Thought for the day. September 24, 2007

Skatemom Amy, air to 50/50, in California. 

“What are we doing here? Overcoming the fear of death, of course. Why are we in the air? We are practicing, you might say, what it is to be alive.” – Richard Bach, skydiver

We’re Rolling 4 Reading. September 20, 2007

The Skatemoms with Rose Espinoza, of Rosie’s Garage in La Habra, California, and her great kids. 

When we’re not skating, we’re trying to bring a little happiness to underprivileged kids all over the country with our Rolling 4 Reading literacy program. Publishers and others donate new and slightly used children’s books, and we put them in our backpacks and bring them to the skatepark when we skate together.

After a good session, we roll around a neighborhood near the park on our skateboards and give the books to children we meet. You should see their eyes light up when they hear they can keep the books! The kids invariably stop what they’re doing; sit down; and read.  They sometimes ask good questions about skateboarding too!

You can help us with our Rolling 4 Reading program by purchasing some of the awesome swag we have for sale in the Skateboard Moms’ e-store. We have t-shirts, hats, mugs, mouse pads, our very own postage stamp and more!  The proceeds from your purchase support Rolling 4 Reading and our other charitable and educational programs.

Just click this link to begin shopping:

http://www.zazzle.com/pattihurst*

Thanks!

The Skateboard Moms

It’s Not Always About the Skating. September 18, 2007

Skatemom Jill and her friend, Jason, in Florida.

I learned an important lesson today. It’s not always about the skating.  Sometimes it can be about the experience of getting there too.

My friend Jason is a very special boy who lives at a children’s home about 45 minutes from our house. Jason is not allowed to skate there, but the home gave me and my husband permission to take Jason skating. So we picked up Jason, and got his board from his grandmother’s house, along with her blessing for the trip.

We had planned to visit two parks not far from the children’s home. First we thought we’d hit the City of Lake Mary Park. We made it there, excited, with a cooler full of drinks, and our enthusiasm bubbling. But we couldn’t skate because I forgot to get Jason’s grandmother to sign a waiver form.

Not to be deterred, we got back in the car and headed in the direction we came from to the City of Deltona. But we got hopelessly lost along the way, and when we finally made it to the skatepark there, it was open only to BMX riders. Shut down again!!

We realized we needed a map if we were going to find our way out of Deltona and back to the children’s home and civilization. We stopped at a convenience store in the middle of nowhere. While my husband went inside for a map, Jason and I waited, forlorn, in the back seat of the car.

I looked out the window. We were parked next to an abandoned shopping center. Jason and I looked at each other … and smiled.

We geared up and sessioned the parking lot. There were no cars and we just goofed around. I’ve never skated on asphalt before. I found a gentle slope and glided down it, working on my bertslides at the bottom. Jason pulled all kinds of tricks that look the same to me but have different names. We had fun, giggles and sweaty skating for about 20 minutes. By then, we were starved (we had spent 2 hours trying to find a place to skate) and had to get Jason back to the children’s home.

We had skated, even though it was just for a few minutes on an abandoned patch of asphalt, so I count the day as a success!! And I think Jason does too.

Skatemom Jill in FL

What’s your story? September 17, 2007

Skatemom Lisa does the Daffy in Colorado.

When you see someone who’s struggling to learn a trick or just to remain upright, be encouraging. I often struggle to do something new and could use your help and encouragement.

Please don’t think I’ll learn as quickly as you; face it, I’m 43 and not in the best shape. If I fall, it takes me longer to get up, longer to heal. It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m a woman. It’s just harder somehow after all of these years off the board.

I broke both femurs, shattered knees and one ankle in an auto accident years ago. I still have a titanium rod from hip to knee and lots of hardware. My legs are uneven and my memory is not the best from a closed brain injury. I’m not whining though; I’m stoked!

I’m actually doing this again . . . and I can! Yeah, I’m pretty proud of myself too. I’m healed and nobody can see the scars under my kneepads, shorts and shoes.

So if you see me struggling with something, cheer me on!!!! I’m doing little carves and going with the flow and falling and getting right back up.

If you’re thinking about getting out there and skating, now’s the time. If I can do it so can you! I’ll be there cheering you on!

Skatemom Lisa in CO (Brokengirl)

Stay low and loose when you skate. September 15, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNWYqs-p1Gk

We’re Not Buying It. September 14, 2007

Why is it that some skate companies feel they need to market their products using mean-spirited advertising that degrades women?

Hey, listen up out there.  We’re skaters too.

We appreciate clever advertising as much as other skaters, but this stuff just isn’t funny.

So we’ve made a vow.

We’re not buying skate stuff from companies that don’t respect women.

And guess what? We’re not letting our kids buy it either.

We’re also making a list of companies that support women and girls who skate. Look for it here, real soon.

Can you name companies that deserve our support? Tell us why, and we’ll add them to our list.

HOT TIP: Conquering fear. September 13, 2007

Skatemom Isabelle rocks the full-pipe in California.

One of our Skatemoms was injured this weekend. She was dropping in for the first time on a 7-foot transition and fell, fracturing her tailbone. She told us later, as she iced her sore bottom, that she felt stupid because she had freaked out at the last minute and closed her eyes on the way down.

What happened to our friend is completely normal. Humans simply aren’t programmed to calmly throw themselves off a vertical wall with a rolling plank underfoot. Skating at the edge of your comfort zone triggers primal instincts for basic physical survival. We get scared. And this has profound effects on the body. Our heart rate increases, and our brain releases adrenaline. Our breathing becomes rapid and shallow, or we forget to breathe entirely. We tense up.

