Breathing In LA: Skate on! But Do It Safely

Have you heard the news? It's happening.

It's all going down this Sunday, June 21st
at the
Ritchie Valens Recreation Center in Pacoima.

P-Rod, Nike SB, and other surprises await you!
Don't miss it!

IT'S A PART OF THE GAME
So I've been checking out the skating scene in big anticipation to the new skatepark opening this Sunday. My recent day Pedlow Skatepark got me thinking about one of the biggest parts of any sport: falling. And falling hard.

Falling is part of the game. My weakened knees, scarred skin, and twisted fingers can testify to that. Roller hockey checks, downhill handlebar flips from my bike, and the regular b-ball ankle twist from battling in the paint kept my youth rocking. Again, it's part of the game. And skating is no exception to the rule.

My visit to the park not only had me blown away by the skills these kids had -- their air time, the tricks, the long grinds -- but I was also floored by their persistence to perfect their art, going at it again and again, even after the occasional hard fall. It takes a lot of heart to keep at it when you're hurting. And it builds heart just the same.

Alex Carballo, 12, catching air at Pedlow.

A PARENT'S TAKE
Now we all know that practice makes perfect ... or at least better. And there's nothing like speeding down a ramp, a hill, or a half-pipe, catching some air, and landing that shiznit. All the falls, all the hard work, (and the fun) are well worth it.

Hal Long, one of the parents I met at Pedlow, knows just how fun skating can be. He grew up on the east coast with a half-pipe in his backyard, "probably the only half-pipe in a 20 mile radius," he says, and skated throughout his youth.

As with all sports, he's aware of the potential dangers of skating. He personally took a lot of hard knocks as a kid and is now a big proponent of wearing proper protection while skating. He added, "Some skateparks need to do a better job with enforcing helmet use."

Hal makes sure his 14 year old daughter, Hunter, wears protective gear while skating. "She doesn't like it so much, but all it takes is one wrong fall without protective gear to do some serious damage."

I asked Hal if he would ever take up skating again. He said that his daughter tries to get him out in the park sometimes and continued, "I almost get the nerve to do it, but then my sanity kicks in. I can't afford to get hurt. I have to work!" He's taken up mountain-biking instead.

Dude, I know the feeling. There's a lot of concrete out there -- in my daily life at work and in the skatepark. Both can get a little dangerous. It's much easier to get out of the city and catch some air.

Although I'm sure that kids like Alex, pictured below, prefer the concrete park instead, and enjoy catching a different kind of air. So to all you skaters out there perfecting your game, I say: Skate on! But do it safely.