Rewind Wednesday: Skateboarding is on deck for the Olympics

Rewind Wednesday: Skateboarding is on deck for the Olympics

My favorite comments are from girls. You would be surprised at how many times in a week they will come up to me and say something like, “Wow, you’re so cool. I wish I could skate too.” But when I ask if they want to try, they say, “Oh no, I’m too shy,” or “I tried skateboarding once and I fell. It’s definitely not for me.”

Eventually, after hearing that one too many times, I started organizing monthly “girls-only” skateboarding events and novice classes in Montreal, to help girls get over the idea that they can’t skateboard or that it’s too scary. My goal is to show them that they can physically skateboard, and also that they can break their own mental barriers about what they can and can’t do.

Despite its rebellious image, people need to know that skateboarding is a very inclusive and giving subculture. You don’t have to be self-conscious about what others think. If you try and you want to learn, skaters — boys and girls — will always respect that. It’s not easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.

In Tokyo 2020, skateboarding will be a new sport in the Olympic program. Not everyone agrees that this will be good for skateboarding. For a lot of skaters, it is not a sport, it’s an art form and a lifestyle. They feel it should not be reduced to a performance that is judged on an objective criteria.

Published at Tue, 07 Apr 2020 17:01:17 +0000