My first post on my new blog and I've dedicated it to something that has been a part of my life for ten years now.
A lot of people don't even know what rollerblading is or their perception of the sport is stuck in the 80's/90's.
To some people it is called Aggressive Inline Skating but I always find that term old fashioned and the term aggressive to me does not summarise rollerblading today which is about finesse, balance and skill.
I started when i was 13 grinding curbs learning the basics with my good friend Jamie Kirby and over the years I have gained so many friends through what should be seen as a social sport.
Rollerblading is a great sport to make friends but as an industry it is often cursed. A good example can be seen in my Grandad bless him but after 10 years of me doing this sport he still calls it skateboarding and my parents sometimes do as well and that's where lies the problem.
It seems to me that Rollerblading is an ancient ruin amongst aggressive sports, axed by the X Games , abandoned by main stream culture and place into the hearts of those who truly love it but that's what makes it unique and different.
Rollerbladers professionally, amateur and so forth all love the sport because it's not as if they make a fortune. Most professionals in this sport cannot even afford healthcare and most live what resembles a nomadic lifestyle to stay at the top of their game.
It's sad when you see an episode of cribs with Tony Hawk showing off his lavish mansion, fair enough he deserves it but so do the skills of the top rollerbladers in the world.
When I look at my sport I see people pushing the boundaries of reason, skaters like Chris Farmer, Alex Broskow, Chris Haffey and Jeff Stockwell google their name watch a video of them on youtube.... what they do is remarkable but not appreciated.
One day I hope rollerblading gets the exposure it deserves , when Tony Hawk is a relic and the hype surrounding skateboarding that has lasted since the early Noughties finally dies we may see a resurgence as people will look to something new , something hidden, something different.
.....that could be rollerblading.
Related Internet links
No comments:
Post a Comment