When sophomore Kevin Kousha arrived at the University of Wisconsin last year, he looked for a student organization dedicated to longboarding, only to learn none existed. For Kousha, the solution to this problem was relatively simple: He needed to create his own.

“I appreciated that I wasn’t necessarily the best rider, so I considered myself capable of starting the organization. … I figured if there isn’t a club, I might as well try to make one,” Kousha said.

Through some seriously strenuous paperwork, Kousha’s enthusiasm and positive energy helped him establish the UW Longboarding Club. His second step, this one slightly more taxing, was member recruitment.

“I was a freshman, I was coming from New Jersey and I knew nobody at this school,” Kousha said. “If I saw somebody on a longboard, I would chase them down the street and tell them I was starting this organization.”

Junior Alex McQuillan, now the head artist of the club, was one of the 200 people Kousha originally sought out to join the group.

“I talked to Kevin and joined the club. Since then … the club gives us (longboarders) a connection to ride with each other,” McQuillan said.

Longboarding is now a popular activity in Madison. And although it may look similar to skateboarding, it is actually significantly different. For one, longboards have larger, softer wheels, making for a softer and faster ride.

“They both involve tricks, but different types of tricks. Longboarding is a much more smoother and fluid motion. … The main difference is how you ride it and what you do to ride it,” McQuillan said. “Longboarding, to me, is much more relaxed.”

Recognizing that not everyone sees the two activities as completely separate pastimes, longboarders struggle to create not only a different but a positive image for themselves.

“I not only need to fight the misconceptions of the public, that longboarders are the same as skateboarders … but a lot of longboarders don’t promote a positive image and break far too many laws,” Kousha said.

Kousha feels responsible for teaching members of the club responsible riding rules. While Kousha works to gain momentum for his club, he likes to keep a low profile toward anti-longboarders.

“The most we can hope for is not being bothered by the police while it remains illegal [on some city streets]. … I try to be courteous, I try to obey the laws, I always wear my helmet, but beyond that it’s very hard to agitate any kind of change,” Kousha said.

Through small steps, the club is gaining recognition. Associated Students of Madison recently granted the club money to purchase seven club longboards. The club also participates in charity work to emphasize the importance of longboarding safety.

Kousha collects donations through giving haircuts: men’s or women’s, curly or straight, he can cut it. He uses the donations to purchase helmets through the Ian Tillman Foundation. Since the club started and through haircut donations, the club has raised enough money to purchase 24 helmets.

“I don’t know where he [Kousha] learned it, he’s just really good at cutting hair,” McQuillan said.

One unique element of longboarding is the classification of the activity. While McQuillan believes the pastime starts out as a hobby, depending on your commitment, longboarding can become more of a sport, or even a form of art.

“There’s this thing called dancing you can do on your board. … You do different foot patterns, spin around or carve certain ways, so it becomes basically a dance on your longboard,” McQuillan said.

An important and valued aspect of the club is the ability to create connections with other riders.

“If we go on a ride together, and say 30 of us go down one hill together, it creates this extreme sense of community,” McQuillan said.

Anyone and everyone is welcomed to be a part of this community. Regardless of their ability, members of the club enjoy introducing longboarding to beginners.

“People seem to think they could never longboard … but people should join the club because it’s a really good way to realize you’re good at something that you never thought you could be good at,” McQuillan said.

Kousa also insists that longboarding is one of the few hobbies that looks to recruit outside the average longboarder.

“A lot of girls just assume it’s a male-dominated sport. … A lot of people are worried about falling,” he said. “But in my opinion, you might fall, but what kind of life are you living if you’re worried about falling”?

For more information about the UW Longboarding club, visit their Facebook page, “Longboarders of UW Madison.”