"The fewer rules a coach has, the fewer rules there are for players to break" - John Madden
Can you imagine what would happen if a soccer game had no rules? There would be no penalties, players would not need to try hard, and there would probably be no winners or losers either. Do you think anybody would even watch a soccer game if there were not any rules?
Is there any sport without rules? Even if it looks like a sport has no rules, there are certainly some regulations that you will find in the sport. If you look close enough you can find rules for any sport and sometimes you may even find rules for free play.
So why are we placing an emphasis on rules?
Well, you might enter a roller skating rink and think that you can do exactly what you want, but if you think really hard you will find some key rules for roller skating. Just look around the rink, there are guidelines and regulations posted on the walls!
If you are looking to find out all about what rules roller skating has, read on.
About Rules and Roller Skating
Let's think about some sports that have rules that are noticeable from the outset. Basketball, cricket, and even soccer have clear rules that become very evident as you watch the game being played or as you play the game yourself.
The rules for roller skating, however, do not seem as clearly defined.
When it comes to roller skating, there are roller skating rink rules as well as rules for roller skaters that become clear as you become more involved in the sport. You must keep in mind that roller skating has always been seen as a leisurely activity so in thinking about these rules, don't allow the rules to take away from the fun element of roller skating.
Roller skating initially first made an appearance in Europe during the 18th Century, in the theatre. It is believed that these roller skaters were meant to mimic ice skaters gliding across the ice. However, there were many flaws with the roller skates. For one, the skates were not much good at stopping.
Over time, roller skates evolved and became far more practical and sturdy. Eventually, waitresses were skating around restaurants making a statement.
Roller skating has always made a statement whether people were skating for fun or skating in competitions.
How to Roller Skate
Let's take it to the roller skating rink. Whether you are skating to be competitive or not, there is roller skating rink etiquette that you ought to follow. It is up to you to not violate any roller skating rink rules.
Roller skating is quite a risky activity. The minute you put a skate in a rink, you are skating at your own risk. You ought to wear socks with your skates. This is an important rule and is listed on the walls of many roller skating rinks.
You are also not allowed to bring any food or drinks into the skating rink.
You are not allowed to just stand around on the rink and not move, as this is a hazard. You must also monitor the traffic in the roller skating rink so you don't skate in anyone's way or in a way that may be seen as dangerous to other skaters.
From being in the roller skating rink, there are many rules that roller skaters are required to adhere to.
However, there is more to competitive skating than just adhering to rink rules.
Let's look at one type of roller skating that features in roller skating competitions.
Freestyle Roller Skating
Roller skating entails a degree of artistry. Freestyle roller skating is one form of skating that competitors are meant to compete in.
If you've ever watched Olympic ice skating events, you may have seen that skaters complete certain things while skating: spins, jumps, and lifts. Freestyle roller skating is similar to the Olympics ice skating in that it is an extremely technical field of skating. There are many tricks that freestyle roller skaters need to try.
Freestyle roller skating is also called slalom and it started gaining popularity in the 1990s. Enthusiastic freestyle skaters were given 2 minutes to prepare a performance in front of a panel of judges. Freestyle skaters were meant to perform various tricks like jumping over a high jump bar from flat ground. Skaters who participated in freestyle roller skating were also expected to skate against each other to see which skater or team of skaters was faster. This is called speed slalom in a freestyle skating competition. Skaters were expected to skate on a single foot through about 20 cones while they were still maintaining their speed.
In skating competitions, skating rules are violated if a skater deliberately sabotages another skater's performance, or uses skates that don't comply with the regulations. Skaters who fail to submit to a mandatory drug test are also in violation of skating rules. If it is a competition, the penalties can be quite severe for the skaters who are caught breaking the rules.
The key rule of roller skating is engaging in sportsmanlike conduct so that no rule violation occurs. Being sportsmanlike means steering clear from using profanity, yelling at a judge, or hitting a fellow competitor.
Roller skating, despite not being as popular as other sports, has the same respectful rules as all the other sports.
Make sure you pack your roller skating kit according to the rules as well.
Roller Skating Kit
Choosing the right pair of roller skates is important. It is important to note that speed skaters generally wear inline skates; quads have fallen out of favour.
Do you feel that inline skates are a good option for you?
If you are taking part in competitive roller skating, you needed to ensure that you stock up your roller skating kit with:
- knee pads
- elbow pads
- wrist guards
- helmet
- mouthguard
Roller Skating Competition
In 1989, the RollerGames debuted. After a few years, the modern roller derby was born.
In some roller skating competitions from the past, the skates that roller skaters had to wear were predecided by the competition judges. The first and foremost important rule is knowing exactly what gear is needed for the competition. This is the number one important rule when participating in a skating competition.
The second most important rule is for all roller skating participants to always wear proper safety gear. The safety gear rule is an important one, however, participants are also meant to be fit and healthy enough to participate in the competition.
There is actually quite a long list of rules that participants have to adhere to in order to be deemed eligible and perfect for roller skating competitions.
Are you interested in roller skating? Then perhaps you should read all about roller skating as a pastime making a come-back.
Rules for Casual Roller Skating
You might not be into roller skating as a sport, but you could always consider being a casual skater. There are merely not as many rules if you are considering casually skating at the roller skating rink every weekend. In order to skate casually, you need to lace up your skates and practise skating without any restrictions and rules interfering with your leisure activity.
While there are not many concrete rules for casual skating, you must make sure that you always put your safety first!
Start off by wearing the right safety gear. Also, make sure that you are aware that roller skating can be dangerous so be prepared with your knee pads, etc. to avoid any unnecessary injuries. You must also be comfortable with the skates that you are wearing. The best types of skates to wear are well-maintained skates. Make sure your skates are not damaged in any way.
When you are on the roller skating rink, you are not only considering your own safety but the safety of other skaters in the rink as well. To make sure that you are fully conscious of other skaters, always keep checking up on your skating speed. Never skate too fast in a skating rink if there are others around you.
Make sure that you read all the rules posted up on the walls of the roller skating rink because certain rinks have much more rules than others. You may not be able to do certain roller skating tricks in many roller skating rinks, while roller skating parks usually have fewer rules in terms of freestyle skating and styles.
You don't need to constantly focus on rules when roller skating casually, however, being aware of not breaking any skating rink or park rules is important. Be a graceful skater, and skate to the best of your ability and you will rock the rink. There are fewer rules in terms of casually skating so there is less of a chance that you will break any.
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
