According to the Panther Tales 1976-77, skateboarding was starting to trend here in Great Bend. In the article, written by Mary Turner, she described how skateboards were used and looked like during her time. Is it still a trend now that it’s 2015?

“When I was a kid, I played the Tony Hawk games a lot, and he was the one who brought the skating world to me,” said Alek Bauder, Sophomore and skater. Everyone seems to like Tony Hawk, one of the most well known professional skateboarders of our time.  

Back then, the skateboards had no griptape, they were only used for ground tricks, like; ollies, heel-flips, kick-flips, etc. and not for riding on streets or sidewalks.

The boards were so bad, that the wheels were made out of clay or metal. It was harder for 1976-77 skaters to ride the boards in those kinds of conditions. Now that it is 2015, our wheels are made out of different kinds of rubbers. The decks are made out of different kinds of woods, bamboo, oak, etc.

“I never seen a skater here in Great Bend,” said Deontre’ Hardiman, Junior and non-skater. There’s not as many skater as there were last year or the year before.

It is easier for teenagers to skate now in 2015, than back in the old days. Our present wheels are made out of very strong rubber and the griptape is more secure . Sure, people our age like trends and tend just to fit in but some are not suitable for skateboarding. Believe it or not, skating takes a lot of risks. Skateboards may not look dangerous, but they are. For example, it takes lot of balance and concentration just to stand on the board, just so it won’t slide under your feet and you won’t fall forward, face first.

In 1976, young females tried to skateboard to impress the skating males.

Not many people skate anymore, will it continue to trend, or will we no longer see skateboards around anymore in the future?