Skateboard Safety

Skateboarding has become an increasingly popular recreational activity especially among many but primarily adolescents and teens. It is a fun and healthy sport that can give you a great low-impact aerobic workout, improves coordination and balance, and can give you a great sense of accomplishment and boosts self esteem. Because of this it is most important to make sure that you or your kids practice skateboarding safely and use protective equipment.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons encourages physical activity as part of an overall health and fitness plan. Staying fit and having fun while doing so is important to a high quality lifestyle, but always be safe!

Incidence of Injury
To improve skateboarding safety, a growing number of communities are providing skaters with designated areas and even skateboard parks. These typically have smooth surfaces, durable obstacles and rails, and professionally designed bowls and ramps or other designated skateboarding areas that are contained and located away from vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Skateboarding is an activity in which you move quickly and generally over hard surfaces. This can lead to injuries that range from minor cuts and bruises to catastrophic brain damage. Each year in the United States, skateboarding injuries cause thousands of visits to emergency room and many children, adolescents, and adults to be hospitalized.

Most hospitalizations involve head injury. Even injuries that heal quickly can cause pain, anxiety, cost time, and money and in the worst cases lead to disabilities. This can include loss of vision, hearing and speech; loss of personal mobility, and thinking and behavior changes.

Serious skateboarding injuries happen when you lose control and fall or run into a motor vehicle, road hazard, pedestrian, another skateboarder or bicyclist.

You are at risk for injuries:

• If you don't use protective equipment.


• If you don't keep your skateboard in good condition.


• If you skateboard on irregular surfaces.


• If you attempt "tricks" beyond your skill level.

Sixty percent of skateboard injuries involve children under age 15; most of those injured are boys.

At highest risks are:

Inexperienced skateboarders: Those who have been skating for less than one week suffer one-third of injuries, usually caused by falls.

Skateboarders who do not wear protective equipment: Every skateboarder should wear standard safety gear. This includes a helmet, wrist guards, elbow and knee pads and appropriate shoes. Skateboarders who perform tricks should use heavy duty gear.

Skateboarders who go near traffic or use homemade skateboard ramps: Both activities are particularly dangerous.
Experienced skateboarders who encounter unexpected surfaces or try risky stunts: Irregular riding surfaces, rocks or other debris can cause you to fall. You can stumble over twigs or fall down slopes. Wet pavements and rough or uneven surfaces can cause a wipeout. Avoid risky behavior. Don't skateboard too fast or in dangerous or crowded locations.

Types of Injury
Skateboarding injuries often involve the wrist, ankle or face. Many injuries happen when you lose your balance, fall off the skateboard and land on an outstretched arm.

Injuries to the arms, legs, neck and trunk range from bruises and abrasions to sprains and strains, fractures and dislocations. Wrist fractures are quite common. Wearing wrist guards can reduce their frequency and severity.

Facial injuries include breaking your nose and jawbone

Severe injuries include concussion, closed head injury and blunt head trauma.

You can suffer permanent impairment or even death if you fall off the skateboard and strike your head without a helmet. Most brain injuries happen when your head hits pavement. You are most at risk if you skateboard near traffic and collide with motor vehicles, bikes, pedestrians or other obstacles.


Prevention
You can prevent most skateboarding injuries if you follow all of these recommendations:

Use a quality skateboard:
Skateboards have three parts, the skateboard deck (the board itself), the skateboard trucks (the mechanism to which wheels are attached), skateboard bearings (sits in the wheels and allow them to spin fast and smoothly), and the skateboard wheels. Shorter decks are best for beginners because they are easier to balance and handle. Skateboards have various characteristics for all types of riding including slalom or hill bombing, street and park or pools.

Keep your skateboard in proper working order:
You should inspect it before every ride. Look for problems that need repair. These can include loose, broken or cracked parts; sharp edges on metal boards; a slippery top surface; wheels with nicks and cracks, etc. Get professional help to repair serious defects.

Learn the basic skills of skateboarding: Especially how to stop properly.
Also learn slowing and turning techniques, and how to fall safely: If you are losing your balance, crouch down on the skateboard so you won't have as far to fall. Try to land on the fleshy parts of your body rather than your arms. Relax and roll.

Wear proper protective equipment:
Before getting on your skateboard, empty your pockets of all hard and sharp objects and put on your protective gear.

Essential protective equipment includes:

• A properly fitting helmet


• Wrist guards


• Knee and elbow pads


• Shoes


• Helmet

To protect your head from injury, always wear a properly fitting helmet. This is true no matter what your age, level of experience or location where you are skateboarding. Get a quality bicycle or multi-sport helmet. It should meet or exceed safety standards of the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or Snell Memorial Foundation. You may need to try on several sizes and models to find a helmet that fits your head correctly and securely.

A properly fitting helmet:

Is worn flat on your head with the bottom edge parallel to the ground
Sits low on your forehead
Has side straps that form a "V" shape around each ear
Has a buckle that fastens tightly (there should be room to put only two fingers between the strap and your chin)
Has pads inside that you install or remove so the helmet fits snuggly
Does not move in any direction when you shake your head
Does not interfere with your movement, vision or hearing

Replace your helmet when it is damaged, outgrown or at least every five years. You may need to replace it sooner if the manufacturer recommends it.

Please Note: California has expanded its bicycle helmet law to require that children under age 18 wear helmets each time they use a skateboard, inline skates, roller skates or scooter, making the state's child helmet law the strictest in the nation. Violators face fines, most of which benefits local health departments promoting helmet safety education and subsidizing helmet purchases for low-income families.

Wrist guards, knee and elbow pads and other gear: Wrist guards help support the wrist and reduce the chances of breaking a bone if you fall. Knee and elbow pads reduce the severity of cuts and scrapes, and prevent gravel burns. You should also wear closed, slip-resistant shoes, and consider goggles to keep debris out of your eyes.

