Blade to glory
Activity: Senior Haydarus Ibrahim roller skates in his free time at the Roller Garden.
December 18, 2014
When did you start roller skating and why?
I started roller skating in eighth grade because I work at my uncle’s gas station, which is right down the block. So it was something to do before a shift or while I was waiting for someone to come and pick me up.
How often do you practice roller skating?
About twice a week. I used to do it everyday when I first started, but since getting older and starting high school I’ve had less time to skate.
Why do you enjoy roller skating?
It’s fun because it’s not something that you do everyday. It’s not like you run everyday or play basketball everyday or any other sport or hobby. Because it’s not something everyone does everyday, I feel like it’s unique to me.
You normally don’t hear people say “I roller skate as a hobby,” but that’s what makes it more interesting.
I want to break that idea and try to make it more acceptable and common as a hobby.
What has roller skating taught you as a person?
When I was younger, it kept me out of places I shouldn’t be, because instead of doing things or being where I wasn’t supposed to, I was at the Roller Gardens.
Do you believe students would enjoy roller skating?
Yes, because it’s in Park. I mean I know people who come all the way from Stillwater, there’s people that come all the way from Marshall. So there’s a lot of people that will say that they wish they could come here but they live too far away, and since it’s here why not take advantage of it. Skating is fun activity to me, so I could definitely see other students enjoying roller skating.
What does a usual skate session entail?
My usual skate session consists of me trying out new tricks and moves I’ve seen previously. It also consists of me doing different types of things to turn skating into an exercise rather than just a repetitive circle.
