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Dan Nepscha ESPN Interview

November 15, 2011

By Chris Nieratko

With so many new, young kids from all over the world entering the amateur ranks of skateboarding these days it’s hard to keep up with them all. Generally we all become familiar with them by the time they go pro thanks to a ton of photo and video coverage that warrants them turning pro. That is not the case with 1031 skateboardsand Vox footwear’s newest pro, Dan Nepscha, at least not for me. When they announced Nepscha was turning pro last week the only reaction I could muster was, “Who is Dan Nepscha?” So I decided to call him and find out. What I learned is that he’d like to be called Cheesehead from here on out.

Who the hell are you? You just went pro and I never heard of you?
Yeah, my name is Dan. I’m burnt. I’m from Milwaukee. I’m 25. I don’t know, man. I hit the streets and stay out of the spotlight. The spotlight scares the crap out of me.

How did you achieve pro status staying out of the spotlight?
Pro-ism? I tricked [1031 founder and pro] Kristian Svitak and twisted his arm into giving me a board. I moved in with him and paid him rent for a couple of years so he’s probably just returning a favor, you know? He’ll probably kick me off at the end of this trip and it’ll be back to normal. But yeah, I’m just doing my thing, living in Oceanside California, shredding, hitting the streets.

Are you big in the Midwest or something? Is that why you’re pro?
Yeah, I grew up in Milwaukee. I lived there until I was 21 then moved out to live with Svitak. I’ve been living in Oceanside for about five years. I pay a lot of rent for a beach that I don’t use. I’ve had a farmer’s tan for five years. I’m white as a ghost but it’s cool. If I want to go to the beach it’s right there. But I never do.

Is it hard trying to fill the big shoes left behind in Milwaukee by Greg Lutzka?
Nah, I don’t think so. Lutzka is tight and, growing up, he was super sick. He got into his own world and I got into mine. We still meet up and we’re still friends. But you have Al Partanen and Sam Hitz from Milwaukee; those are some heavy hitters besides Lutzka. Lutzka is definitely the one that gets a lot of the attention, whether it’s good or bad but he still kills it.

You just went pro. I’m thinking to start getting people’s attention you should start wearing one of those Milwaukee cheeseheads.
Oh, dude! I wear them all the time. Green Bay Packers just played the San Diego Chargers and I had the cheesehead, the jersey, I have a foam cheese and sausage necklace that I wear. Being from Milwaukee at a football game you’re allowed to look like a fool and no one is really going to care. In San Diego I probably looked a little silly but that doesn’t matter.

But I’m saying you should start getting some coverage …
In the cheesehead? Yeah, I’d back that. I’ve always kind of backed that. My cheesehead is like a baseball cap cheesehead. It’s more of a casual get-up, so it’s no biggie. I can throw that thing on in the morning and it feels good.

Everyone needs a nickname in skateboarding these days, maybe we can start calling you Cheesehead.
That’s fine. I’m cool with that. If you want to start that now, that’s fine. Nicknames are kind of cool these days. It’s easier to remember, no one can say my name anyway. The 1031 guys still spell it wrong. We just had an ad laid out and they were like, “Check it out, it’s sick!” And I was like, “Oh, yeah, it’s cool but my name is spelled wrong.” That’s been going on for years.

How is it pronounced?
Nep-shaw. It’s tricky. Just some Ukrainian name that doesn’t make much sense.

Did they spell it right on your boards?
Yeah, I had to call them and make sure that was all straightened out because I was afraid of that. I’ve always been afraid of ads and boards being spelled wrong my entire life so I developed a complex and that it the first thing I check now, make sure my name is spelled right because it’s pretty haggard.

Now that you’re pro should we be expecting you in Street League or X Games?
No, probably a retirement part next up. Nah, I’m working full-time shipping boxes as an assistant warehouse manager for a beach cruiser bicycle company. Holding down the full time job, skating on the weekends, skating on my lunch break. I work right across the street from Syndrome and Vox. Vox has a sick ramp and Syndrome has their skatepark inside, so I get a pizza from Pizza Hut Express and try and skate while I eat and then go back to work. It’s hectic but it’s cool; I got insurance so that’s a plus.

You’re living the dream.
Yeah, for real. It is what it is.

First Photo – Mario Miller
Second Photo – Bart Jones
Third Photo – Mario Miller

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