Skateboard only on smooth pavement away from traffic, preferably in a supervised skate park.
Never hold onto the side or rear of a moving vehicle while riding a skateboard ("skitching"). You could fall or be thrown into oncoming traffic if the vehicle suddenly slows, stops or turns.
Never use your skateboard in wet weather.
Avoid skateboarding in crowded walkways or in darkness.
Always screen the area before you skateboard, inspecting surfaces for rocks and other debris.
Be careful with tricks and jumps.

Skateboarding skill is not acquired quickly or easily.

Don't take chances by skateboarding faster than your experience allows, or faster than is safe for conditions or the speed of other skateboarders. If you try tricks and jumps, practice them only in a controlled environment, such as a skate park that has adult supervision and appropriate access to emergency medical care.

Stay in shape. Prevent skateboarding injuries by keeping in top physical condition. It’s always a good idea to stretch and do conditioning exercises before and after any physically demanding activity. This is especially true for skateboarding and more experienced skaters who like to push the limits of their abilities.

Do not use headphones while skateboarding. If you can’t hear the cars passing by or the sound of your own skateboard wheels on the pavement you may find yourself in a collision you can’t walk away from.

Never put more than one person on a skateboard. This is true even for long boarders; come on this is just common sense!

Be considerate of fellow skateboarders, especially those who are younger and or less skilled.

Know what to do in an emergency. Skateboarding accidents happen, so you should always know what to do in emergency situations. Don't panic. Call 911 for medical assistance or an ambulance.

Blank Skateboard Parts - To buy or not.

Are blank decks and other skateboard parts any good? This is a great and often asked question. Blank skateboarding parts mostly consist of wheels, bearings, and decks that are made without any company name attached to them. They are plain and generic, usually just a simple one color, and relatively inexpensive.

There is not just one company that makes blank skateboarding gear and there lies the source of problems that some unfortunate skaters have encountered. These parts are usually made in China (big surprise there), by several manufacturers, and shipped and sold in bulk. Because of this, it's hard to tell if you are getting anything well made. Becuase of this I typically recommend that you avoid them, but there are times that you might want to buy blank gear. If you keep these points in mind you should be able to avoid some of the worst items:

Blank Decks:

Be careful when buying blank decks; some companies use cheap and softer wood that won't have very good pop, and likely won't last long. Be sure that the deck is made from 7 ply hard maple wood. It can be tough to know if you are getting quality, so ask the owner of the shop and make sure it is made of good wood. If it is, it should be fine; although, I wouldn't expect it to last nearly as long as a pro grade skateboard deck. If you aren't that aggressive of a skater or just take it easier, it might last you quite a while. One thing that should be pointed out is that blank decks and shop decks are not necessarily the same quality or from the same manufacture. Sometimes they are, so ask your shop and find out more about the shop deck.

Blank Wheels:

There is no clear way to determine the quality of the urethane in the wheels before you buy them. You can ask at the shop you are looking to buy them from, but there's a good chance they won't even know. If you can get them cored, then that will help. Fortunately they are relatively inexpensive so you can experiment and pick some up and try them out with out much of a dent in your wallet.

Blank Trucks:

There aren't really blank trucks out there, but there are low end and cheap skateboard trucks on the market. I recommend that you stay with the name brand trucks however if your not aggressive or not sure if skateboarding is right for you and want a cheap skateboard give them a shot. When they crack or the king pin breaks pick up a new name brand pair.

Blank Bearings:

These bearings are easy to find and pretty cheap. If you are going to get some make sure that they are ABEC rated. Most of the time you can get a cheaper good quality skateboard bearing set like Black Panthers or Luck’s for only a little bit more money so look around.

There are a lot of people in the skateboarding industry who flat out hate blank skateboard gear or hate the idea of no name skateboard gear, and they think that if you buy blank gear, you are helping to undermine skateboarding as legit sport, because you aren't supporting pro skateboarding. Perhaps there is a ring of truth in this, but in our humble opinion it doesn't really matter. Skateboarding has been evolving and changing over the last several decades, and skaters will continue to evolve along with it. "Legitimate sport" or not, professional or not, just so long as you skate you are supporting skateboarding.

The bottom line is this if you have conviction about the legitimacy of skateboarding as a sport, or have the money and want something of determined quality; by all means get pro grade skateboard gear instead of no name blank equipment. However, if you are strapped for cash, just starting out, or just don't want to support pro skating, then blanks aren't all that bad of an idea. Keep in mind; you get what you pay for.

Skateboard Trucks Review: The Grind King 5.0 Axl II

Grind King is a Venice based company that has been innovating and supporting skateboard truck hardware for nearly 20 years.

The Grind King 5.0 Axl II’s are lite, giving, responsive, and durable. Somewhat pricey, but we feel that they are worth it in the long run. The only down side we found was that the bushings felt a bit soft for our tastes; however, after we replaced them with some harder bushings they felt just great! Grind King skateboard truck construction are better quality than most, and if they do happen to break you have the warranty to fall back on. All GK trucks are made in the USA and are guaranteed for life against axle slippage and kingpin breakage or truck hanger breakage. Totally worth it!

Grind King will do everything possible to expedite your warranty should you ever experience a problem with your trucks. “We pride ourselves on having the lowest defect rate in the industry.”, “We stand behind the quality of our trucks which is why we guarantee them.”

Features:

• 356 aluminum heat-treated to T6 condition


• Aeronautical heat-grade 8 Kingpins


• Original diamond knurled non-slip 8740 chrom-moly steel axles with reduced-length rolled threads; able to reach tensile strengths up to 200000 psi. This particular aircraft alloy is stronger than the standard 1010/1020 and even stronger than the 4140 that some truck companies brag about.


