status quo. This is the remarkable true story of how long-time Missoula residents Chris Bacon, Andy Kemmis, Ross Peterson, and a small army of other volunteers overcame, with perseverance and determination, obstacles like lack of funding, bureaucratic red tape, geographic limitations, and more to create a non-profit organization that has assisted in the funding and creation of nearly fifty skateparks in the state to date. The book features: Interviews and testimonials from the people who built the MSA from the ground up Profiles of real skaters who have been have been impacted by the skateparks A foreword by Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament Over 100 full-color insider photographs A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES: The Montana Skatepark Association, a non-profit that started in 2000, has helped fund multiple skateparks throughout the state, including many in remote and/or Native American communities. These parks provide local youth with healthy environments for after-school and weekend activities. THE IMPORTANCE OF SKATEPARKS IN AMERICA: Skateparks are not only a place where kids (and adults) can practice their latest board tricks, they’ve become thriving community centers where kids of all ages and backgrounds can feel safe and supported, a non-threatening space where they can connect with others and be themselves.

About the Author :
Andy Kemmis is a photographer and writer based in his hometown of Missoula, Montana, who has been skating for over forty years and has been involved with the Montana Skatepark Association since its inception. See more at andrewkemmis.com or on Instagram @andrewkemmisphoto. Chris Bacon, a musician and skateboarder, has worked at Board of Missoula for over thirty years and formed the Montana Skatepark Association with lifelong friends. Chris has dedicated his life to sharing all of skateboarding’s positive life lessons with Montana communities and beyond. See more at boardofmissoula.com or on Instagram @boardofmissoula.

Review :
“Grit to Grind is a vibrant, uplifting account of how local skateboarders in Missoula, Montana, joined forces to build a world-class skatepark that benefited their city in surprising ways. This achievement was followed by the construction of about 50 (and counting) similarly magnificent skateparks in small towns and on Indian reservations across Montana. The positive impact on these communities has been remarkable.” —Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author   “Ten years ago, my friend gave me a sticker from a skate shop in Missoula, Montana then called Edge of the World. To be honest, I couldn't imagine what kind of place it was. Living in Tokyo, it was unbelievable to me that skateboarders could coexist in this wonderful natural environment where elk roam. My first trip to Montana was in 2014 when I visited Jeff Ament and was able to skate the Treasure Bowl. It was then that I realized an impressive skateboarding scene had taken root in Montana and was going strong. The skateboarding community is made up of people who support each other. I am proud to be a part of that world and to be able to help in any way I can.”  —Haroshi, artist