Orion Kalt (left) and Keegan Kortuem.
In a video shot by Orion Kalt, his friend Colin catches some air on his skateboard.
Orion Kalt tempting fate.
Orion Kalt met Keegan Kortuem when he drilled him in the face with a soccer ball.
Once they got past that, the two became fast friends, united by their love of pulling off slick moves and increasingly-complex tricks on their BMX bikes. Two of the more talented, if largely unknown, athletes in town, the pair put on a show after hours at Coupeville High School recently.
Zipping back and forth and playing their own version of H-O-R-S-E, constantly raising the bar by pulling off a twisting, often gravity-defying stunt and daring the other one to match it, or top it, they caught the attention of the few stragglers who passed by.
Those who did stay would have seen them hop over cement barriers, flip their bikes in tightly-choreographed circles and, occasionally, even bounce up and off the school’s walls.
Kalt, a freshman, and Kortuem, a sophomore, live on their bikes, using them to get around town (“Faster than my skateboard,” Kalt said.) and constantly fine-tuning their already impressive skill-set.
When he’s not on his bike, Kalt is generally shooting footage of Kortuem and their other skateboarder and BMX rider friends and putting his work up on YouTube. A self-taught shooter and editor, his work has already caught the eye of talent scouts, with a piece he did depicting a vicious wipe-out of his own being sold for use on at least two TV shows.
Chiway Entertainment bought it and sold the footage to FuelTV. Then, Kalt made the big time, face-first, when his momentary pain landed him on MTV’s “Ridiculousness,” which is hosted and produced by legendary rider Rob Dyrdek.
The explosion of YouTube, clip shows on TV and other social media allows young riders like Kalt and Kortuem to both be noticed, and to pick up valuable lessons from other riders, while still living on a rock in the middle of nowhere.
“Yeah, back in the old days, we’d have to use a quill pen and write a letter,” Kortuem joked. “Dear sir, how did you do that trick? Please write and tell me.”
“You just have to accept it. It’s going to happen. You’re going to hurt yourself. Just don’t do it that often,” Kortuemsaid.
Kortuem has actually been fairly lucky so far, getting an array of bruises but no broken bones. Kalt knows the pain of broken bones, something his mother regards with a mix of dread and loving acceptance.
“Although biking comes with many injuries, breaks, sprains, and contusions, I see that my son is just being who he is,” Annette Kalt said. “So even though I frequently suck in my breath when I hear a crash, I don’t hold it; I just grab an icepack and go outside to see what’s up.”
The duo have thought about going pro at some point, and they bounce from skate-park to open street to interesting looking railings and curbs outside businesses.
Unfortunately, a lot of local business owners don’t take the time to appreciate their skills and realize they’re not just random punks causing a disturbance.
Finding places to ride — especially in a town like Coupeville that doesn’t have a skate-park or similar riding area — isn’t always easy.
Kalt’s parents have provided him with a modest home park to use, and he and Kortuem and their friends use parks in other towns, but having a central location in their hometown would help the duo while potentially drawing in other skaters and riders.
Frankly, if someone was smart, they’d build one in the lot where Lumberman’s used to sit, which would put it in close proximity to both of the local schools.
Not every kid wants to play team sports or sit inside playing video games, and it makes one wonder how many more talented riders are out there who don’t have the drive to overcome a lack of opportunity like Kortuem and Kalt do.
“We’re not hurting anything. We’re careful where we ride,” Kalt said. “We just want to show people what we can do.”
And what they can do is pretty amazing.
As they rode for me that day, I saw moves that would have fit in quite nicely with what you see on TV, and I came away impressed with two well-spoken, polite young men who had a quiet confidence in their abilities and a delight in showing off their moves.
It would serve the community well to do for Kalt, Kortuem and the countless other current or future riders what Kalt’s mom did. Listen to them, encourage them and give them an outlet for the skills.
“When Orion was little, I found a quote I will butcher,” Annette Kalt said. “But it was to the effect of, if you want your children to be successful, find out what they are interested in and encourage them to do that. So that’s what we do.”
Coupeville Sports 