• Precision drilled pivot, kingpin and mounting holes


• GK has always realized the importance of bushings and strives to maintain the best possible urethane available; available from 90-97 durometer


• GK trucks are the lightest trucks out there.

Skateboard Trucks Review - Destructo Mecha Mid 5.0

Today we feature the Destructo Mecha Mid 5.0 skateboard trucks. These trucks look great and have a futuristic twist to them. The lettering used is sort of a sci-fi or Blade Runner style font. The hanger is flat black and the axle is half metallic green with a honey comb pattern and half flat black that looks awesome. Beyond the color and style, these trucks work great. Ok, so they won't make your skateboarding any better; however, they will help get you on your way by being strong, stable and reliable skateboard trucks. If that weren’t enough, Destructo stands by their product by making their skateboard trucks from weapons grade aluminum and give them a Lifetime Warranty. So if they do happen to go bad, you're covered; that alone is more than most companies will offer you. In short, the Destructo Mecha Skateboard trucks work great, feel great, and if you have the extra money for some cool style and graphics, I highly recommend them!

Skateboard Deck Review - Black Label Emergency Lucero X2 Jester

The Lucero Signature Black Label Emergency X2 Jester Skateboard Deck is a big deck that features old school graphics, light weight 7 ply constructions, and durability. It’s larger size and shape will feel good and familiar for you old school riders (remember Schmitt Stix?) at 9.5x33.125 it's a great choice for cruising, ramps, pools, or skate parks. Black Label decks generally have average weight, with a nice concave, tail fin and nose shape, and plenty of pop. Like we said before the graphics remind us of our old pool decks, with a Joker head menacingly grinning from behind bending bars, the Black Label Flame, and Emergency Cross. Once you have a complete assembled with some larger trucks, fast bearings, and big wheels this skateboard feels and looks very cool. It's reasonably priced. Probably bits on the high side in most walk in establishment, but you can find it fairly reasonable online. Get the Black Label Emergaency Lucero X2 Jester skateboard deck today if you are into the great old school deck and the edgier, Punk rock, dark side of skateboarding style like Black Label Skateboards.

Skateboard Deck Review - Consolidated Skateboards Good Luck Team

The Consolidated Skateboards Good Luck Team skateboard deck is a very popular deck that features dark but humorous graphics, light weight 7 ply constructions, and durability. With average dimensions it should feel as familiar as most boards (7.625) it's a great choice for any style but best for skating street or skate parks.

Consolidated generally makes s light weight skateboard deck, with a nice concave, popsicle sticks shape, and plenty of pop. Like we said before the graphics are a little dark but very funny, featuring a bunny handing his severed foot to another saying, “Good Luck”; now that’s team work!

Once you have a complete assembled with a nice set of matching trucks, fast bearings, and wheels this deck feels and looks very cool.

It's an average priced deck. Probably a bit on the high side in most walk in establishment, but you can find it fairly reasonable online. Get the Consolidated Good Luck Team skateboard deck today if you are into the great deck and the independent skateboarding style of Consolidated Skateboards.

Death Skateboards P Melcher Blood Bath 8 Skateboard Deck Review

Death Skateboards P Melcher's signature skateboard deck, Blood Bath 8 is a top notch 7 ply deck that features hardcore graphics, light weight, and durability. This deck is slightly wider than most boards but you'll hardly be able to tell once you are on; it's a great choice for any style of skating from street to skate parks, pools, bowls or if you're just a larger size. We were surprised how light weight this skateboard deck is, with a nice concaved, popsicle sticks shape, and plenty of pop. Like we said before the graphics are hardcore but so is Death Skateboards, with a spinning wheel and a crimson trail of blood, it's so very road kill and hence the name "Blood Bath". Once you have a complete assembled with a nice set of matching trucks, fast bearings, and wheels this deck feels and looks very cool. It's reasonably priced. Probably bits on the high side in most walk in establishment, but you can find it fairly reasonable online. Get the P Melcher Blood Bath 8 skateboard deck today if you are into a wider deck with hard core style.

Tony Alva Flying Tiger Skateboard Deck Review

The Alva Flying Tiger is a very popular deck that features great graphics, light weight, and durability. With slightly larger dimensions than most boards (9.24x34) this deck has allot of room on it; it's a great choice for those who like to skate parks, pools, bowls or if you just have big feet. It's a big skateboard deck; however, it's surprisingly light weight, concaved, and has allot of pop. The shape is a more modern popsicle stick shape instead of the traditional nose and tail look of old school skateboard or pool board.

The graphics are based on the Flying Tigers whose fighters sported a shark nose graphic during World War II. Once you have a complete assembled with a nice set of trucks, bearings, and wheels this deck feels great.

The only down side to this is the price. Probably due to the Tony Alva name the Flying Tiger retails on the high side in most walk in establishment, but you can find it fairly reasonable online. Get the Alva Flying Tiger skateboard deck today if you are into old school size and new school style. This would be a perfect skateboard deck for any skater who is committed to perfecting their skateboard tricks.

Skateboarding, Then and Now

Skateboarding is one of the most unique, enjoyable, and physically demanding sports in the world. Like baseball, basketball and football, skateboarding has endured many changes and fluctuations in popularity, and has emerged as one of the most entertaining and satisfying activities enjoyed by both today’s youth and adults. The goal of this paper is to inform about the history, evolution and present state of skateboarding.

