At a mere 53 inches tall, 10-year-old Heimana Reynolds doesn't stand out in a crowd.

But when he straps on his protective gear, steps on a skateboard and grabs some big air at Hawai'i Kai skatepark, Heimana launches himself above the crowd.

"That's what catches everyone's attention," said Matt Reynolds, Heimana's father.

But Heimana isn't just getting noticed locally.

The Punahou School fifth-grader is the first youth skateboarder from Hawai'i to qualify for the nationals, set this year for Feb. 20 to 22 in Minneapolis. He qualified last year, too. He is currently in the top 5 or 10 among 10-year-olds in the country in his respective divisions.

Heimana earned his invitation to the upcoming nationals by qualifying in December at the 7th annual King of the Groms at Simi Valley, Calif., an event that featured competitors from throughout the United States and as far as England.

Heimana won the bowl and street competitions and placed 11th in the mini-ramp in his respective divisions. The top 12 in each event received an invitation for their division. (The bowl is like an empty pool; the street incorporates rails and stair obstacles; the mini-ramp is like a half-pipe.)

According to his father, Reynolds, 39, a former lifeguard and former competitive surfer, Heimana has a background in surfing and gymnastics.

But he soon gravitated to skateboarding.

"I started surfing first and then I found skateboarding. It's really fun. I like it better," Heimana said.

Reynolds realized his son's potential when he noticed that Heimana could hang with kids years older and a foot taller.

"Just seeing him at the park, he could keep up with the older kids ... and surpassed the kids his age," Reynolds said. "People are turning their heads and watching him a little more."

From then, Reynolds got serious.

He built a 3-foot mini-ramp in his garage and takes Heimana to the park to practice two hours a day. He also shoots video and reviews the footage with Heimana. "It's really good," said Heimana, who said he considers the reviewing of his routines as "fun."

During the summer, Reynolds takes Heimana to the Woodward Action Sports Camp in Tehachapi, Calif., a training facility for all the action sports athletes. He even has his own Web site.

"We take it seriously," said Reynolds. "I video all the time. We stretch, eat right."

Once he noticed Heimana doing "big front-side aerials, I felt he could compete against other kids on the national level."

That's now his signature move, "go up top of the ramp, hit the ramp at a high speed and fly up, grab the board."

Sponsors have also taken notice. Heimana receives support in the form of equipment, apparel, shoes, food, drinks and accessories from companies such as Quiksilver, Monster, Macbeth, Active, Wahoos and Local 808 Entertainment.

Reynolds credits Heimana's fast ascent to "just training hard, working hard and experiencing the travel and seeing other skateboarders and training with the best in the world."

When asked if his father pushed him into this, Heimana said, "Oh, no. I chose this."

In his pursuit of happiness, Heimana has had to endure the school of hard knocks.

He's suffered his share of injuries, including a mild concussion and a fractured foot.

"I'm fearful of it," said Reynolds. "I'm always there. I have a first-aid kit. I'm certified in CPR and first aid as well."

Was Heimana reluctant to get back on a skateboard after the injuries?

"Oh no. I couldn't wait to get back on it."