SKATEBOARDING
We can notice that the number of skateboarders has risen since the skatepark has recently been built in Montargis. It also appears that skateboard is a way of expression for teenagers, only by wearing a certain type of clothes, riders can easily recognise one another.
The aim of this
report is to make people aware that this activity, almost unknown, is evolving
and growing up in the teenagers’ society. A survey has been conducted on boys
from ten to twenty five years old in order to get to know about their life.
Firstly, it seems
that the hobby which is chosen rather than skateboard is roller blading. It has
been ascertained that eight kids out of ten
are roller bladders. This can be explained by the fact that this ‘sport’
is much easier than skateboarding.
By far the largest
number of skateboarders started between eight and fourteen years old, the age
bracket where kids build their personalities. Now, most of them could hardly
imagine life without skateboarding.
Moreover, about
70% of boys surveyed get dressed and buy their equipment in special places
called skateshops. This implies that fashion is something very important in
this discipline. So this illustrates the fact that style is having a growing
influence on teenagers. Although clothes are one criteria of recognition
between skaters, to the question –‘what kind of clothes fits you most when
practising your sport ?’ a large proportion of the people surveyed stated that they
preferred wearing large pants and special resistant shoes to be more
comfortable. Apparently, it turns out that large clothes bring a feeling of
well being on the board, tricks become easier to achieve. Thus, this reveals
that it is not only dealing with style but also with comfort.
Despite the fact
that riders do not deny studies, a reasonable part of them spend more than four
hours skateboarding per week. A small number of people questioned in the street
think that riders are still those bad boys who do not do anything during the
whole day. This argument is needed, to
emphasize on the changing opinion people have as far as skateboarders are
concerned.
Slightly more than
three in five of these surveyed agreed to mention Paris, Marseilles and Lyon as
the best cities for skateboarders, therefore they can practice their activity
with a lot of variety considering the large number of different spots, for
instance they can do gap-jumping over stairs, sliding on rods etc… . However, a
significant number of skaters would rather ride in a skatepark, they illustrate
their preference evoking that the ground is smoother than streets’ and there
are adapted modules, substructures only studied to skateboard on.
One surveyed out
of three has broken at least once a foot, a leg or an arm because of
skateboarding. This shows that this hobby is undoubtedly one of the most
dangerous activity.
To conclude I
would tend to think that skateboarding is getting more and more popular, it’s
not only a hobby but it can easily become a real passion for teenagers who find
a way of expression through this activity. It can hardly be regarded as a sport
yet but it’s perhaps better this way. The main topic which emerges from this
survey is the feeling of freedom, of independence that every rider wants to
keep. I could notice that when a teenager is on his board, he gets rid of every
negative sides of life and concentrate on his own world: skateboard
Edouard DENIAU