The concept of skateboarding was invented in the 1950s when surfers from California wanted to try their surfing techniques on land. All over California, surfers and teenagers began constructing their own “land surfboards” by attaching roller skate wheels to wooden crates. The surfers would then ride down steep hills while in the crates, performing surfing moves as they went down. This idea, however, was a painful one. Wooden crates did not provide the necessary range of motion to equate to surfing and, consequently, many surfers were injured while experimenting with their new invention. As a result, wooden surfboard-shaped boards were constructed. A pair of roller skate wheels were attached eight inches inward to either end of the board to add stability while riding. One day, a young man named Alan Gelfand revolutionized skateboarding. While riding, he pushed downward with his back foot, causing the front of the board to rise. He then jumped with the board. This caused the board, and Alan, to lift off into the air about five inches off the ground. This technique became known as the “ollie”, after Alan “Ollie” Gelfand. This was a momentous occasion in the history of skateboarding.

Before Alan’s discovery, skateboarding was nothing more than land surfing. The ability to ollie marked the transition between land surfing and skateboarding. Now that people could leave the ground with their board, a brand-new sport was born, and skateboarding became a sport of it’s own. Now that skateboarders could jump into the air, a whole new world was opened to them. All across America kids were constructing their own boards. Skateboarding became a discovery sport. Everyone was discovering new ways to spin and flip their board and land back on it. Skateboarders were jumping down stairs, over gaps and onto handrails. Skateboarding was flourishing.

The explosion of skateboarding was noticed not only by kids, but by enterprising entrepreneurs. Pioneering businessmen saw a potential market in skateboarding, and acted on it. Skateboards became mass-produced, allowing kids to buy a board, rather than build one. The market boomed, and skateboarding became an industry. The skateboard itself has undergone an evolution of it’s own. Skateboard decks were originally just pieces of wood. Slowly, the decks took on a rectangular shape, with the two smaller sides rounded off. A “nose” and “tail”, curvatures on the ends of the board, were made to help a skateboarder ollie. Griptape, a corse sandpaper-like tape, was added to the top of the board to help skateboarders stay on their boards. Skateboard decks are now made by compressing multiple layers of wood together to make the board stronger. The skateboard wheel has also undergone a transformation. Skateboard wheels were originally just metal roller skate wheels. Rubber wheels were made to make riding on the skateboard smoother. Finally, urethane skateboard wheels were invented to make the wheels smoother, lighter, and cheaper to produce. Skateboarding is now one of the fastest-growing sports markets in the United States and Europe. Every year there are more than 350 million dollars is spent on skateboarding-related products. Everything from skateboard wheels and skateboarding kneepads, to shoes and clothing items are produced and purchased. Skateboard parks are opening up all across the country.

Skateboarding is currently at the height of its popularity. Skateboarding as a sport in the 90s has taken on an identity of it’s own. Skateboarders see the sport as the perfect activity. Skateboarding has no bias. It accepts anyone, regardless of race, gender, age, or creed. The unofficial skateboarding motto is ‘If you carry a board, you are my friend’. One advantage to skateboarding is that skateboarders can do it anywhere: skate parks, garages, streets, parks, basketball courts, parking lots or back alleys. Skateboarders don't need a field to play in. They just need their skateboards.

Skateboarding teaches determination. It teaches you how to set goals, and what it takes to achieve them. Skateboarding teaches you persistence. No matter how hard you fall, no matter how many bruises you get or bones you break, you always hop back up and try the same trick again. No other sport offers you that. Skateboarding has undergone many changes, but its unique willingness to accept anyone to try it will keep it popular for years to come, and the love of the sport will keep it alive forever.

Dark Knight be dammed.. give me bright yellow board shorts!

00100, btw thats binary..

The highest form of praise?

Gosh it's so easy what was I thinking!

If skateboarding were easy.. everyone whould be doing it.

Origninal Source: Antigravitypress.com

Skate and Destroy with RAMP Skateboard Shop. Who says you can't do it?

Original Source: Antigravitypress.com

Adrenaline Junkies and the Skateboarding Appeal

The popularity of skateboarding has soared and plummeted since the sport's inception more than a half century ago, much like skateboarders themselves. But now it is more popular than ever.

Skateboarding originated with California surfers in the 1950s who were trying to surf on land. Today, this relatively low-tech sport has become a subculture in almost every American city and town. But it has always been more of a pastime for the fearless young, as skaters, like Anthony Manning, Marissa O'Guinn and Sean Gates, experience the highs and lows of defying gravity.

"It makes me feel good like when I land a cool trick that I've been practicing for a while. When I go down something and do a trick, and it look cool. It's really exciting," says skateboarder Anthony Manning.

Marissa O'guinn, also a skateboarder, adds, "It's really exhilarating, skateboarding. I think that's what attracts most people to it. I guess just knowing there's a possible risk within it, it's just what makes it exciting."

"It's just a really, really cool feeling because, I mean, you are just flying through the air, and you are just all weightless and stuff. Also, in the pool they have tiles so when you hit them they have a certain sound. And, it's just a really, really cool, " says Sean Gates, a fellow skateboarder.

Boogie is a 59-year-old skateboarder

But skateboarding is not just for the young. Some skaters hang on to this adrenaline-fueled hobby into middle age. As a skateboard veteran, Boogie enjoys the excitement of a good ride without taking safety lightly. "Now, I want you to know that wrist guards cure insecurity because they protect you falling forward. They protect your hands, and then you wear this [helmet] to protect your head from falling backwards. That, and a pad right here, along with the pads here. And this is the only reason that you get to skate when you are 59 years old."

With advances in technology, today's skateboards are lighter and faster than boards from the past. This means that skaters can now do some wild tricks - things that the first skateboarders never dreamed of.

Skateboarding involves speed, balance and coordination, and can sometimes result in serious injuries. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 26,000 people need hospital emergency room treatment each year in the U.S. for injuries related to skateboarding.

