Stickball, Death of a Street Culture. A staple of teen-age life for much of the 20th century, roller skates were easier to control and were enjoyed in all forms of recreation, from roller derbies to disco skating. The inline versions remained outside the zone of mass popularity until two Midwest brothers rejiggered the design for greater comfort and maneuverability.
Rollerblading, the eponym for inline skating, was named after its successful branding company, Rollerblade, Inc. The latter was founded in by Minnesotans Scott and Brennan Olson, hockey players who were looking for ways to practice their sport in the summer. At the time, hockey was primarily a winter discipline and few ice arenas were operating in the off-season.
The Olsons retrofitted their hockey boots with polyurethane wheels in a straight line and sold the idea to their hockey friends. Stores were already carrying the booted inline skates before the Olsons arrived, but sales to the public were always flat. Being entrepreneurs as much as they were athletes, the Olsons sourced the wheeled tracks from a California manufacturer and pitched them as accessories, offering 5-day, money-back guarantees to skeptical buyers.
The strategy worked and with time, their town was buzzing with hockey enthusiasts wearing inline skates. The new toy only transcended the hockey world when Rollerblade decided to launch a marketing campaign aimed at women and children.
The skates were painted neon colors and given to rental shops on popular California beaches. The company also sponsored skating runs between towns, including one road warrior who skated the distance from Denver, Colorado to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Basketball on rollerblades, tennis on roller blades, and a multitude of other wheeled sideshows started appearing. Vying for outdoor physical space with cyclists, joggers and walkers, bladers got the ire from fitness traditionalists but the new sports phenom was unstoppable. Aggressive inline skating, which incorporated the execution of tricks in mid-action, found new homes on concrete stairs and brass railings.
However, once you understand the basics and learn to balance on skates, all you need is a little practice to get to the next skill level. All it takes is time, patience, and practice. What efforts are required at the ground level by local authorities to support rollerblading?
Local authorities must figure out the support build-up at the ground level. They must invest in building skating rinks and skate parks to promote the sport. Another step can be to invite professional skaters at the rink to train the newcomers. Further, area-based events can be organized to create a general awareness of rollerblading. Seasonal events and competitions can encourage more people to join the drill to support rollerblading as a sport.
Is rollerblading any different from other forms of skating? Rollerblading is an extreme, action sport, unlike recreational or artistic skating forms. It involves multiple tricks and several stunts. Even the skates designed for the sport have special features to accommodate the quick spins and sudden jumps.
The hard soleplate and smaller wheels of the rollerblades can easily withstand the impact of fast stride and high jumps. Do I require to follow any safety measures before I start serious rollerblading?
Yes, if you intend to be a serious rollerblader, the first step is to ensure safety. When you buy your rollerblades, you should also purchase a decent safety gear including a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, mouthguard, and gloves.
It is also extremely important to learn about the rules of the roads before you hit the streets. My name is Darius. I have started to skate couple years ago in my 20's. From first look it looked pretty difficult to me, but once i learned it i started to love it. Right now i am passionate about inline skating and usually I am skating together with my sister, Rasa. During the years I find out a lot interesting and useful information which i am sharing on this Blog.
I hope that you will enjoy my blog same as you enjoy skating! When you go to a skate park, it might be intimidating to see all the kids and teenagers gliding around and doing all sorts of cool tricks. Especially, if you are past your youth years then taking on There are various kinds of skates out there that prioritize different specifications.
With so many options to choose from, it can be quite daunting to decide what skates you should buy. There is a Skip to content The 90s have served as a golden era for rollerblading. A Mental Shift Rollerblading started as a favorite sport for adventure seekers. Role of Media According to one theory, the mental shift was caused by the advent of video games.
See where it all started and go check out Minneapolis. The views, the scenery, and the weather make LA a skaters paradise. It is the home the the brand K2. There are tons of indoor rinks as well. Not to mention that Seattle has an incredibly active skating community.
There are so many groups and clubs. Seattle is a perfect destination for skaters of all levels. The people watching in South Beach is second to none and the architecture is unique and beautiful. Make sure you wear your helmet because this is a city that it is hard to keep your eyes focused on the road or the path with everything else that is going on around you.
Skating is not permitted on any streets where cars drive, nor on sidewalks in commercial districts. So put on your inline skates, there are miles of boardwalks and bike paths throughout the city, built specifically for this type of free-wheeling fun.
There is nowhere else that you can skate and see all the things that you can in D.
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