Our natural defense mechanisms have served us well for millions of years, but they can make it dangerous to ride a skateboard. To skate well, we need to stay relaxed. To stay relaxed, we need to override our most basic instincts for survival. Here are some things we do to conquer our fears:

Use fear to your advantage.

Let your fear prompt you into affirmative action. Be scared enough to inspect your board and the park for hazards before taking a run. Be scared enough to use your helmet and all of your pads.

Talk about it.

Talking about your fear reduces anxiety. Every skater knows what it’s like to be afraid. And, in general, skaters are good at talking about their fear. Even the teen-aged ripper at your local park will admit that he gets scared sometimes if you ask him. Open up to another skater; tell her your scared. Seek her support and encouragement, and you’ll probably get it.

Breathe.

The way you breathe is key. When you feel your breathing start to change because you’re scared, make a conscious effort to keep it smooth and regular. Practice yoga, meditation, or self-hypnosis to help you control your breathing when you need to.

Stay focused and positive.

The more we prepare ahead of time, the more we can relax and enjoy the ride. Wait until you’re healthy to try new stuff so you won’t feel like you need to protect injuries. Visualize your entire run before you take it, and imagine yourself completing it successfully. Repeat portions of the run you already know well to develop muscle memory and ease nerves. Practice bailing out of a trick before you try it, so you’ll have a safe exit plan when you need it. Concentrate on staying relaxed while you skate. One of our Skatemoms likes to focus on keeping her wrists relaxed and loose while she skates. It seems that if they are tense and rigid, everything else is too.

How do you conquer your fear?

Who’s your family? September 12, 2007

Mom and Pro-Skater Jen O’Brien goes big at the X Games.

“Yeah, Mommie!” — 4-year-old Lotus Burnquist watching her mom, Jen O’Brien, during vert practice at the X Games.

Want to be a better skater? Surround yourself with people who support you. If members of your family skate, you’re lucky. You’ve got a ready-made activity that’s fun for the whole crew, and a built-in cheering section.

Even if you’re the only skater in your family, you still need their support. If your son is great with a camera, ask him to take photos of you skating. If your daughter is good with her hands, ask her for help cleaning bearings and changing bushings. Make sure you ask your non-skater spouse to cheer you on at the skatepark from time to time.

Once you’ve got your family involved, reach out to other skaters in your community for support. We’re a close-knit group, and we’re stoked for you when you get that trick, or make that run. The experienced skaters among us are also wise beyond their years, and usually happy to answer your questions.

We’ll see you at the park!

Skating is what you make of it. September 11, 2007

Slalom queen Lynn in California.

One of the great things about skating is that it can take so many different forms. You can carve bowls one day, and grind a rail the next. Go screaming fast down a huge hill today, and roll around town tomorrow.

Not into flip tricks? You can go for flow. Cruise and connect one part of the park to the next. Begin a little journey on your board … and see where it takes you. Make each turn a tribute; each push a flawless work of art.

It happens to us all the time. Yesterday we woke up bursting with determination, and attacked concrete, shredding everything in sight. Today we feel like taking it easy, and skate just to feel the wind in our hair and the sun on our faces. No apologies. That’s just the way it is.

Skaters who hate on different skating styles? They’re just lost. Skaters who say you have to rip it up every time you roll? Lost.

Skating is whatever you want it to be, however you want to do it.

What kind of skater are you today?

HOT TIP: Learning to drop in doesn’t have to hurt. September 10, 2007

Skatemom Barb learns to drop in the easy way in California.

You don’t really need to know how to drop in to skate well and have fun. We’ve met some awesome old school skaters who have skated their entire lives without ever dropping in. It just isn’t necessary if you know how to pump efficiently.

So we’re not saying you should learn to drop in if you don’t want to.

What we’re saying is, if you want to, it doesn’t have to hurt.

You’ve probably seen the typical skater learning to drop in at your park. He’s about seven years old. Maybe he’s wearing pads and a helmet, maybe he’s not. Goaded by his friends, he teters on the deck of the ramp or bowl, and gingerly places the tail of his board on the coping. His friends yell helpful instructions such as, “Dude you just gotta commit!” After waivering a moment, beginner skater leans in … and slams. Gets up, tries again. Slams. Tries again. Slams. Over and over.

It’s painful to watch.

As older skaters, it’s even more painful to learn this way. We don’t heal as fast as the kids at the park. We’re bigger, and we
slam harder. We have the chipped jaw bones and huge hippers to prove it.

So when you’re ready to try dropping in, first pad up. Then, enlist the help of a friend. Any trustworthy, tall, strong skater who knows how to drop in will do. Have your friend get in the ramp or bowl. You stand on the deck. Your friend reaches up to you with both hands while you get down low, with your back foot on the tail of your board, and your tail on the coping.

Grab your friend’s hands. Place your front foot on the front bolts, lean in, pump the transition on the way down, and let your friend gently break your fall when you hit pavement.

Get up unscathed. Repeat, making adjustments as necessary to the amount of the lean and the timing of the pump. Keep doing this until you feel completely comfortable dropping in while holding both of your friend’s hands. Then try holding only one hand as you drop. Keep practicing, until you are barely touching fingers, and then … let go.

It’s really that simple.

You can do it! We know you can.