By MIKE BRUN
Summer has rolled in, and in-line skaters are rolling onto the scene. In the past few years, in-line skating has become a popular sport among BYU students.
Xanadu-style roller skates with two pairs of parallel wheels are now a piece of the past. About eight years ago, Rollerblade marketed the first in-line skates.
Russ Richards, manager of Pedersen's Ski & Sports said, 'Rollerblade was the first company to sell in-line skates. They were way ahead of the competition, and they got a huge share of the market before many of today's brands of skates were even thought of.'
Richards said one of the results of Rollerblade's early appearance in the market is that in-line skating has come to be known as 'rollerblading.'
'Rollerblade, K2, Oxygen, and Roces are the hottest selling skates in the store,' said Richards.
Standard in-line skates designed for recreation and physical conditioning cost between $59 and $320. Street skates for more hard-core skaters have grind plates and are made to abuse. Street skates cost between $159 and $320. Skates made especially for hockey cost between $120 and $320.
Richards said the most important safety gear in-line skaters can use is wrist guards.
'The most common in-line skating injury is a broken or strained wrist. When skaters fall, they tend to try to catch themselves with their arms. That's why the wrists are so vulnerable.' said Richards.
Richards said people should be careful when buying used skates. 'Often used skates are three-fourths the cost of new skates. If you buy used skates that are almost your size because they're $20 cheaper, you are throwing your money away. However, if by a rare chance you find used skates that fit you perfectly, and buying new skates isn't an option, go for it,' Richards said.
All skating is banned on campus. Though this policy has been in place for more than 20 years, skating on campus has become popular only in the past five years.
Lt. Brian Andreason of the University Police said, 'Skating on campus is banned for three reasons. First, skaters have a high potential to injure themselves and others on our often-congested campus. Second, skaters sometimes damage university property, namely curbs, stairs, and handrails. Third, if the university authorized skating on campus, they would be liable for injuries and damage caused by skaters.'
Provo does have places where in-line skaters can let loose. Part of the Provo Parkway Trail runs parallel to University Avenue and is paved between 2230 North and Bridlevale Falls. Also, local roller skating rinks let patrons bring their own in-line skates.