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Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen Professional skateboarder Christian Hosoi, right, autographs the skateboard of 11-year-old Nick Tucker, who is from Chattanooga, during an appearance at the North Georgia Skateboard Center in Tunnel Hill on Saturday. Hosoi lost his fame and money to drugs but has turned his life around after a four-year prison term.

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April 10, 2010

Hosoi turns from addiction to preaching

By Adam Krohn adamkrohn@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Sat Apr 10, 2010, 11:22 PM EDT

Fifteen-year-old Christian Hosoi became a professional skateboarder in 1982 and quickly gained fame, earned corporate sponsorships, made thousands of dollars and saw his face plastered on magazine covers. But he couldn’t handle that success.

In time, Hosoi slipped into the dark world of drug addiction and watched as his fame and money evaporated. In January 2000, he was arrested for possession 1 1/2 pounds of crystal meth and eventually served four years in prison in San Bernardino (Calif.) Central Detention Center.

Sober for 10 years now, Hosoi has turned his life around, discovered Christianity and serves as pastor at The Sanctuary church in Westminster, Calif. He also has returned to professional skateboarding — he won a competition at last year’s X Games — and travels the globe making speeches about his life experiences.

On Saturday, Hosoi was in Tunnel Hill to deliver his message to young skaters at the North Georgia Skateboard Center.

“I wanted to come here and see if I could make a difference in people’s lives in this community and influence them to do something positive to steer them away from the trials and tribulations I’ve gone through,” said Hasoi, now 42. “It’s about making the right choices, knowing good life skills and being good members of society rather than going down the dark roads that a lot of kids don’t make it out of.”

Hosoi was impressed with the NGSC, which recently moved from downtown Dalton to a much larger facility off North Varnell Road. The expansion of NGSC reflects the growing popularity of skateboarding in this area and Hosoi sees that as a positive.

“If I was a kid, I’d be ecstatic,” he said. “Like I was in heaven. When I look at this place, it can breed professional skateboarders. This place has all the things kids need to become the best in the world.”

Many skaters were at NGSC to meet Hosoi. He made a strong impression on everyone and they waited in line to have pictures made with him and get his autograph.

“He’s a real legend,” said Nathan Holt, a 23-year-old from Dalton who skates at NGSC four times a week. “He’s right up there with Tony Hawk and a lot of other famous skaters.

“To see him keep doing what he’s doing after he pretty much lost it all, I have a great deal of respect for him.”

Hosoi said NGSC can be a safe haven for kids to protect them from making some of the bad choices he made. While in prison, at the encouragement of then-girlfriend Jennifer Lee, he began reading the Bible, which he said, “was the beginning of my eternal life.”

After his release from prison, Hosoi married Lee and the couple has two children, 9 months and 3 years old. Hosoi also has two other children, ages 12 and 21, that he and Lee care for. He said his time is now dedicated to his faith, family and skateboarding.

Hosoi’s mission to bridge Christianity and skateboarding is shared by NGSC owner Loretta Scriven. Because of the expansion of NGSC, Scriven said she now has the resources to host competitions that can lead to local skaters qualifying for the professional circuits. She’s in the process of putting together a Christian skateboarding team that she hopes will start competing in different events around the country starting next month.

She believes it’s important for local skaters to hear life stories from Hosoi, and others like him, in the form of testimonies.

“I wanted the kids to have a rich and rewarding experience and have the same outlook and Christian attitude that has been established among legendary skaters like (Hosoi),” Scriven said.

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