Many college students wonder where they are going to get the money to pay their tuition and expenses, but not Scott Walters.

Walters, a 21-year-old undeclared freshman, is the owner and proprietor of the BTB Skatepark in Joplin. For a little more than a year, he has run the park, a place where skateboarders, bikers, and rollerbladers can ride an assortment of ramps and structures.

"I wanted to go to college and I knew if I went that I'd have to get another job," said Walters. "I wanted the skatepark because I'd still have a whole lot of time to skate and do homework and I don't really like real jobs."

The park was formerly owned by Nathan Bemo, a graduate of Missouri Southern, who sold the park to Walters last year. It started off in Bemo's backyard and eventually moved to its new location at 715 Grand Street. Then called Bemo's Skatepark, it provided the area youth with a safe place to ride without harassment from the police.

In the beginning, Walters worked for Bemo without pay, but received free skateboard decks and equipment for his services. When Bemo decided he wanted to sell the park, Walters seized the opportunity that would change his life.

"The skatepark wasn't very good at the time," said Walters. " I wanted it to be a better place and have better stuff to ride."

Walters took out a loan and acquired the park. He has owned it for the past year and continues to improve its design. He also changed the name to BTB Skatepark, which stands for "Better Than Bemo's."

Walters has been riding skateboards for approximately 10 years. With failing skatepark efforts in Joplin in the past, such as Bullet Skatepark and Club Slam, skaters like Walters were left with nowhere to ride. That is until Bemo opened his park.

Now, under Walter's control, the park provides a reasonably priced place to skate. For $5, one can ride "all kinds of fun stuff" for the entire day. He has a pro shop which features the latest in skateboard equipment and clothing. On some nights, bands play shows at the park. Some of the local Joplin groups that have played the park include Initial Detonation, Powerstall, USMC, and VD.

Childhood friend Isaiah Smith, a sophomore computer science major, has being going to the park since it opened and helped with its initial construction.

"BTB is sorta an oasis in the midwest for skateboarders because before it opened there was nothing to skate in the midwest area," said Smith.

Smith, Walters, and a small yet loyal skateboard crew began skating at places in Joplin like the Airport Ditch, Commerce bank and the "three story" parking garage at Mercantile. However, due to vandalism and city ordinances, these places are no longer accessible to skaters. Police have fined many skateboarders for tresspassing on private property at places such as Mercantile. In some cases, authorities confiscated skateboards from individuals, who could later pick them up at the police station.

"The places we did ride were sort of going against the law in our own civil disobendience kind of way," said Smith. "We weren't hurting anything but leaving a couple of black marks and some skin and blood on the pavement."

The loyal skaters of Joplin do not need to worry about persecution from authorities and business owners, as they now have access to a successful skatepark.

Young entrepreneur Walters, a 12-year resident of Joplin, is in his first year at Southern. Before moving, his family lived in Coffeyville, Kan., about 60 miles west of Joplin. He is still unsure of what degree he is pursuing.

"I was a computer science major but that got kind of boring, so now I'm just taking core classes and trying to figure out what I'm going to study."

Aside from running the park, Walters is currently sponsored by a new clothing company out of San Jose, Calif., called Militia. They provide him with free clothing and merchandise which he wears at contests and demos, to help promote the product. Walters said he would like to get sponsored by some other companies, but needs some more video footage.

Walters is also a budding filmmaker. He recently shot the first skatepark video, which features both locals and visitors of the park, including himself, Phil Wasson, Matt Cressman and James Stadler. It is currently being edited and remastered and will be available for purchase in a few months. Walters said the video may help him with future sponsorships. He said he would also like to continue to make skateboard videos.

Although the park covers his school and living expenses, Walters assured that he won't be a millionaire anytime soon.

"I do all right," said Walters. "I'm not getting rich, but I'm surviving."

Walters says he would like to stay within the skateboard industry. He said he would like to take some business classes to help him with this.

"I'd like to get into the business side and maybe work for a skateboard company."

Walter's park has really given the area youth a safe place to be. Smith said he was surprised by the number of younger generation skaters that have surfaced in the area recently.

"The scene's really opened up," said Smith. "There's a lot more kids skating these days in the city of Joplin, which to me is amazing."

As for the future, Walters said he wants to "skate some more until I can't walk, run a business and get a degree in something."

Published by The Chart on 11-5-99.