Manning says, "I broke my finger. I cracked my ribs." O’Guinns recalls, "I fell and rolled down a street."

The skateboarding technique of holding on the edge

The sense of danger has a lot to do with the popularity of skateboarding. For others, skateboarding means freedom and self-expression. For Anthony, it is a chance to develop a unique, personal style. "It's really like no pain, no game. If you can't take the pain, then you might as well not skateboard." Once thought to be another passing fad, skateboarding is an extreme sport that appears to be here to stay.

Original Source: VOA.com, By Sarah Zaman

Skateboarding Family

Local skateboarder Jake Hibish shows off some of his award-winning moves on the ramp at his home. As the popularity of extreme sports continues to grow, one of our local lads is latching on to the phenomenon with full force. Jake Hilbish, of Forest, recently finished in second place in the Mid-Atlantic Skateboard Series (MASS).

Jake, the son of Brian and Debbie Hilbish, has been skating nearly all of his life. But that's not a surprise when you find out that his father has skateboarded nearly all of his life.

Brian Hilbish, a Brookville alum, was raised in Lynchburg where his skating antics, "got me run off quite a bit," in his words. After a stint in the Air Force, he earned his engineering degree at the University of Colorado. Through it all, Hilbish kept on skating.

Jake's older brother, Nathan, is working on an engineering degree at VCU. Debbie Hilbish said of him, "We tried the organized sports and they just didn't take. Nathan was timid until we put him on a board." She continued,"His confidence and grades all went up."

Jake started skating as a four year old. He played organized ball but felt compelled to make a choice and went with skateboarding.

This year, the family discovered the MASS, which consists of a series of events held in Northern Virginia and Maryland. The eight competitions ran from June until the end of August and are scored on a point system, similar to that used in NASCAR. Jake won three of the individual events outright.

One thing certainly working in his benefit is the existence of a skating ramp on the family's property. The ramp, designed and built by Brian Hilbish is 6 feet high, 24 feet wide and 40 feet long. "I built it because, at the time, that's all Nathan wanted to do," said Brian Hilbish.

It is actually the second ramp to grace the Hilbish estate, the first having been blown down by a tornado in 2001. In the immediate aftermath of that tornado, "Nathan was more worried about the ramp than anything else," Brian Hilbish noted with a chuckle.

Jake could find himself with some headier home-grown competition if some current plans come to fruition. There is a proposal to build a skate park at the Falling Creek Park here in Bedford.

If this park is built, Bedford would join the ranks of other communities that have built such attractions including Blacksburg, Roanoke, Vinton, Christiansburg and Salem.

Father and son skaters Brian (left) and Jake Hibish pose in front of the ramp that Brian built. As Brian Hilbish pointed out, "It's a sport in which some kids who aren't good at other sports kind find a niche. It's also a lifelong sport."

Jake enjoys the sport for a number of reasons. "It's really fun and exciting. You get an adrenaline rush from it," he noted. "You get to determine what things you want to do with a skateboard."

A demonstration by Jake on the skating ramp shows that it is a sport that takes a lot of stamina, strength and coordination. "A friend of mine lost a lot of weight just by skating," declared Jake.

Brian Hilbish added, "I think it's one of the greatest sports for kids if they're brought into the sport right and mentored properly." He also pointed out that skateboarding is a year-round sport that has a lot of camaraderie among the participants.

Skateboarding can be a relatively inexpensive sport compared to golf or hockey, with an initial equipment outlay in the neighborhood of $150.

And, it can be a sport for the more mature set, as well. "I started skating at the park because I was bored with just watching," said the older Hilbish. "For those over forty, if you start out slow and are padded, it's not really dangerous. In fact, a number of fathers have started getting into it."

Original Source: Bedford Bulletin, By Mike Forster

Parents Grappling With Skateboard Phenomenon

So, you took your son and daughter to the X Games and they got one look at Kerry Getz and Tony Hawk flying through the air and they decided right then and there they wanted to be a skateboarder. Along with the rest of the passing interests, the guitar that sits unplayed, the soccer cleats in the garage and the ice skating lessons that went nowhere, this must be the next phase, right? Maybe not.

"It's a lifestyle," said Steve Bradley, a skater and employee at Board Stiff in Media. "Everybody I know that skates, it's not all they think about, but it's always in their mind. The way they dress is from a skateboarding background. The way they act is from a skateboarding background. It's the basis of someone's lifestyle."

Bradley should know. The 22-year-old has been skating most of his life. Like the rest of the knowledgeable staff at the Media shop, he knows every nook and cranny of Delaware * County, skateboard-style. For around $130, a new skater can get set up with a board, trucks * and wheels *. Then it's all up to them. Bradley expects there will be another new generation of skateboarders after this summer. He has seen a sharp increase in sales since the X Games came through Philadelphia * last year and he is expecting the same sort of reaction again.

It's not just kids, Bradley said. The twenty- and thirtysomethings who stopped skating years before have been bitten by the bug again.

Like most longtime skaters, Bradley is skeptical of the X Games, Big Business, and the influence ESPN has over his beloved sport.

"As far as the X Games go, it's good for business," Bradley said. "It's good to get the kids out to see the pros. It helped make skateboarding huge. But personally, I won't go down to see it."

Bradley, like most skaters, is a street skater, a discipline that requires skaters to be creative when turning tricks. There are no set-up ramps, no half-pipes for street skaters. All you have are your board, yourself and whatever your environment provides, be it railings or benches or curbs.

"The best place to learn is skating with your friends in a cul-de-sac or in your neighborhood," Bradley said. "I don't recommend skate parks to kids who are just beginning because they are going to run into people who know what they're doing and they could get hurt."

