Skateboarding Fun For Everyone
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday September 9, 2003
SKATEBOARDING is fun and makes you fit. In various forms, it has been around for a long time, with children throughout the ages having enjoyed playing around with wheeled objects from horse-drawn carriages or delivery trolleys to go-karts.
How did the skateboard come into being? Well, before there were skateboards there were surfboards, for surfers who balanced and rode the ocean waves.
Then came the scooters but some goose snapped the handle bars off. The skateboard was born.
The best places to skate are smooth. Or visit a skate park, where you won't be in anyone's way.
If you want to skate, practice first because you don't want every one to see you eat cement. While practising, drink water and pad up.
Train, train, train until the sun goes down or get some one to teach you.
Some skaters have a great talent and are very famous. Their secret? Practice. Tony Hawk, Mark Gonzales, Danny Way, Elisa Steamer and Eric Koston practice all the time.
The first skateboards were pretty rough but today wheels are urethane and decks are all sorts of shapes. Some decks are made of wood, fibreglass, plastic or even aluminium.
Some brands of decks have many decorations. Pro skaters prefer certain brands. Tony Hawk uses Birdhouse decks.
As for the prices, usually big skateboards have big prices. That's why people buy mini skateboards for low prices.
If you want a cheap skateboard buy it in winter because the prices heat up in summer.
© 2003 Newcastle Herald