Is Skateboarding A Sport? “Yes Or No”?

Many of us often can’t figure out; is skateboarding a sport or hobby? To erase this confusion, we need to first know what skateboarding actually is and how it has evolved into the existing form.

Thus, we will be able to sense why there is a huge controversy regarding the acceptance of skateboarding as a sport. Besides, we can realize its essence as a recreation. 

In this article, we have covered the significant aspects of skateboarding starting with a brief overview of this sport.

Besides, we have revealed some points to help you better understand whether skateboarding a sport or simply a recreation. 

So, let’s jump into the main part of our discussion. 

What Is Skateboarding?

Skateboarding is a kind of sport mostly popular among young riders. In this sport, a rider can perform various tricks and techniques balancing on a skateboard. 

It’s an amazing way of enjoying pastime, doing regular workouts, and traveling close distances.

In fact, your rides can be more enjoyable, adventurous, and action-oriented with a skateboard. Besides, you may build a successful career in skateboarding by growing your skills and participating in different competitive events.

Hopefully, the prospect of skateboarding will increase after its very first portrayal in the Summer Olympic 2020. 

History And Facts About Skateboarding

Skateboarding has arrived at its present situation through a series of developments. Today, we will unfold the history of skateboarding besides knowing some interesting facts about it.

So, let’s take a look into the following part:

The Story Behind Skateboarding

Surfing is the mother of skateboarding.

During the late 1940s to early 1950s, Californian surfers were searching for a way to surf in the water when there was no wave.

This idea later transferred to the streets and they developed a new sport called skateboarding to ride upon plain lands. This is how surfing gave birth to skateboarding.

Because of this incident, people also called it ‘sidewalk surfing’.

At that time, there were no structured boards for skateboarding. People used wooden planks settled on roller skate wheels to surf onto the streets.

In 1959, the first official skateboards came with Roller Derby. Technically, those boards were a lot more efficient than the previous ones. Skateboarders, hence, could develop new tricks and maneuvers of riding then. 

After that, lots of Skateboard Company entered the market and contributed to the improvement of the skateboards. Some of the largest brands include Santa Cruz Skateboards, Powell Peralta, Baker Skateboards, Real Skateboards, etc. 

Over time, skateboarding has grown in popularity among youths. People have started to create communities and skate parks, take part in skateboard competition and gain popularity.

Many formal institutions have also been founded to sustain the growth of skateboarding.

Today, skateboarding is on the verge of becoming an Olympic sport from the 2020 summer Olympics. 

Interesting Facts About Skateboarding

You have already had a brief idea about the history of skateboarding. Now, it’s time to look at some remarkable facts about this sport. 

• People first started skateboarding for recreational purposes.  They wanted to enjoy the charm of surfing on land. This desire led them to develop this new sport. 
• Previously, skateboarders made their rides barefoot because they wanted to have a complete surfing experience through skateboarding. 
• It’s bearing, not the wheel, that speeds up the rides of skateboarders. So, if you want to speed up your skateboarding, set the bearing of your boards higher.
• Early skateboards were rectangular-shaped. But the designers changed the shape after realizing its importance to increase the speed.
• Skateboarding was a part of the US military training during the late 1990s.
• It was 1963 when skateboarding kept growing its popularity. 

The First Skateboard In The World’s History

Skateboarding got its origin in California where some surfers were trying to transfer the concept of web surfing on the roads. Gradually, other people became familiar with this sport.

Hawaii and California were the largest contributors to the initial progress of skateboarding. 

People that time used homemade boards for this game. They attached roller skate wheels to woody planks to create a stable platform for skateboarding. And so, there is no satisfying evidence about the first skateboard in history.

Anyway, the first commercial skateboard “Roller Skateboard” came into the market in 1959. Roller Derby was the developer of this board.

Later on, lots of companies emerged. And they brought huge changes in the design and features of skateboards to enhance a positive user experience. 

Is Skateboarding A Sport Or Hobby?

For skateboarders, it’s a common question; is skateboarding a sport or hobby? You probably replied by saying either a sport or a hobby and found yourself in a controversy.

 This happens because we have different perspectives toward skateboarding. Some of us take it as a hobby whereas some others can take it as a sport. 

Well, let’s make it clear why people take skateboarding as a sport or why they don’t. 

Why It’s A Sport?

• Sports are competitive in nature. Nowadays, various events and competitions are being organized for skateboarding. In these competitions, skateboarders can show their skills, moves, riding styles, etc. to win the first position.
• Moreover, its inclusion in the 2020 Summer Olympics has given it a more professional form. 
• Another very nature of sports includes the involvement of physical exertion. Skateboarding requires an extreme level of physical activities. That’s why many of us think it a sport. 
• Sports are organized in a planned way. For example, there is a set date, time, place, and rules to operate these sports. Likewise, competitive skateboarding like X-games, SLS involves some sort of rules and regulations. Besides, they occur on a specific date and at a fixed place. 

