When walking around the campus of MTSU, it’s hard to miss students riding scooters or skateboards to their next class. But for freshman Darius Solomon, it’s something much more. It’s a way of building community. 

“It means the world to me,” Solomon said. That’s why Solomon and a group of his friends decided to create their own skateboarding club. 

This club, however, isn’t new. They’re reviving the old MTSU Skateboarding Club that’s been inactive since 2021. Solomon said that he noticed that there was no active club, so he talked with one of the new co-founders, Isiah Mwangi, on the MTSU Class of 2029 bios page. Then, once Solomon arrived on campus, he added Kiersten Holmes and Truett Espinosa into the mix during the first week of classes — something no one saw coming.

“It literally just came out of nowhere,” Solomon said. “It was just a completely leftfield, like, spontaneous idea.”

The turnout has also been something Solomon admits he didn’t expect. The past few meets have garnered nearly 30 skaters, all at different levels, he said.

The skateboard club has also gotten support from skaters in the Murfreesboro, Tennessee, area and beyond. LRB Skate and Record Shop and MTSU alumni spread the word about their club and shared skating footage with them. 

Holmes is the co-founder of the skate club. While she might not be the loudest person at the meets, she wants to help cultivate each skater’s skills — just like how Solomon took her under his wing. 

“He taught me a lot of stuff about technique and how to be consistent and even, like the small things that I need to fix, but it’s really helpful,” Holmes said. “I’m grateful for him to be my friend.”

For new skaters and freshmen, the environment has been a welcome sight, helping them acclimate to campus.

“I’m having fun so far,” freshman Joseph Roberts said. “We’ve been talking in the group chat outside of the meets, too, and I’ve made some new friends. It’s nice to skate with other people and have the community during that.”

Roberts has been skating since his sophomore year of high school. While he’s not an expert, Roberts said that he’s helped show skaters what he’s learned, which is a big goal for the club.

As the skateboard club grows, Solomon hopes to help people get more comfortable skating.

“I know how it felt like being a beginner skater and seeing all these guys who are better than me,” Solomon said. “Everyone has something to learn from each other.”

Solomon doesn’t just want people who ride skateboards to join the club. Whether it be a scooter, rollerblades, or just normal skates, they’re all welcome.

Holmes said that while she’s pleased with the size of the club, she hopes that more women and people of color will want to join. The club meets sporadically behind Corlew Hall, and more details are posted on the club’s Instagram page.