A Look at the Sport of Skateboarding and Pro Skater James Hardy

Understanding the world of skateboarding is not easy for the average person. They see young people, usually boys, trying to do different skating skills or tricks. It is much more than that. I have always had an appreciation for skate and snowboarders.

History and culture
In the early '70s, skateboarding went from the streets to the skate park. Skaters began to use ramps and rails to develop their skills in a safer environment. To keep skaters off the streets, many communities went to these contained skate parks. However, this didn't seem to keep skaters off the street. Why? Because the young skate crowd was too young to drive to these parks. This is why you still see skateboarders on the streets today.

Skateboarding has its own culture. Many individuals see it as rebellious for non-conforming youth. Many skaters take on the appearance of punk fashion. The skateboarding magazine, called Thrash, portray skaters as punk and rebellious. The skaters embrace this culture. It tends to give them their own identity.

James Hardy
James Hardy is an up coming star in the world of skateboarding. James is 22 years old from Madison, Alabama. He began skateboarding at the age of 11. After he graduated from high school, he began to take his skating more seriously. He is just beginning to bloom as a new generation skater. Since 2007, he has several sponsors that support his skateboarding. Those being Faith Skate Supply, Spitfire, Real and Fallen. Sponsors provide skaters the opportunity to travel and compete. They also use them for advertisements that promote their projects. James has even appeared in videos for his sponsors. He was just promoted to professional.

Recently, he was interviewed by Skateboarder Magazine. In the interview, he revealed some interesting things about the life of a skateboarder. Skateboarding can be hazardous.He once fell down 14 steps and landed on his head and went into convulsions. He survived to skate another day. He also believes, that people not involved in the sport don't realize how hard it is to master the skills. Hardy currently lives out of his van. He loves to travel and camp out, as he journeys from one contest to another.

Note; This years X-Games will be held from April 29 through May 2 in Shanghai, China. It will be the fifth straight year, that Asia has hosted the event in it's 13 year existence. You can catch the action on ESPN.

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