Who Dat?: Skyler Bergsma

Words and Media by Roger Santerre

A couple months back, a clip popped up of some dude absolutely destroying CJ’s full blacked‑out metal uniform,

skating like he had a personal vendetta against every feature in sight.

The IG handle was @skatin_for_satan, and instantly I needed to know who this was. He tagged @souldiersbarrie, so I hit up Dan Bokma to get the lowdown and figure out how to get this shredder in front of my lens.

After a few DMs, Skyler and I lined up a meet at Queen’s Skatepark in Barrie, a park I hadn’t stepped foot in for decades. Rolling up felt like time travel: raw concrete, steep banks, and that unmistakable early‑2000s “city‑funded DIY” vibe. Even the double‑long slappy curb demanded more speed than I was ready to give until a local showed me the way. Speed is your friend.

Skyler was easy to spot. We introduced ourselves and warmed up. This was my first solo mission shooting a skater I didn’t personally know, so I made sure to be upfront about that. Didn’t matter, the vibe was solid from the jump.

Between runs, we started talking. I hit him with the usuals:

How’d you get into skating? When did it get serious?

He told me he started because his older brother skated and got serious when his brother quit.

“I realized I can do this on my own. I don’t need a team. I can skate anywhere.”

What struck me immediately was how little he talked about himself. Skyler pointed out every skater at the park, giving each one their shine - who they were, what they brought to the scene, why they mattered. If I didn’t ask a direct question, he redirected the spotlight to someone else. That set the tone for the whole day.

Once we were warmed up, we grabbed a few clips at the park. Skyler made quick work of Queen’s - hitting the main features while the locals worked on spinning in and out of everything. Trick selection had its own Barrie flavour that day.

With clips in the metaphorical bag, we hit the streets.

Trop, Souldiers, and the Backbone of a Scene

On the way to the first spot, Skyler gave me a history lesson on how Souldiers Barrie came to be - and how close the scene came to losing its core shop entirely.

“The guy who took over Tropical North did his best but was just never the same and it eventually ran its course.”

Dan saw that and hit up Aaron - the guy who owned the Souldiers name - and said, ‘Front me a location in Barrie. I’ll run it. We need this.’ If Souldiers didn’t open when Trop died, our scene would’ve died too.

“A local shop pulls a scene together way more than people think.”

Meridian Place - The First Spot

Our first street stop was Meridian Place — a plaza that feels like it accidentally became a skate spot. Wide pads, clean lines, ledges begging to be jumped off, and that canopy framing the lake like a built‑in backdrop. Perfect place to start shooting.

Between tricks, Skyler talked about how the city is finally starting to embrace skateboarding instead of just tolerating it. The skate community has been pushing Go Skate Day into the public eye, and people are noticing.

“We hosted Go Skate Day at Georgian College on the two‑block and they were like,

“We want you back next year.”

We’re changing the outlook of the scene. People are seeing how popping it is.”

This year, Go Skate Day lands July 12th, 2026 at Meridian Place.

Skyler Bergsma, Nollie Big, Barrie

Giving Back - The Cycle Continues

As we moved on, Skyler told me about the older skaters who supported him coming up — and how he’s paying that forward.

Dan took me on Toronto trips when I was like 15, 16. Now I’m taking kids on their first out‑of‑province trips. That kid doing back tails on the first ledge today? I took him to Montreal. He was only 15 and ripping.

“I told him, ‘You need better footage. We’re all going — come with.”

Walking down the sidewalk, someone yelled “SKYLER!” with arms wide open. “That’s one of the OGs I was talking about,” he said.

Next spot: a two‑step ledge, downhill, with a perfect sightline into Kempenfelt Bay.

**“It’s such an old city, but it’s randomly developing so fast. Some stuff’s getting refreshed, so you get the new mixed with the old.”**

The Uniform - Full Circle

Skyler laughed about how his look evolved:

“I started as a little metalhead skater kid.”

High school changed me - more preppy, trying to fit in. Then weed came around and I wore the uniform for that - tie‑dye and all that. Then in my early 20s I rediscovered metal and fell right back in.”

And it fits - because Skyler isn’t just a skater.

He’s also the vocalist for Loöse, a five‑piece heavy metal band known for breakneck riffs, shredded vocals, chaotic live shows.

**DIY chains‑and‑bullet‑belts**
**aesthetic.**

Skyler Bergsma, Lust for Blood, Queens Hotel
Photo: Rory Procyk

Wrapping Up

Skyler Bergsma, Fast plant, Barrie

On the way back to Queen’s, a full‑building mural caught our eye - with a bump‑to‑tree‑stump spot right in front of it. One more session before calling it.

By the time we returned to the park, the place was buzzing - as busy as a hometown skate event. As our time wrapped, we talked about whether we’d need a follow‑up interview. Maybe we will.

Reflecting on the day, two things stuck with me:

The importance of a core skateshop.

Coming from a town without one, trying to DIY events on the fly makes me miss having that unofficial home base.

(RIP Skadurz Pro.)

Paying the scene back.

A healthy scene means new skaters showing up - and each of us can make or break their first experience. They might not know etiquette or culture yet, but if they’re open to learning, you can guide them into a community that becomes theirs.

Ours.

The Follow Up Interview

Mispr!nt: What is the one Barrie spot that’s still sketchy enough to keep you coming back?

Skyler: Probably “law ledge”. Downhill roll up, multiple cracks on that roll up, but it always looks good so we always end up going back.

Mispr!nt: Who’s the next kid in Barrie you’re betting will blow up?

Skyler: Koehne Hartwick, might not be the next to blow up but he’s one of my fav younger homies to skate with, funny dude, has a damn good attitude and always rips!

Mispr!nt: What would you tell the next generation of skaters coming up?

Skyler: Just skate, skate however and whatever you want to skate, always do it for you, no one else. And just have fun with it!

Mispr!nt: What’s next for you?

Skyler: I'm currently filming for a couple different skating projects at the moment, no exact timeline when those will be coming but soon. Other than that my band Loöse will be releasing our debut album June 20th and will be rocking a day of release show in barrie at “the queens nightclub” with “hexoffender” and “prison”.

Mispr!nt: Anyone you want to thank or shout out for keeping the scene alive?

Skyler: Dan Bokma, Dan Bokma and Dan Bokma

WHO DAT?: SKYLER BERGSMA