At 31, Tony Hawk became the first skateboarder to land the acclaimed 900, named for its 900-degree airborne spin in 1999’s Best Trick Competition in San Francisco.

At 13, Kirkland native Mitchie Brusco, nicknamed “Little Tricky,” became the sixth.

He performed the 2 ½-revolution stunt for the first time at a competition in Brazil, but he took it to new heights when he became the first to complete the trick on the X-Games’ 83-foot mega ramp less than two years later. Competing against the likes of pro-skaters twice his age, Mitchie earned himself a silver medal in the X-Games Big Air competition.

Now 15, Mitchie has never let age inhibit his skateboarding career. He was throwing ollies and kick flips at 3. He was sponsored and competing by 4. Now he has seven sponsors, his own skateboarding line and a silver X-Games medal.

His history as a pint-sized pro inspired the launch of his “Little Tricky” skating-pad line for small athletes with big ambitions.

When Mitchie was younger, there weren’t properly sized pads for kids “that weren’t Bob the Builder or Barbie,” he said in a meeting at the Kirkland Skate Park. “When I was little, my helmet was huge, and when I fell, my pads were at my knees. These pads actually work how they’re supposed to for kids who are skating at a young age.”

While his mother, Jen, sits on a park bench overlooking the first ramp Mitchie frequented as a toddler at the park, she points to a small girl riding a miniature skateboard. The 14-by-16-inch board is the same size that Mitchie used to ride at that very location.

She looks at her son, standing at 5-foot-4 and weighing 110 pounds.

“He looks huge now,” she said. “It’s kind of overwhelming actually to see.”

Today, he opts to practice at Tony Hawk’s private skateboarding warehouse in California. Now a close friend of Hawk’s, Mitchie remembers meeting the skateboarding legend at a competition when he was just 4 years old. Ten years later, Tony Hawk sent out a congratulatory tweet about Mitchie’s 900 mega-ramp victory.

Soon after, the Bruscos moved to San Diego to be closer to the skateboarding action, but the traveling never stops.

“I never get tired of it,” Mitchie said.

While in town for a few days to visit friends, Mitchie said he’ll be glad to be back on the road. On Sunday, July 17, Mitchie was scheduled to perform in Vegas Monday morning and Sacramento the same evening, with his mother Jen in tow.

Despite her son’s sky-high antics, Jen insists that he “is the furthest thing from a daredevil that you can imagine. He’s so technical, that you know if he’s considered trying it he’s already weighed every option,” she said.

“Everyone thinks that I’m this daredevil who goes around and tries all these crazy things,” Mitchie chimed in. “It’s definitely not like that at all. I try to be really smart about it.”

As for future tricks up Little Tricky’s sleeve, he says he’s “never been one to make tricks goals. Skating has always just been about having fun.”

While Mitchie sped around the skatepark, Mitchie’s father, Mick, remarked on his son’s ability to always remain modest.

“He’s a great kid, and a great skater,” he said, “and really humble about it.”

Shortly after Mitchie made history with his X-games 900 feat, 12-year-old Tom Shaar, a skater in a different heat, landed two 900s on consecutive runs. Mitchie didn’t mind.

“I lucked out and did it first,” he said. “He’s a great skater and I was definitely happy to see him land it too.”

Although he’s now part of the elite eight who now make up the “900 club,” Mitchie insists he’s like everyone else.

“It’s not like I walk into the grocery store and people recognize me,” he said. “I’m just a normal kid. … I can just skate, I guess.”

Alysa Hullett is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.