It has taken me four years to get to this point and it feels like it’s just the beginning. Back in 2014 I started what I was calling “Organic Bladeskate”. I called out to everyone I knew for help. I was struggling with deciding if I wanted to give up and not skate anymore or somehow continue to keep skating and sharing my experiences through it. I ended up continuing to skate and produced/filmed/edited a DVD. For me, it was my Berlin Wall! Freedom from all the walls I had put up from all those years of forming opinions about what I thought “rollerblading” is, or should be.
So from then on, I told myself to accept what came my way. Say “Yes” to meeting new people and having new experiences through inline skating. I debated forever with myself what to name it. I thought Organic was an easy one; but would I call it “skating” or “blading”? I combined the two words and boom! The philosophy of Organic Bladeskate was born.
In those four years I spent more time outside of aggressive skating then in it. I met speed skaters, slalom skaters, city skaters, distance skaters, recreational skaters and even taught my 2 year old son to skate. All people who shared the same love for inline that I have. All people that have been skating just as long as me, if not longer. All people that have created the same micro sub culture from the same exact thing we did it with. SKATES! I went through more skate brands, wheels, frames and boots then I did for the 15 years previous.
My trip to NYC is part of all of that. From the people I met, to the experiences I had they will all hold a special place in Organic Bladeskate and the growth I have gained from them all. I went into it not knowing what to expect. Long Tonthat of Oak City inline skate shop met up with me in New Jersey. We took the train into the city with our skates and bags in hand. I felt fear of the unknown and was nervous of under performing on tests. I felt compassion for the others there sharing this experience, worry of the family I left behind and in those feelings, I felt comfort knowing I’m here for them all. Experiencing all of this for growth in myself. It was very humbling to go back to the basic that I never properly learned. Body position, Rotation, Edges and Weight Distribution all play a key factor in skating.
If you are interested in teaching people how to skate then there should be no question in your mind that you should contact Trish at Skate IA and find somewhere for you to get certified. The things they can do to help you build a successful program to teach people how to skate is unmatched here in North America.
For what ever social reasons growing up skating I had an image I needed to uphold and those walls I built got taller and stronger as the years went on and my skills got better. I no longer build walls, I break them!
Organic Bladeskate is my hand reaching to the aggressive skaters out there, that have yet to find this freedom that comes with letting go of how you define inline skating.
Links
- Organic Blade Skate (OBS) Full DVD on Sellfy.
- To Find our more about getting certified as an inline skating instructor visit skateia.org.
- Check out what Long has to offer at Oak City on the website at oakcityskate.com.
