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Jason Wilson said if someone told him 20 years ago that part of his income would be based on skimboarding, he would have said “good.”

It’s safe to say Jason Wilson was born to skimboard. His father, Harry Wilson, worked for Sandblaster Skimboards, making skimboards very accessible.

“The boards were always around me,” said Jason Wilson.

Where Wilson grew up also helped develop his talent. Wilson grew up at Dewey Beach, which is regarded as one of the best skimboarding areas in the world. He also spent a lot of time at his parent’s surf shop, Dewey Beach Surf Shop, which his family sold in the early 2000s.

“My family also played a large role in my progression,” he said.

Setting up camp

Wilson and friend Corey Mahoney, who was at the time a high level lacrosse player and being invited to recruiting camps, hatched an idea.

As someone who loves the beach, Wilson wanted to introduce locals and visitors alike to the sport of skimboarding. Drawing inspiration from Mahoney’s lacrosse camps, the two set in motion Alley Oop Skim Camp, and at an early age.

“When I was 16, we had our first skimboarding camp,” Wilson said. “We even had an overnight camp that summer. I was amazed parents entrusted their kids to us.”

Trust and care for those he works with is what drives Wilson.

“We always keep the youth’s interest and heart and we do what is best for them,” Wilson said.

Wilson said when someone is trying the sport for the first time, he encourages them to not be discouraged.

“It is a very hard sport,” Wilson said. “Even if you are not in the area, I would recommend checking out a skimboarding camp to gain a little insight into how the sport works. You can hurt yourself easily when skimboarding and the sport looks a lot easier than it actually is.”

Wilson said if you keep up with riding often, it can be very rewarding.

“Once you get on the board and get used to sliding, it can be incredibly enjoyable,” Wilson said.

Establishing Himself

Wilson said the sport has changed a lot since he was younger and what people are doing on the board now is amazing.

“We used to just go back and forth and occasionally ride into the ocean,” he said. “But now you have people start on the sand and ride into the ocean and ride a wave back like they are surfing while, all at the same time, they are doing tricks as if they are skateboarding.”

Wilson, who has taken a step back from the camp to work as a real estate agent to support his family, still enjoys what he does with the camp.

“The camp has gone from a youth, summer business to a full-time career and now (Corey) and I have to take a back seat,” Wilson said. “It is not secondary in importance, though, and it is something that we can be very happy with when we do it. And we feel as if we have a responsibility to the community not to disappear. What happens to the kids that were relying on us to introduce them to the sport if we leave?”

While his primary passion has taken a secondary place in terms of income, Wilson feels very happy when he is out on the beach doing what he loves.

“Being able to stay on the beach doing what I love to do and pass on the love to other kids is amazing,” Wilson said. “It has taken me down paths I never would have imagined. I feel best when I am out there doing high-level activities and challenging myself in nature while being in tune with nature.”

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