Life & Work with Derrick Unrein

Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrick Unrein.

Hi Derrick, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was a very active kid.  I loved playing sports and tried them all.  It wasn’t until I found skateboarding at 16 that I truly discovered my passion.  This was great timing because during my middle school years I was angry, destructive and doing bad in school.  I needed an outlet from home life and a way to channel my frustration.  Skateboarding became that and helped me get on a better path.  I didn’t know how, but I knew I wanted to pursue a future in skateboarding.

For many years I dreamed of opening a fun, safe, year-round, facility for skateboarders to gather and do what they love. Skaters are very passionate about what they do. When winter comes there are not many places to go skate, it gets very frustrating.

I believe young people need a safe place to connect with others, to grow, to be encouraged, and cultivate passion. We started raising funds and sharing the vision of a space like this. In 2015 we opened up G&P Indoor Skatepark, under the umbrella of the non-profit Process Skateboard Ministry, near downtown Colorado Springs. G&P quickly became a hub for skateboarding in Southern Colorado.

We began hosting skate contests and events, teaching lessons and camps, art contests, and a free weekly gathering called Skate Church. G&P has been going strong for nearly 9 years and we have expanded to open a second location in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Finding a location was a struggle because warehouse space is hard to come by at an affordable price.

Being a non-profit, we have to raise quite a bit of money for G&P to be sustainable.

The community has rallied around us and shown support every year. We couldn’t do it without donors, sponsors, churches, friends, families, and the skate community that believes in our mission.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I went to UNC and got my degree in Sports and Exercise Science with a minor in coaching. I wanted to work with non-traditional athletes and was going to pursue physical therapy.

Being a skateboarder growing up around Denver, it was also a lifetime goal to get out to California to surf and skate as much as possible. During summer break of college, I took a job in Santa Cruz, California teaching skateboarding at a camp, and quickly found out my passion was helping teach and encourage young people.

I feel very fortunate to use something I love like skateboarding to help people and to be a part of building an amazing community at G&P. Indoor skateparks are very hard to keep in business and I am super proud to have almost 9 years at our Colorado Springs location. There have been thousands of kids and families blessed by our facility.

Networking and finding a mentor can have a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Get out and meet people, and share your vision and dreams with as many people as possible. Try to find someone you respect and look up to who can pour into your life.

Contact Info:

• Website: skateprocess.com
• Instagram: @skategandp
• Facebook: G&P Indoor Skatepark

Image Credits
Emily Jo Photo