There are no skate parks in Delaware County. The closest are in Avondale, Chester County, Willow Grove and in Ocean City, Md.

The most well-known natural skate park was in Philadelphia's FDR Plaza, better known as LOVE Park. Skaters from all over the world came to Philadelphia to test their skills at the park, and its popularity spread through video games and word of mouth. That is, skaters used to come to LOVE Park. That was before the city renovated the park and made it inhospitable to skaters who are now not welcome. Plans for a sanctioned skate park in Philadelphia near the Art Museum have been put on hold as city council members fight over the logistics. With no skate parks, and with Philadelphia out of the equation, kids in Delco do their riding in the street -- if they can find a street where skateboarding is allowed.

In Springfield, skateboarding is a crime in all public places. Media restricts skating in the downtown area. Bradley said the crackdowns have the opposite effect on young skaters.

"When skateboarding is banned, it's going to make kids want to do it more," Bradley said.

According to Bradley, the best places to skate are big open parking lots, especially at high schools. The best, Bradley said, was Strath Haven, but the school has since been placed off limits by police. With a sigh, Bradley repeats the often-heard lament of most skaters. "Skateboarding," he said, "gets a bad rap." It may look a little unorthodox. Its participants may not be cut from the "Leave it to Beaver" mold and the sport may scare a certain generation. But if you give it a try, it may lead to a whole new outlook on life. And that new skateboard could get considerably more use than that out-of-tune guitar.

Original Source: Delco Times, By Paul Flannery

Over-protective parents robbing children of their childhood

Over-protective parents are warned today that they are denying youngsters a proper childhood by keeping them indoors playing video games instead of letting them outside to play. A group of almost 300 teachers, psychologists, authors and childcare experts claim the loss of unstructured play is threatening the health and well-being of a generation.

They say that loosely supervised fun is crucial for keeping children active, teaching them to deal with risk and learn to get on with others. But parental anxiety over "stranger danger" is conspiring with high volumes of traffic, aggressive marketing of commercialised toys and screen entertainment to rob children of opportunities to enjoy traditional play.

The warning comes in an open letter signed by, among others, children's author Philip Pullman, childcare expert Dr Penelope Leach and Baroness Susan Greenfield, director of the Royal Institution.

The signatories also include 60 psychologists and psychotherapists, more than 40 university professors, plus leaders of teaching unions and children's charities.

A similar letter a year ago voiced fears that childhood was being "poisoned" by a damaging mix of junk food, all-day TV and violent computer games.

That warning, backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, sparked a national inquiry on the state of childhood which is due to report next year. In the latest letter, experts warn that the loss of opportunities for play is a major factor in the rise of mental health and behavioural problems in recent years. They say research has deepened concern that youngsters are facing a mental health crisis.

They point to the finding by Unicef that Britain's children are among the unhappiest in the developed world, adding: "We believe that a key factor in this disturbing trend is the marked decline over the last 15 years in children's play."

The letter goes on to insist that play, particularly outdoors, is vital to children's all-round health and well-being. The letter was organised by writer Sue Palmer, whose book Toxic Childhood sparked a national debate on the issue, and Dr Richard House, a senior lecturer in psychotherapy at Roehampton University.

"Real play - socially interactive, first-hand, loosely supervised - has always been a vital part of children's development, and its loss could have serious implications," they said.

"Just as the epidemic of childhood obesity recently took the developed world by surprise, too much 'junk play' could - like too much junk food - have alarming implications for the next generation.

"We hope this letter helps draw attention to the importance of giving the next generation time, space and encouragement to go 'out to play'."

Mrs Palmer added: "We have become over-protective in certain ways and letting go is one of the hardest things.

"But there is a limit to the extent we can protect children physically - they have to become capable of protecting themselves as well."

Original Source: Daily Mail, By Laura Clark

Skater Punks, an essay by Kathy Fish

Skater Punks You know exactly what I am talking about. We have all seen them: the thrashed skate boards with nightmarish graphics, the bizarre array of boxers peeking out of the ridiculously baggy pants, jewelry protruding from places previously only inhabited by the stray hair trying to avoid being plucked, that's right, the skater punks. They aren't just boys or men; girls who played dress up and Barbie have thrown off the perception of pale pink and purple and are clad in black, brown, army green or any drab variation of the ominous colors Generation X has chosen for their coat of arms. Young men and women dress the same, walk the same, skate the same and sport the same flippantly arrogant attitude. What on earth would possess the youth of our nation to dress, behave and mutilate themselves in such a manner? Have you ever seen an X-Games skate board competition? These people are amazing. Why would you waste that athleticism and agility on a sport that has nothing to offer but a bad reputation, injury and trouble with the law?

"Mom, I'm home! Guess where Grandma took me to today. We found a skateboard at a garage sale and we bought it for $2.00 and we went to the skate park. It is so cool. I met some new friends and they showed me some tricks. Grandma is going to take me back next week," Conner, my then six year old, excitedly gushed as he walked through the front door.

Fear and anger seized me. I didn't know who to yell at first. Conner, seeing the fierce look in my eyes, yelled, "Grandma made me do it!" In her quest to become "cool," grandma had been turned to the "dark side." In Benedict Arnold style, facing battle and guaranteed desecration of her sainthood, she caved, switched allegiances, and sold me out for the price of a smile. I couldn't trust her, or the vipers she was now "hangin" with. Disbelief engulfed me like a dark, damp heavy cloud. My ally was gone, deserted; I stood alone to bear accusations like "you don't understand," "my friends who have cool parents get to skate," "you're closed minded and prejudiced," "just because you're old doesn't mean you know everything." The verbal battle was in full array and the arrows were hitting their target.

