ALEX

What is your name?

Alex Bell (@alexbellkendama), or Shmalex (Thanks Paul and Marius for that one). Before you ask, my middle name isn’t Graham.

Where is home?

Home is, and pretty much always has been Edinburgh, Scotland, on the edge of the Pentlands. Innerleithen, in the Scottish Borders is also a place close to my heart.

How/when did kendama/SK become part of your life and who was involved?

I’ve been mountain biking for the best part of 8 years now, and was watching the world cup in Fort William when Reece Wilson (Sweets mob) was doing a huge giveaway of damas. I’d seen him doing whirlwinds etc on his story for a few months without really knowing what it was, or being that bothered about it. Anyway, who doesn’t love a freebie! I ended up getting one of the ones he was throwing out into the carnage, and messed around with a few of the cups from time to time. It didn’t really catch on for me too much then, until I saw one of my friends from college doing a stilt flip a few months later. Safe to say, I was amazed, and got hooked from there on. Then, once lockdown hit, I really got into the grind. At the start of 2021, having played pretty much all on my own for the best part of a year and a half, I ended up meeting up with the guys at Old Town Kendama in Edinburgh. Those first jams with them really brought dama to life, as more than just a silly wooden thing. Then, at the start of that summer, I went along to a PMK that Sound were running. I came back from that day and couldn’t wipe the grin from my face. Since then it’s been more of the same smiles with this great bunch.

Describe your play-style in three words.

Fast hand merchant.

Preferred string length/wood type/shape etc.

As to the string length, way too long. I can’t look past maple in terms of wood, probably because of its durability and some of my favourite damas ever being made from it. As to shape, I’ve always enjoyed the 1-up, and as of more recently, the Amped and the Lomond. Shout out to the boys on that one!

What is your most cherished kendama memory?

So many to choose from, wow. Undoubtedly the one that comes to mind is being asked to be on SK at SKO and then going on to place second in freestyle; it was physically impossible for me to stop smiling that day. Others include getting a dubs trick with Zack at BKO, and playing Nick in the first round of EKC, even if it didn’t last long...

What else are you passionate about?

Mountain biking has been a big part of my life for a good while now, and has always given me a huge amount of joy bar the odd puncture here and crash there. I’m a sucker for measurable progression, and bouldering has been my most recent way to get that fix. Most things that involve being out or active appeal to me in some respect! Also, I do maths at Uni and I’m lucky to be able to say that I get to study on of my passions. Don’t hate on the numbers.

What music do you listen to?

Hip hop for the most part. Since I discovered it, it’s always seemed like a great genre to be a soundtrack to life in general, so the likes of Gangstarr and Mos Def have been firmly glued in my playlists. I also end up listening to a fair bit of grime - I think listening to JME’s album Grime MC in my friend’s car just got me hooked. And finally, a wee bit of liquid DnB on the side!

Fun fact about yourself?

I memorised 50 decimal places of pi in high school for a competition and haven’t been able to shake it since. Maybe not the most ‘fun’, but its definitely a fact haha.

Final thoughts/shout-outs

Shouts to Paul and Marius for being so unbelievably welcoming at that first PMK and making me desperate for the first Saturday of the month to come round again. Also big up to anyone who comes out in true Scottish weather to play ball and cup – the commitment to it never fails to amaze me.