Behind the Scenes-Skating Culture

Sunset at the skatepark                                                                               Luis Corral Magallanes

When skating first hit its peak, many people from different backgrounds came together to skate and enjoyed doing so. To this day, people still come together to enjoy something they all have in common, skating. 

Most people start skating young but anyone can learn at any age. “I went to a yard sale with my parents when I was 8 and saw this skateboard. The grip tape was falling off and the board was peeling but I got it for $4 and never stopped skating since then,” says Luis Corral Magallanes, skater. 

After speaking with different skaters in Chicago, most spoke on being self taught and spending hours a day doing the same thing over and over again to learn a new trick. Some even watch YouTube videos, clips and tutorials in order to grasp  how you are supposed to go about learning new tricks. 

Everyone is at a different skill level when it comes to skating. Some skaters see people struggling and attempt to help them, as they were at that place once too. 

“If someone struggles as a beginner I always help them. I taught most of the kids at my skate park how to skate and I’m happy I did,” states Corral Magallanes. 

Skate parks contain people from ages ranging from about 13 to 50 years old. People come together to give each other tips and share spots and find new places to skate together.  “You make a lot of friends whether they are young or old. Everyone just skates and does their own thing,” explains Corral Magallanes. 

Each year, there is a holiday called International Skate Day. This holiday was created by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) in 2004. Skate day has grown to be a global event with thousands of skaters celebrating in cities around the world, according to GOSKATE . 

People from all over the city of Chicago take over the streets and come together to skate. Some skateparks will plan different events. “On skate day I remember a group of us ran through a target and had a lot of fun,” states Corral Magallanes. 

In Tokyo 2020, skateboarding was said to be an olympic sport, according to the Olympics. It is also a recreational activity where people can ride and perform different tricks on a skateboard. “It’s good exercise and is really fun. You get to spend time in the city with your community exercising and enjoying yourself,” states Corral Magallanes. 

With style, community and other things that play factors in skating many use it as a de-stressor and an escape from reality.“Like any other exercise, skating also reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline.”

Although skating can be a fun activity to enjoy, it can also be risky. Like every sport, there are physical risks and chances at injuries. Usually skating injuries are minor and easily treatable. Safety gear can be used to prevent injuries. 

Personal style is another add on that can play a factor in the skating scene. 

Skaters typically dress in clothing that is most comfortable to them, whether it be baggy clothes or just something comfortable they throw on. According to ddw, skateboarding has influenced street-style over the years and skateboarders are often credited with being the founders of streetwear, influencing clothing style since the 90s. 

Corral Magallanes believes that skating doesn’t necessarily influence personal style and fashion but people think it’s a whole thing, “Most people just wear what is most comfortable to them,” states Corral Magallanes.

In recent years, skating has become extremely popular on TikTok and multiple social media platforms. “It’s cool to see more people getting into it but I don’t like when people only skate for the trend of it. It’s not only a sport or something fun to do but there’s a community behind it,” states Corral Magallanes. 

Online skating culture has taken a toll on the skating community. People have started to say they skate without knowing how to or really understanding the background of it. Various people have posted something along the lines of, “When you see a fake skater at school”, “When you see people skating for clout and not because they enjoy it,” and more. 

One example is a TikTok posted by @alexmauershreds. 

The term that circles around for people who do this is “posers.” “A poser is about a person who does not belong to the skateboarding world, and who only appropriates the style of the skater just for his image,” shared La Skateosphere. 

Posers hold a negative impact on the skating community due to the lack of passion and respect for skating culture. This erodes the integrity of the community as a whole. 

Skating takes time, dedication and effort. The skating community is always open to new beginners, as long as they are respectful to the people around them and the skating culture itself. 

             Tre-Flip in action                                                                                      Luis Corral Magallanes

When skating first hit its peak, many people from different backgrounds came together to skate and enjoyed doing so. To this day, people still come together to enjoy something they all have in common, skating. 

Most people start skating young but anyone can learn at any age. “I went to a yard sale with my parents when I was 8 and saw this skateboard. The grip tape was falling off and the board was peeling but I got it for $4 and never stopped skating since then,” says Luis Corral Magallanes, skater. 

After speaking with different skaters in Chicago, most spoke on being self taught and spending hours a day doing the same thing over and over again to learn a new trick. Some even watch YouTube videos, clips and tutorials in order to grasp  how you are supposed to go about learning new tricks. 

Everyone is at a different skill level when it comes to skating. Some skaters see people struggling and attempt to help them, as they were at that place once too. 

“If someone struggles as a beginner I always help them. I taught most of the kids at my skate park how to skate and I’m happy I did,” states Corral Magallanes. 

Skate parks contain people from ages ranging from about 13 to 50 years old. People come together to give each other tips and share spots and find new places to skate together.  “You make a lot of friends whether they are young or old. Everyone just skates and does their own thing,” explains Corral Magallanes. 

Each year, there is a holiday called International Skate Day. This holiday was created by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) in 2004. Skate day has grown to be a global event with thousands of skaters celebrating in cities around the world, according to GOSKATE . 

People from all over the city of Chicago take over the streets and come together to skate. Some skateparks will plan different events. “On skate day I remember a group of us ran through a target and had a lot of fun,” states Corral Magallanes. 

In Tokyo 2020, skateboarding was said to be an olympic sport, according to the Olympics. It is also a recreational activity where people can ride and perform different tricks on a skateboard. “It’s good exercise and is really fun. You get to spend time in the city with your community exercising and enjoying yourself,” states Corral Magallanes. 

With style, community and other things that play factors in skating many use it as a de-stressor and an escape from reality.“Like any other exercise, skating also reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline.”

Although skating can be a fun activity to enjoy, it can also be risky. Like every sport, there are physical risks and chances at injuries. Usually skating injuries are minor and easily treatable. Safety gear can be used to prevent injuries. 

Personal style is another add on that can play a factor in the skating scene. 

Skaters typically dress in clothing that is most comfortable to them, whether it be baggy clothes or just something comfortable they throw on. According to ddw, skateboarding has influenced street-style over the years and skateboarders are often credited with being the founders of streetwear, influencing clothing style since the 90s. 

Corral Magallanes believes that skating doesn’t necessarily influence personal style and fashion but people think it’s a whole thing, “Most people just wear what is most comfortable to them,” states Corral Magallanes.

In recent years, skating has become extremely popular on TikTok and multiple social media platforms. “It’s cool to see more people getting into it but I don’t like when people only skate for the trend of it. It’s not only a sport or something fun to do but there’s a community behind it,” states Corral Magallanes. 

Online skating culture has taken a toll on the skating community. People have started to say they skate without knowing how to or really understanding the background of it. Various people have posted something along the lines of, “When you see a fake skater at school”, “When you see people skating for clout and not because they enjoy it,” and more. 

One example is a TikTok posted by @alexmauershreds. 

The term that circles around for people who do this is “posers.” “A poser is about a person who does not belong to the skateboarding world, and who only appropriates the style of the skater just for his image,” shared La Skateosphere. 

Posers hold a negative impact on the skating community due to the lack of passion and respect for skating culture. This erodes the integrity of the community as a whole. 

Skating takes time, dedication and effort. The skating community is always open to new beginners, as long as they are respectful to the people around them and the skating culture itself. 

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Emma Gabrys

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