Chase Doerflinger

Father, Photographer,Skateboarder,and

the epitome of an awesome guy

Chase Doerflinger at Blacksheep Skateshop: 2026

-Pentax K1000 / Kodak Ektacolor Pro 800

It’s 1995 on the Tennessee - Alabama line. A young boy is flipping through the newest edition of BMX Plus Magazine. As he flips through the pages, the skateboard ads light up his face. Imagine a glow similar to every time the brief case in Pulp Fiction is opened. Before the boy could even turn the page, a skateboard deck, sitting on tracker trucks, and white 40mm wheels was en route to him via mail. The wheels, of course, also had 8 balls on them.  

The board was a New School 8 ball slick. The boy was Chase Doerflinger. 

I met Chase just a few months ago. I was wandering around Plaza Midwood playing with my Instax Camera. Ultimately, I stopped to photograph a business that has been in the neighborhood since 1945: The Diamond Restaurant. To be honest… the photo wasn’t particularly good… no seriously, it came out pretty underexposed. However, you would have never guessed that with the reception it got from the staff. The staff and Chase, who was sitting at the bar with his Instax Wide. Immediately, Chase got up and helped the staff stick it to one of the pillars near the bar. 

That same excitement and positive energy Chase gave my Instax and this project has been given to the projects of everyone he seems to know. Since then, I have sat and talked with Chase a couple of times and each time has been memorable. Throughout our conversations, I was introduced to multiple passersby. Chase could tell me all about their art, music, or whatever project they were working on. Each time, his face lit up with happiness as he made the introduction. 

New School Skateboard Ad from the 90’s

If you ask Chase what his passion is, he will tell you it’s being a father. I believe him. I have no doubt that he absolutely loves his little one. Second to that, Chase demonstrates a passion for spreading kindness. 

“Esse Quam Videri” - To Be, Rather Than To Seem

Not only the North Carolina state motto, but a mantra that Chase is known to exemplify by those who know him. 

“Best guy in skateboarding” was how OG skateboarder Jamie Highers (@oldmanriverrr) described Chase. Chase actually credits a lot of his early positive skateboarding memories to Jamie, a skateboarder Chase says he has always looked up to.

 “I actually met Jamie at XXX Skatepark in Nashville when I was younger. He was always so nice to me.”

Jamie left that comment under a reel I posted showcasing a recent Chase Doerflinger x Blacksheep Skate Shop collaboration. It was honestly really cool to see that. Chase had independently just told me the story about how he met Jamie while showing me a few of his skate videos. Jamie, if you’re reading this, thank you for your positive influence in the community and for spreading kindness.

I ended my last conversation with Chase with a question I like to ask everyone: “Whats the most extraordinary thing you have done?”

From his photography being featured in multiple skateboard media outlets, to selling skateboards to clients like Jonah Hill, Ethan Hawke, and a guy who I don’t believe was actually a human being (that’s a story for another time), Chase has a lot of lore to choose from, but his answer was pretty comical.

Chase’s answer: Staying Alive!

• A near miss at 4 years old (A huge speaker that was bolted to the ceiling came crashing down at the exact spot Chase was standing at moments before)

• Surviving a dog attack

• Wrecked into a tree head on in high school

• Got hit by a car while standing on S 2nd Street and Havemeyer St in Brooklyn

• Hit with an ungodly amounts of epi pens

…..I think Chase has a point and we are thankful he is here. Thank you Chase for supporting this project and for always being a kind member of our community. 

If you guys are at The Diamond or Blacksheep definitely check out the “Flowers Only” skateboard deck featuring Chase’s photography. At the time of this article, the decks are sold out at Blacksheep but who knows, maybe we will get a restock or a new collab soon!

Instax of the Diamond

I always like to include a few music recs or songs meaningful to our featured guest.                                            Here's a whole list of music recommendations from Chase:

*U.N.K.L.E. - Guns Blazing : Drums of Death / Album: Psyence Fiction

*AZ- Uncut Raw / Album: Do or Doe 

*The Gap Band - Outstanding / Album: Best of the gap band 

*Autolux- Robots in The Garden / Album: Future Perfect

*U.N.K.L.E. - Bloodstain featuring, Alice  Temple / Album: Psyence Fiction 

*Failure- Bernie (album) Magnified 

*Deftones - Milk of the Madonna / Album: Private Music 

*Deftones ( around the fur ) full album

*Failure ( fantastic planet ) full album

*Autolux ( future perfect ) full album

Here’s one of the cool videos of Jamie Highers Chase brought out of the archives!