Getting Ready to Roll - Skateboarding Safety
Better Homes and Gardens
May 2005
PHOTOGRAPH: KING AU/STUDIO AU
NEWS EVERYONE NEEDS TO STAY WELL
As skateboarding parks across the country
emerge from their coating of snow and ice, you
might find your own son or daughter among the
newest crop of budding skateboarders. And that’s a
good thing. Skateboarding—once stigmatized as the
pastime of misfits—has remade itself into a rollicking
good sport, transformed by suburban skate parks,
lessons, and summer camps. The sport teaches grace,
balance, and perseverance. Plus it’s a heckuva workout.
As with other sports, your child needs help gearing up.
The most vital thing is a helmet. “One minute you’re up and
the next you’re on the back of your head. You need a helmet,” says Tony Hawk, professional skateboard legend. This should
be nonnegotiable: No helmet, no skateboard.
Look for a multisport helmet like the Bell helmets at left.
They retail for about $25 at retailers like Toys“R”Us. Visit
www.bellbikestuff.com for more information.
Kyle Reynolds, manager of the Department of Skateboarding
skate park in Portland, Oregon, also suggests wrist guards
for all beginners. “If your skateboard goes out from under
you, you’ll reach back and land on your wrists,” he says. Knee and elbow pads can prevent some
scrapes, although some kids balk at them
because they impair mobility.
Hawk also strongly suggests a good quality
board from a professional skate shop.“Professionals know how to size kids for
boards. Toy store models can cause injuries
if the wheels seize or the decks break
unexpectedly,” he says. JEANNE FAULKNER