I pause from the narration at this time to relate an observation that has come as a morbid dose of reality for me. You will all have the following experience, at one time or another, it is unavoidable. You will supply grandchildren for your parents who have shamelessly begged, bribed, pleaded and blackmailed you to procreate. By giving in to their pleas you will have equipped them with the opportunity to earn their sainthood. Then, watching you stagger from a near fatal battle wound, they will step forward, take the sword from your child's hand and drive the final blow straight through your heart. With this one act they will forever endear themselves to your offspring and irrevocably reveal their true alliances— with them, against you.

'You know honey, you really should come check out the skate park before you make your final decision," a woman I did not know, who bore a striking resemblance to my mother, cooed logically. I spun around, a cornered, wild animal sensing the battle to ensue. "How dare you...We have talked endlessly about the problems with the youth of today, not the least of which is the 'skater-tude'... I entrusted my child to you and this is where you take him?...I don't care if he asked you to, be the adult,...show some back bone. You never had a problem saying the word 'no' when I was his age." My emotional diatribe was unashamedly being ignored. The traitor smiled, winked at Conner and said over her shoulder as she turned to leave: "Conner and I would be happy to let you tag along next time." I was speechless.

Defeated, weary from the staunch defense of ideals and perceptions my faculties began to call an all out retreat. "What could it hurt to go?...are you really afraid of some skater punks?...ratify your assumptions...prove your perceptions...isn't Conner worth your time...are you seriously going to let a 70-year-old grandma be more open-minded than you?" Finally with a sigh of surrender, "I'll go."

As I walked up the dirt trail to the "bowls" I tried to not look as scared as I felt. At first glance all I could see was concrete. There are two large "bowls" that are side by side and have a small lip that connects them. The "track" is the ring around the outer edge of the cement that incorporates two large ramps for building speed for jumps. In the middle there is a crisscross design with stairs and rails for "grinding." The design was ingenious, not much space but lots of options.

Conner threw his board down, put on his helmet, and off he rolled; around the track, up and down the ramps over and over, his smile spreading wider and wider across his innocent face. "Hi Conner," called a tall stereotypical skater. I bristled, started to step forward and the icy stiletto fingers from my childhood grabbed my arm. Without a word my mom rescued Conner from certain social death. "Hi Grandma, who's your friend?" the skater called out. Introductions were made and the grip on my perceptions began to erode.

Then my fears were realized, Conner took a nasty spill trying to grind. His board was too "sticky" to slide on the metal rail and he landed on his elbow and hip. To my surprise the skater punk got there before Conner's over protective mom. He gently picked him up, asked if he was okay, looked to make sure there was no blood, and walked him over to sit down.

"Next time borrow some of my wax to rub on the rail so it slides," came the helpful suggestion from the "punk." I was dumbfounded. Where were the "flippantly arrogant attitudes," disrespectful indifference, and the scorching defiant eyes? "He'll be okay, don't worry," the punk said reassuringly. "Thanks" I mumbled. "Mom, you said you rode a skateboard when you were young, try mine, its fun." "You rode a board? How cool, hop on and see if you remember how to roll" the skater kid smiled. "I wish my parents did something cool like that, then maybe they would understand. You are lucky Conner."

I didn't know whether to be embarrassed or proud. My tattle-tale conscience reminded me of those ten minutes earlier I was reciting the evils of skateboarding to myself. I cautiously placed Conner's board down and assumed the stance. The wheels rolled slowly at first, then faster and my confidence began to build. The adrenaline rush was instant. The faster I went the more intoxicated I felt. What a rush. I could do this all day.

"Mom, could I have my board now?""One more time around," I pleaded as I rolled quickly by."Come on mom, it's my board." I slowed down and jumped off. Conner took off and yelled "Hey mom, watch this."

Teachers come in all shapes, sizes and wear all kinds of different clothes. From eight to eighteen to seventy there are many different people from diverse walks of life that can show us things about who we are, who we think we are and most importantly who we want to become. I didn't change my choice of clothes, music or friends, but my custom board and pierced belly button have raised some eyebrows and given me the opportunity to do a little teaching of my own.

Original Source: realskate.com

X Games champ ramps up safety message

When skateboarder Bob Burnquist won the gold medal at the X Games he was on top of the world. But this Christmas morning, thousands of happy youngsters will be riding their new skateboards and scooters and falling off. That's why Burnquist is taking time during the holiday shopping season to help educate parents about skateboard, scooter and in-line skate safety and to remind them to add protective gear to every wheeled purchase.

"Wearing a helmet is a 24/7 thing. Your head is the main box so you'd better take care of it," says Burnquist. "No matter how good you are you can hit your head very hard when riding and that can be very bad."

"My advice is that parents should think of safety gear and the skateboard as a single purchase. Don't just buy the board."

In fact, professional riders like Burnquist and skateboard instructor Steve Badillo stress that safety gear allows younger, more inexperienced skaters to become better skilled, safer riders.

"When you're protected you can skate more and worry less about getting hurt," says Badillo, a former pro skater who co-authored Skateboarder's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Skateboarding. "The biggest mistake is kids think it's cool not to wear safety gear because they see that a lot of pros don't wear it. But the fact is, these kids are not at the skill level of the pros and they get slammed."

But many pros do wear protective gear.

Skateboard legend Tony Hawk religiously wears his gear. And Burnquist says he won't skate without hip pads because he's gotten so many 'hippers.'

"I tuck and roll out of a lot of my falls or slide on my hip, but I found it really difficult to find good hip pads," says Burnquist, who was born in Brazil and relocated to Leucadia, Calif. "I'm actually trying to develop a line of hip pads with my sponsor Hurley."

"Skateboarding can be dangerous. I've broken 19 bones," adds Burnquist. "I've got a pin in my right wrist and I've been knocked out totally once. I had short-term memory loss and kept repeating questions."

