4 minute read
Skating Through Quarantine
The Trending Sport's Return to Popularity
Written and Photographed by Kelsie Stevens
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Nothing says "quarantine" like picking up a new skill. Nothing says quarantine like picking up a new skill. While many people chose to learn how to make whipped coffee or homemade bread, another group of people were learning how to roller skate. Although roller skating has been a popular sport for years, coronavirus isolation and social media have helped make the hobby more prevalent than ever before. According to local shops such as Empire Skate in Upland, Calif., “recreational roller skating was starting to get popular last year but increased tenfold during the quarantine.”
Above: Katie Zander, Instagram fashion blogger, gets ready to start practicing her skating at Newport Beach.
These skate shops, like Empire Skates and more have seen business boom in all aspects of outdoor activities, but roller skating has become its main focus thanks to social media.
“They say a TikTok video increased awareness on roller skating during the pandemic,” says Amy Frilot, co-owner of Empire Skates. “We used to sell a lot of roller derby skates, but now it’s mainly recreational skates with outdoor wheels.” While this trend has been great for small shops, for people trying to get into the hobby, the popularity has only made it harder. Katie Zander, Instagram fashion blogger and a newcomer to the roller-skating hobby, has seen this issue firsthand.
“In the beginning of COVID, everyone wanted roller skates so they were sold out everywhere,” Zander says. “I had to drive an hour away to buy skates at a small, random skate shop.” Despite her troubles getting into the hobby, Zander still has a positive view of the skating scene thanks to her social media connections.
“My whole Instagram Explore page is full of roller skating accounts. I like following them because it encourages me to get better,” she says. This rise of skating on social media has allowed people like Zander to not only gain new followers but a new community. She says many people over social media have begun planning meetups at skate parks and beaches to help one another and teach new techniques. These groups have become creative with where they are meeting, and are continually trying to follow COVID-19 guidelines, but Zander says that “once things like roller rinks start to open back up, I feel like more people will go to them instead.” Along with making new connections, people have also begun using this new wave of skating to talk
Right: Roller skates from Empire Skates in Upland feature a variety of colors and styles to give skaters their personal touch.
Above: Katie Zander poses in her roller skates for a photo for her Instagram page where she highlights her fashion and hobbies.
Above: Skaters who practice by the beach check their wheels for debris
Above: Roller skates from Empire Skate shop in Upland come in an outdoor style to combat the many elements they may encounter.
Above: Katie Zander practices dancing while in her skates to prepare for post-quarantine fun.
“I saw when the protests were going on, groups of skaters would get together to skate and protest,” says Zander of Black Lives Matter protests in Southern California.
While perhaps unexpected, this form of protest is not new to the roller skating community. According to Vice news, roller skating has a deep history in the Black community, popularized in the 1960s and used as a protest during the Civil Rights movement.
These roots of the sport are still present in today’s roller-skating community, with many veterans of the craft highlighting the significance of skating concerning the Black community. One of these veterans is Allison Weaver, junior English major at California Baptist University and active member of the roller-skating community, who says there is still as strong presence of Black people skating, but is not shown within the media. Weaver and many of those who are aware of the history of the sport hope people do not forget where the hobby came from.
“There is a rich history behind roller skating and the harsh repercussions Black people had to endure just to practice their craft,” says Weaver.
While the social movement is not losing any momentum soon, it is hard to say the same for the roller skating community. With COVID-19 restrictions tightening and skates becoming even harder to find, many wonder how long this trend will last. Many who are still a part of the hobby hope the sport continues to grow and offer advice for those still hoping to get involved: “Have fun with it,” says Weaver.
Weaver encourages those who are wary of where to begin to start somewhere.
“I highly recommend shopping secondhand, making a playlist of songs that make you feel good and getting out there and skating. Even if you fall seven times over, you’re still improving.” ◆
Above: Katie Zander admires the skateboard of a passerby while lacing up her skates at Newport Beach.
