In the 80s and 90s skating was huge. Everyone was skating and you could recognize people who skate and people who don’t just by looking at their clothes and unique style. While in the 80s and 90s the style was primarily influenced by punk rock, now it’s more influenced by its 90s roots and the style that came before.
Many people think of skater culture differently and they might even think that there are fewer people skating. Even if there are less people skating, people like junior Asher Blumberg still enjoy skating because of the feeling you get when you learn something new.
“The feeling of landing a trick that you have been pursuing for a long time. That just feels amazing when you fulfill that goal,” Blumberg said.
Skater culture can be many different things. On one hand it’s the style of skaters but to some people it’s about the welcoming community.
The skater community is a huge part of the culture and most skaters try to be as supportive as they can whether it be by encouraging you to try new tricks or just by hyping you up when you finally land that trick you’ve been working on for a while .
Blumberg has been skating for 5 years and loves what the community skater culture offers.
“When I think of [Skater Culture], I think of a really good community, and, yeah, how everyone, for the most part, is pretty wholesome, and that the experiences I’ve had have all just been good, and I think it’s a safe place to be” Blumberg said.
The type of clothes skaters wear is also a big part of culture. This style includes baggy clothes and wearing skater brands such as Thrasher, Vans, and DC. Right now, many people, including non-skaters, are starting to wear those types of clothes. Junior William Riley who has been skating for 3 years thinks that, “You should at least maybe skate a little bit if you’re about to just wear all the skate stuff,” Riley said..
Skating isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. Many people of all ages still skate, but the number of kids learning to skate is declining according to GoSkate.com. On top of that, there are visibly fewer people at skate parks. For example, in the last seven years youth participation dropped 50%.
Even though skateboarding culture, being the style and the community, might be dying, Blumberg might have a solution.
“Try and just be a part of as much as you can, you know, get to know the skate shops, and just go skate at your local park, or go to new parks as much as you can,” Blumberg said.
