Interview by Joe Castrucci

I honestly don’t know your real full name. What is it, and how did you get such a good nickname?
My real name is Jose Abraham Batrez, the nickname came from there being to many Joe’s in Columbus, Ohio. There were literally five of us at an indoor skate park and someone yelled “Joe” across the park, and we all looked. That day my other friend Joe nominated me for the nickname, and it ended up being Chow.

It’s a pretty good name I’m not going to lie. You got lucky.
Yeah, my family thinks I live a different life in Columbus with my friends. Why are there so many Joes in Ohio?

Maybe it’s a Catholic thing. Anyways you are a young kid, and no one knows who you are, so I feel like we can ask these easy questions. How did you end up skating in Ohio?
I got my first board in Willard, Ohio when I was four, I stole it from this neighbor kid named Butch. He swung a fishing pole at me and caught me with the hook. So when he got called inside, I walked over and took it. It just started from there, just sliding around on it. Then after a few years, I started to learn some basics in the driveway or my local park.

How long did you live there?
I was born there and then when I was nine my mom and I moved to L.A. I remember we got a ride to Arkansas and we were supposed to get on a plane, but I was so scared I convinced my mom not to get on, so we had to hop on a greyhound, and it took three days. I don’t know what I was on, I was just so scared to ride on a plane. Then my mom and I have moved back and forth from Ohio to L.A. a bunch of times.

Woah so you move around a lot. Was your mom with you all those times or were you by yourself trying to finish school hopping back and forth?
There were some times towards the end of high school I lived with friends I met through skating. My mom moved back to LA once and I wanted to stay here in Columbus. She left me her car for some reason, and I had nowhere to stay so I was on Ohio State campus with all my belongings. Just crashing at a friends and watching my car through the window making sure no one took my things.

Haha, so you were 16 then.
Yeah 16 about to turn 17.

Chow the drifter. Did you ever skate Dodge skatepark? In your time it’s probably been bad right?
It’s always been pretty beat but they just re-did the whole thing. Looks pretty good now. We could have skated it for the first time today but it’s raining out.

What are the parks where you met a bunch of these guys in Columbus?
Most of that happened at our local indoor park “Skate Naked” and then Dublin skatepark. I put my mom through it driving me over there every day when we were living here. So, all my good friends I have now are from that area

Is this where the Embassy skate shop connection comes in?
That was right when I turned 14, I got invited to go skate Cincinnati. I bs heelflipped a flat gap. Justin Henry and Dakota Mullins were there. I got to get a clip and then a photo with Dakota. Andy Licardi pulled up and I found out about him working for Habitat. I was hyped! That was my intro to Embassy and Habitat. I just recently turned 18, so that wasn’t even long ago. Everything has just kept connecting after that point.

What is it like trying to skate and film in Ohio? Is it hard trying to get out in a smaller city like Columbus?
It can be hard. Everyone has a life outside of skating here. It can suck a lot of times getting someone to skate with me or go film because people have jobs here. It’s not like the true East or West Coast where everyone’s mission every day is to go out and get clips. We are working on it though.

Plans on moving anytime soon?
Just trying to save money and get over to Philly. I really like skating the spots out there and how productive everyone is. I stayed with Dakota for a week, and we just went out every day on a mission along with some other Muni heads. They really kept the energy up. Even when you thought it was over for the day, Joey Marrone was bringing out his lights and generator.

What was your first introduction skate video?
I used to watch this Gatorade video featuring Sean Malto and Chaz Ortiz on Youtube. My friend and I liked the song in it and it’s just Chaz and Sean leaving their high school pushing around. It’s funny.

Ok last one. What you are working on and who you are riding for?
I’m trying to start this Habitat part to have come out next summer. Thank you to Embassy, Habitat, and New Balance.