Jeff DeChesare is the newest pro on the KFD team, he’s put together a killer video part to launch his 2 signature graphics, check it out below.
We had the opportunity to catch up with Jeff, delving into his skating journey and the concepts behind his pro boards;
Firstly congratulations on your new part and pro graphics, leaning into the professional skateboarding dream we all know you’ve worked so hard for must be a rad feeling.
Now that it’s fully materialised, how do you feel about the way your pro boards came together?
Thanks man! I’m very stoked on the graphics as one of my best friends got to design one of them and I had a big say in the other one. They turned out perfect!
The pro flagship is a right of passage for KFD riders, but there’s a bit of an easter egg hidden in yours, can you give us a bit of background on what it represents?
For sure! I had seen with the other pro flagship boards, they each had a unique colorway. I wanted to think of something that could represent me pretty well. My last name is Italian so I figured the Italian flag colors would be a good choice, I also like all those colors in general anyway. The easter egg is the shape of the state of New Jersey printed on the white part of the board. I grew up in New Jersey and had always wanted to show appreciation to the place that shaped the way I skate.
What was the inspiration behind the longneck graphic?
The inspiration behind the long neck graphic wasn’t even my idea. It was my friend Mike's who drew the graphic. Me and him have been friends and filming video parts together for the past 15 years so it got to be a thing where he would look out for spots specifically for me to skate. I like to skate a lot of big stairs and roofs so the idea behind the giraffe is that it’s probably the only one suitable to find spots for me to skate with the tall neck and all. Also Geoffrey the giraffe from Toys 'R' Us is another reason but mainly the spot seeking is where the idea is from.
What’s your relationship with Mike / Spazz Rabbit like? He played a big role in getting this part together as well right?
As I just said, me and Mike have been good friends for the past 15 years and it started from him being the only real filmer in the area but we formed a great friendship over the years. Even though he still lives on the east coast, we still talk to each other all the time to stay updated. With that being said, I still always have him edit my parts even if he can't film them because I feel he is still one of the best filmers/editors I've ever met. So he did all the editing for this one.
Song choice has always painted a bigger picture in skateboarding videos from my point of view, Forsaken Autumn’s ‘Wallow’ has a very shoegaze/dreampop sound, these genres hold a certain chaotic serenity that I feel pairs quite well with your part. Is it just what you’re vibing at the moment or does it hold some further significance?
I didn’t pick the song, I leave that up to Mike as well because he always picks something gold. He has the perfect ear to match the skating and music. The vibe for this one sounds like something from the 90s, I'm not exactly sure when it came out but I've always been a fan of stuff from that era.
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What would you say was the biggest battle for a trick that you faced?
The biggest battle for a trick in the part was the inward heel on the triple set. That spot is in San Diego (2 hours away) and I stuck it on one trip but got kicked out. I had really wanted it for the part and we were on a deadline so I made another trip down the same week. Not to mention I had bruised my ribs within this time and was using a lidocaine patch to fight the pain to land this. Got there the second trip, was sticking it and got kicked out. I wasn’t driving down a third time so we waited and came back. I started sticking it again and I saw security so I was rushing it. You can hear him talking shit to me as I’m rolling up in the clip but I landed it my very last try and then they parked a truck in front of the set as I rolled away.
Was this the one you were most stoked on or does another clip take that title?
I probably was the most stoked on that clip because of the whole story.
You hit some very notable/famous spots and a lot I’ve not seen in other videos before. Is there a dream spot (old or unknown) you’ve got in your sights?
Honestly since I've moved to California, I think I've skated every spot I've desired since I was a kid, around here anyway. But there’s definitely some spots around the globe I'd love to skate still, like MACBA and a lot of other things in Spain. Australia's got some gems as well!
You’ve referenced Bryan Herman as a major influence in the past, is there anyone new on the scene who’s getting you hyped?
To be honest I don’t really pay attention to the new kids nowadays, there’s too much to keep track of. I really just watch all my OG favorites and videos from back when I was growing up to get me hyped.
Progression has gone crazy over the last decade, what are your thoughts on the current state of skateboarding?
Progression has been pretty wild over the past few years. I get worried about the current state of skateboarding though. I go to skateparks now and see so many parents and instructors training their kids to get good at skateboarding. It almost looks like the kids don't even like it, like it's more for the parents amusement and to maybe make their kid get in the Olympics or whatever one day. I'm sure there are still kids who skate for the right reasons, but it seems to be less and less nowadays.
Do you have any advice for aspiring skateboarders hoping to get their own pro boards one day?
For anyone aspiring to get a pro board one day, I would say keep it on your mind but dont let it take over your life. Try to remember why you started (hopefully it was for fun) if you’re ever feeling down or stressed out. Progression stems the most from when you’re having fun, so no point in getting mad over the little things. It will just bring you further away from your goals.
Anyone you want to shout out before we sign off?
I would like to shout out my parents first and foremost. My dad (R.I.P) backed my skateboarding more than anyone. He drove me to skateparks every weekend, all the contests, and would even film me in freezing cold temperatures. My mom and stepdad are the same way, they know how important skateboarding is to me and will do everything to show support. I’m very fortunate to have them! Mike of course for killing it on the graphics and editing as always. All the filmers who contributed to this part, all my sponsors, my friends I skate with, the fans and followers and of course everyone at KFD for making this happen!
Cheers Jeff, we can’t wait to see what crazy tricks you’ve got in the pipeline!
Give Jeff a follow at @jeffdechesare and KFD on @kfdskate to stay in the loop.
 KFD PRO SKATEBOARD DECK JEFF FLAGSHIP 8 $83.99AUD |
 KFD PRO SKATEBOARD DECK JEFF LONGNECK 8 $83.99AUD |
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