Skateboarders = Dangerous Athletes

As noted in my first post, I provided much information that proved that skateboarders are very dangerous athletes. They endure daily challenges that test their abilities as professional and street skaters. Even though there are many dangers, that didn't stop me from deciding to skate.
There were many fair, argumentative, key points made in the response to my blog. Overall, the argument was, "Would this sport be as dangerous if everyone wore the proper protective gear?". My answer? Yes, skateboarding is still a very dangerous sport. Regardless of the amount of protective gear, skaters are still able to fall in the wrong position and/or injure parts of their body that aren't covered. The reader stated that the careless injuries that I mentioned in my first blog could be avoided by having more skateboarders wear protective gear. Though, the truth is that many of us are not willing to do that. According to a retrospective study done by a district hospital in the UK, the distal radius was the most common fractured bone and most skateboarding-related injuries happened during the summer. They also found that out of 50 patients, most of them were males under the age of 15. The results explain how the protective gear takes away from the "dare devil" aspect of skateboarding.

I feel as though skateboarding is a constantly evolving extreme sport that will continuously catch others eyes. Yes, there is much practice needed to master it and to not make careless mistakes. Yes, it's fun and helps with meeting others with your same interests socially through skating. Yet, no one is to ever under estimate the power of skating. No one knows how badly some skaters are treated by police and other city officials. Just see ihateskateboarding.com! It's in the name. This guy has been harassed and has even gotten a "skateboarding ticket" for not wearing a helmet at a skate park. Well, we'll save that for another day. Just keep in mind that us skaters have a right to this sport just as any other sport. Who cares if some of us don't wear helmets? It's our own fault...whatever the result is.

Skateboarders = Dangerous Athletes

Skateboarding is not just a fun past time of rolling on a piece of wood nailed to four wheels. I would know, because I enjoy it way more than most would think! This sport has evolved very much from being a fun hobby. It has become an extreme sport phenomenon that can earn a living for a lot of people. Today’s skaters are some of the most talented athletes. They have a superb skill level, deal with high levels of danger and difficulty, and include variety in their tricks. All those awesome aspects of this sport are what attracted me to it and made me want to start skateboarding.
Hockey players and basketball players may be versatile, but their range or play and/or action are limited compared to skateboarders. Hockey and basketball players have one set area to play in wherever they play, but skaters can run free with no boundaries anytime they want! Plus, they don’t need other people in order to participate in the sport. Some styles and tricks of skateboarding are life-threatening. In 2007, there was an estimated 16,477 head injuries treated due to skateboarding. Helmets don’t seem to be much of a trend anymore. As more tricks are invented, the less “cool” it becomes to wear helmets. Honestly…I’ve never worn one either!
Before any competition, skaters need to warm up and stretch, just like any other athlete. It is just as easy for them to pull a muscle or catch a cramp while participating in the sport. They have to stay in shape too. Skateboarders are beginning younger and younger every year, raising the bar for careless injuries that could be avoided, due to kids not knowing much about skateboarding. According to the AAP, kids 5 and under shouldn’t skate. I think the younger the better. They’ll learn the “dos and don’ts” way earlier. The main reason for the popularity of the sport is the celebrity status of many skaters. It’s fun, exhilarating, and isn’t that hard to learn. Yet, it’s still dangerous. So, if you’re not afraid of a challenge, jump on board…a skateboard that is!