Skate parks and roller skates? What a combination!
Never in my life would I have thought I’d step foot into a bowl, especially with roller skates on.
But after starting roller derby, it was only a matter of time before I discovered Chicks In Bowls and ramp skating.
My life has been a whole lot of fun since then.
Where My Skaters At?
I’m about to get really deep with y’all.
The roller skating community is one of the most genuine and diverse communities I have ever been a part of.
Roller skating has helped me discover myself – who I am, what I love – and I have found self-acceptance along the way.
I have found my passion. The people I have met, both in person and online from all over the world, have been so amazing and inspirational.
Our love for ramp skating has brought us together, to support and praise one another for our courage, sick tricks, and love for this sport.
That’s a pretty magical thing and I’m happy to be a part of it.
Protect That Noggin’
I’ve done some pretty crazy tricks at the skate park but I have also had my fair share of stacks there and I wasn’t always doing something cool at the time.
Oops, where did that twig come from?!
Even though tiny bits of mother nature messed me up from time to time, having a helmet on my head and knee pads on my knees sure saved me a lot of hurt.
Protective gear softens the blow and protects the most valuable parts of the body.
I’ve seen too many close calls with no helmet in sight – queue heart palpitations!
Safety is cool, never forget it.
That’s A Wrap… Around
Ramp skating takes a lot of practice, and practice makes progress!
We fail, we try again, we fail, we try again.
Eventually you nail the trick and you feel on top of the world.
I remember the first time I nailed a backside stall. I almost cried. Yes, literal tears.
Okay, I actually cried… who am I trying to kid?
Putting a lot of hard work into learning new tricks and developing old ones really does make it so much sweeter when you show it who’s boss.
I practised that trick for hours (ugh, for days) and the first time I felt my back wheels on both skates over that coping… INCREDIBLE.
Words cannot truly describe it so I hope one day you can feel it for yourself.
All The Confidence
I must say, the skate park is an intimidating place, especially for someone who had never stepped foot in one before.
Luckily for me I had friends who ramp skated. As a beginner this was a pretty good confidence boost. When in doubt, phone a friend!
The moment I nailed my first drop in on the tiniest of ramps (without falling on my butt) my confidence skyrocketed.
I felt out of this world.
It opened the door to more tricks and further development. I couldn’t believe how confident it made me feel.
Just knowing I was capable of achieving such incredible things gave me such a confidence boost.
Look Mum, no hands!
This confidence radiated out of me on the regular and really changed my outlook on myself and what I was capable of doing.
What my body could do and what it could handle… insert pained emoji here.
Back(side-stall) To The Future
Photo: Hilston Photography
Roller skates at the skate park are becoming more and more popular.
Chicks In Bowls has created such an awesome community that continues to grow and bring together people from all walks of life.
We are being noticed – this sport is being noticed!
I love when a child approaches me and asks about my skates and all the tricks I can do.
I love seeing their eyes light up after I’ve done a handstand on a ramp, they are so inspired and excited.
I hope that we can continue to inspire others so they too can enjoy this amazing sport.
I hope to see ramp skating take off more and can’t wait to watch the sport develop over the years to come.
Want more info?
Check out Chicks in Bowls or get involved with your local chapter, like Chicks in Bowls Perth, South West or Chicks in Bowls WA.
Need skate gear for the park? Check out Chicks in Bowls sliders, Disco Blox, Trick wheels or CIB Reckless wheels.