Taking the fall

Badillo actually teaches kids how to fall in his classes. "We go over how to run out of a fall or how to slide onto your knees if you're working a ramp," says Badillo. "It's really important to know how to fall properly because if you're a skater, you're going to fall every day."

For knee-slides, riders have to wear knee pads. And riders should wear proper shoes at all times when skateboarding or scootering. For kids, long pants that provide some added protection are also recommended.

"If you're really serious about skateboarding, you might as well get used to wearing safety gear because you have to wear it in competition and at all the skate parks," advises Badillo.

"We require all skaters to wear safety gear — period," says Todd Huber, owner of Skatelab, an indoor skateboard facility in Simi Valley, Calif. "There's no such thing as overkill when it comes to young kids and safety gear."

Studies have shown that safety gear reduces injury and often prevents it. Protective padding, clothing, and helmets disperse the impact of falls.

"There is bio-mechanical and clinical evidence that wrist guards do work," says Dr. Flaura Koplin Winston, director of the TraumaLink Pediatric Injury Research Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Parents have to hold the line and make wearing safety gear non-negotiable. It's easier to reinforce when you do it from day one."

And that's important because wheeled toys such as in-line skates, scooters, and skateboards cause more injuries to children than any other category of toy — over 65,000 in 2000. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), scooter injuries alone jumped from 3,281 in 1999 to over 42,500 in 2000.

When it comes to skateboards, approximately 26,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms every year. Sprains and fractures are the most common injuries. And parents shopping for skateboards should understand that 60% of skateboarding injuries are to children under 15 years of age. And fully one-third of all injuries are suffered by kids who have been skateboarding less than a week.

An important consideration for parents shopping for Christmas skateboards is the age of the child. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against children under five skateboarding, for several reasons:

Their center of gravity is higher, making falls more likely. Their neuromuscular system is not well developed. Their judgment is poor. They are less able to protect themselves when falling. Skate parks

One of the best arguments for taking your kids to indoor skate parks is the fact that irregular riding surfaces cause over half of all skateboard falls.

"Skate parks are great because the ramps are engineered for doing tricks, the riding surface is smooth, and the kids are supervised," says Huber. "We even offer skateboard camps and lessons so kids can learn proper techniques."

Huber says his facility caters to approximately 1000 skaters a week yet he sees on average "maybe one serious injury a month — usually a broken wrist or ankle."

"You can't eliminate all the dangers," notes Huber. "Just being a kid is a danger."

Another excellent reason to go to a skate park is the vast majority of skateboard fatalities occurred in traffic when the rider was struck by a motor vehicle. The CPSC advises that skateboarders NEVER ride in traffic.

But skateboarding also provides many positive experiences. Along with helping kids develop balance and coordination, skateboarding is excellent aerobic exercise.

"With so many kids overweight, it's important to find activities that kids like," says Winston. "Skateboarding fits that bill — they can do it whenever they want, it's fun and it's great exercise. But we shouldn't risk any child's safety."

"Unless they're playing Tony Hawk Pro-skater 3, skateboarding gets kids off the couch and outside," jokes Huber.

"Just remember, you get to enjoy skateboarding a lot more and a lot longer if you don't get hurt," advises Burnquist. "And with safety gear, moms and dads won't have to worry nearly as much when their kids start getting air."

Original Source: USAToday, By John Morgan, Spotlight HealthWith medical adviser Stephen A. Shoop, M.D.

The basics of skateboarding

The basics of skateboarding.

After years of falling and much hard work, we have decided to try and break down the basics so that almost anyone can understand and land tricks. Unfortunately we cannot promise that you’ll be landing any tricks quickly, or every time. We intended this document to only be a guide to assist you while you are learning.

First and foremost you will not land any thing without proper balance. Forget sitting on the carpet or grass; it’s completely different when you begin to roll. If you have ever ridden a bicycle, ice skated, or snowboard you will know this. Proper balanced is ultimately achieved while you are in motion. Learning to roll around comfortably on your deck is the key and will ultimately lead to unlocking accomplished tricks. Through out an entire trick, you should be relaxed, knees slightly bent, balanced and most of all feel comfortable.

Once you feel comfortable and you can roll around with relative ease, it is time to have some fun. Try performing some tricks! All tricks stem from the Ollie. The more proficient you become with performing ollies, the easier tricks will become. The second most important aspect to skating is the pop you get when ollieing. When you are performing a trick, the worst thing you can do is pop with your foot flat. This diminishes the height you will receive and make your trick more difficult to pull off. In other words you do not just stomp down your entire foot, you snap with the ankle downwards to the balls of your foot for lift. Just work on maintaining balance while lifting off and snapping that ankle downwards. Getting a crisp pop will lead increased height and better tricks.

After mastering both balance and ollies, it is now time for a bit more advanced tricks. This primarily applies to learning flip tricks. It works something like this, if you want to do a kick flip, your right foot will be on the far side of the tail, while the heel of your left foot would be entirely off and ready to flick outwards. The same will apply for a heel flip but this time you’re popping foot would be on the other side of the tail. In other words, if you are going to flick off the right side, your popping foot would be primarily on the left side of the decks tail. Putting them on opposite sides creates better leverage making the board flip better.

Lastly, you’ll need to learn how to stop the rotation of the board. This only applies to flip and shuv-it type tricks. Depending on the trick you are performing, different feet will stop the rotation of the board. If your board flips, you are going to catch it with your popping foot in order to stop the flip. If you are doing a shuv-it trick, your front foot or non- popping foot will stop the rotation of the board.

If you are having troubles with any tricks, refer back to these basics and they should help. Practice is the only thing that will make you a better so keep at it and don’t get discouraged.