In the 1950s, people made their own
skateboards. They removed the handlebars from scooters or attached boards to
roller skates. Then they took their boards out on the streets to practice
sidewalk surfing. Skaters tried to capture the feeling of riding a wave.
They didn’t know it at the time,
but these early skaters were inventing a new sport that would become popular
around the world. Today, this sport goes by the name of skateboarding.
EQUIPMENT
Today’s skateboards are much better
than the first, homemade ones. The wooden base, called a deck, curves
upward at the front and back. It is usually made of seven thin layers of wood
pressed and glued together.
The front of the deck is called a
kicknose. The back is a kicktail. Two pairs of wheels are attached
to axles on the bottom of the deck. The axles are called trucks.
Along with the board itself,
protective gear is standard skateboarding equipment. Riders wear helmets,
kneepads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and gloves.
