He broke his hands, not his spirit: 19-year-old skater who refuses to stop

From borrowed boards to certified coach, Singye Rinchen’s journey reflects resilience, passion, and the growing dream to shape Bhutan’s skateboarding culture

At 19, Singye Rinchen’s life has already taken more falls and recoveries than most people see in a lifetime. Each scar on his hand tells a story, not of defeat, but of determination that keeps him rolling forward on the concrete slopes of the Johnny Strange Skatepark in Babena, Thimphu.

“I broke my hands twice,” he says, lifting his wrist that no longer straightens fully. “But I didn’t stop skating. Even when I had the plaster on, I went back to the park.”

Singye’s skateboarding journey began during the COVID-19 lockdown. With no internet access and plenty of boredom, he borrowed a skateboard from a friend, a girl whose board happened to stay with him during the lockdown and began learning tricks in his neighborhood.

“At first, it was just to pass time. My father wouldn’t give me the internet, so I started skating every day. That’s how it started,” he recalls with a grin.

When restrictions eased, he made his way to the Johnny Strange Skatepark, a place he had often passed by on walks home from school in Zilukha to Jungshina.

“I used to see people skating there and wanted to try, but I didn’t have a board. Later, I met some friends there who let me borrow theirs,” he says.

That spark grew into a full-blown passion. In 2021, Singye officially began skating, guided by senior skaters like Mipham and Pema, the coordinator of the Bhutan Skateboarding Club.

“They taught me how to jump and balance. Slowly, I started learning the tricks and understanding the culture of skating,” he shares.

But his journey was not easy. His parents, especially his mother, were not supportive. “My mother always told me to focus on studies. She doesn’t believe in sports as a career. Even when I broke my hand, I lied to them and said I fell on the stairs. But they knew it was from skating,” he said.

Despite the tension at home, he found support in the skate community. “Acho Pema and the club helped me with shoes and boards when mine wore out. They trust me now because I never stopped skating. They have hopes for me that I’ll do better and improve the culture in Bhutan,” he says.

Last year, his dedication paid off. Singye received his Level 1 certification as a skateboarding instructor from an international platform, internationalskates.com.

He shared that there are five levels of coaches, and that he is at level one now. He has even started giving private lessons to kids, earning some money from it.

Skateboarding has also opened unexpected paths for him. Through the Bhutan Skateboarding Club, he now helps coach younger skaters and sometimes works part-time baking Italian-style bread with his mentor, Pema, to earn pocket money.

He said, “Now, I don’t have to ask my parents for shoes or skateboard parts. I can manage myself.”

Though the number of skaters in Thimphu has declined from a dozen regulars to just a handful, Singye remains optimistic. “At one time, there were around 10 or 12 of us skating regularly. Now it’s me, a younger brother, and a few kids. But I think there will be more opportunities in the future,” he says.

That optimism was reinforced recently when an international skate team, “Salad Day Skate” known for promoting skate culture and community exchange around the world visited Bhutan.

The professionals held sessions with local skaters, shared techniques, and showcased what global skateboarding culture could look like.

For Singye and other young Bhutanese skaters, their visit was more than an event, it was validation.

He said, “Since the global professional skaters started coming to Bhutan few years ago, it felt like the world was finally noticing us. It gave me more reason to keep skating, to keep teaching, and to never give up.”

His hope mirrors the vision of Bhutan’s skateboarding community, small but resilient, with growing international recognition. Global groups like “Salad Day Skate” who brings international professionals every year to Bhutan in collaboration with Bhutan Olympics Committee shows the increasing recognition and interest.

As Bhutan’s skating movement gathers momentum, Singye’s story stands as a reminder of what persistence can build not just in sports, but in life. “If you want to learn skateboarding,” he said, “Just try. Even if you don’t have a board, come to the park. We’ll lend you one. You’ll never know until you try. For me, I will come for the practice after every class, more so during the weekend.”

At the Johnny Strange Skatepark, as the afternoon light catches the chipped surface of his board, Singye pushes off once again proof that some dreams can keep rolling, no matter how many times you fall.