Why It’s Not?

• Most of us do skateboarding for amusement. We often land on our local streets with our
  skateboards and practice different moves, jumping styles, etc. These things give us huge fun and help us see everything around us in a new fresh way. 
• We grow strong skills in skateboarding mainly to get satisfaction, not for winning
  tournaments. Yet we are now willing to show our expertise through competitive events.
• Like cricket or football, there are no hard and fast rules for skateboarding. Rather, you can choose any place for skateboarding (e.g. it can even be your in-front house street). You are also free to create your own skateboarding style. 
• Except for competitions, no matter if you are playing alone or with countless skateboarders.  

Is Skateboarding Considered An Art Form?

Many of us often receive it as an art form, there are some genuine reasons behind this claim:

• Like art, skateboarding also encourages creativity. Especially, you can put it under the performing arts category like singing and dancing. 
• Here you will use your imaginative or technical skills to explore unique styles of skateboarding. 
• Just as singers or dancers, skateboarders can create different ways of skateboarding. That’s why pointing them as ‘famous’ like artists sounds great. 
• In this sport, skateboarders can express themselves as they can do in dancing. 

Is Skateboarding An Extreme Sport? Or Is It Dangerous?

People who are yet to join skateboarding may often think it an “extreme or dangerous” sport. If you are an old skateboarder, you might have faced this question many times in your life. 

Let’s banish this misconception through our following discussion.  

Frankly speaking, it’s neither an extreme sport nor an average or mild game. It’s totally up to your effort, strength, and intention. If you give up after the first failure, you will never find it easy.

Instead, it will always remain an extreme sport to you. So, don’t be upset about your initial missteps.

Again, skateboarding can be dangerous for newbies who try to practice difficult tricks or techniques before completing the basic things. Besides, females can find it dangerous during their pregnancy period. 

Is Skateboarding An Olympic Sport?

Skateboarding is going to be an Olympic sport with the upcoming Summer Olympic. It was about to be organized in 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. But due to the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, the authorities have decided to start the event on 23rd July 2021.

However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had voted for its inclusion in the Olympics on 3rd August 2016. 

In this competition, both female and male skateboarders can participate. There will be two different segments: park and street. And the participants will be following a distinct play-through for each event. 

Though, skateboarding makes it Olympic debut but it is slightly different from other Olympic sports. Here the players will individually show their skills. Judges will score them based on their speed, difficulty, originality, timing, basic trick, etc.

So, many of us don’t want to take it as a sport but a lovely recreation. 

When Was Skateboarding Considered A Sport?

Probably in late 1940 or early 1950, and after many ups and downs, skateboarding has reached its present situation. Now, all of us know it as an Olympic sport. But when skateboarding first came to light, it was just a way of transportation and recreation.

Gradually, people started skateboarding for skills development. Various communities and skate parks were established. Skateboarders kept participating in competitive events. In fact, from that time, people started to take it as a sport. 

Is Skateboarding A Professional Sport?

Skateboarding may or may not be a professional sport. Basically, skateboarders, who take part in tournaments for prizes or money, can play it like a professional skateboarder.

However, others can also grant it a professional sport due to its competitive nature. Yet we can’t call skateboarding fully professional because it doesn’t fulfill all the criteria of a professional sport. 

Is Skateboarding A Dying Sport?

Day by day, popularity of skateboarding is losing. Let us explain why we fear that skateboarding might end very soon:

• Online searches regarding skateboarding, skate parks, and skateboards are declining at a steady rate. 
• People of all ages, even youths, are gradually removing their involvement from skateboarding. 
• Skate parks are now less crowded than ever before. And this trend has been prevailing for the last ten years.
• Skateboarding companies are shutting down their business. 

All these things are leading skateboarding to become a dying sport. Anyway, skateboarding has faced the same situation many times before and regained its popularity.

So, we hope to see a major increase in the reputation of this sport after the 2020 Summer Olympics. 

To Wrap Up

You have just gone through a comprehensive discussion over the question; is skateboarding a sport or hobby? You are now pretty much aware of how to arrange your perception of this statement.  

Anyway, if you want to know our viewpoint concerning this debate, we will say that skateboarding is not a complete sport. This is because competition is a common phenomenon for sports, artistic works-dancing, painting, singing, and many other things.

So, we can’t put skateboarding in the sports category based on its competitiveness. In addition, these competitions don’t incorporate all the visible features of skateboarding.