Page 27 - 1989.Millard.North

~~Skateboarding gives you a feeling of indepen-

dence because you don't really have to worry

about school or work or the overpopulation in Chi-
na" - Junior Ben Graham (J.P. Bell)

Skatebo arders Have Influen ce

SPORT NOT A CRIME

-Ton1 Resquer and Amy Walsh-

petitions which were held throughout the
year. During the winter months. indoor skate
hans w re not known for surfing the parks were sites of such events. Bell even
a~ s. . f ct. the only beach was a mud hole carried his interest through to his job at
20'mjok!l:' s southwest of town. However un- Steve's Skateboard Shop.
favorable these geographical conditions may Skaters even had their own style. High-
have been. they developed a new interest in tops were a bare essential. Graham said. "I
a sport pavement surfing. otherwise known went through a pair of high tops every couple
to the world as skateboarding. of months.·· Skateboarding apparel was usu-
Not everyone had the balance to coast ally brightly colored and loose-fitting for
on a 1 0-inch deck of 7-ply. laminated. cross- movement. Skaters were not the only stu-
grained maple. and ride in a straight line. dents that wore fashions by Vision Street
Even fewer had the ability to do stunts like Wear. Stussy. and Gordon and Smith. these
the mosquito air. the ollie. or the rail slide. clothes were seen on non-skaters as well
Skateboarding has become a part of With the new interest in skateboarding.
many teens' lives . Junior Ben Graham got negative attitudes toward skaters dwindled.
started skating when he and his friend. Graham couldn't understand why the preju-
bought a couple of skateboards in the SU!Jl- dice existed and said. "oppressior of the
mer before eighth grade Junior Jeff P. Bell sport was dying down. and people realized
started skating even earlier. At the age of five that there were a lot of good guys who skat-
he got his first skateboard. According to Bell ed... Bumper stickers- boldly stating
he "became really serious about skating "Skateboarding is not a crime" appeared on
three and a half years ago." which is when books. cars. and traffic signs.
he got his first ten inch board. Skaters influenced the way people dres-
Skateboarding played a different role in sed. and brought about a new attitude. They
each individual life. Some students just tried brought competitveness to a hobby.
it out for a fun thing to do on weekends. Through positive and negative attitudes.
Others were more serious and entered com- skateboarding was here to stay. ~

Skateboard1 ng competitions take place all over the As a skater becomes more expenenced. the diff1 culty in -
"H is perhap s the best skater in sc hool .. That IS how country. usually in the parking lots of shopping malls volv w1th the1r stunts 1ncreases. A1r tricks are such an
Jeff ell desmbed Sophomore Steve Berra. Here he since they have the most room. Juni or Jeff P. Bell tries examp e. Freshman Joel Petersen takes a simple jump
rate s what other skaters call a Popta1 t. (J.P. to score some extra po1nts w1th a Rail Sl1de off of a plat- off of a ramp and with a little tw1 st. turns it into a Mos-
form. (E. Wilkins) quito Air. (J.P. Bell)