The long day.....

This has been a long day.. first thing this morning, around 9:15 I watched as once again, we were denied the Olympics... denied the chance to win an Olympic medal in the sport that i have basically dedicated my life to. I live and breathe inline skating. My job is skating, when i go skating, i feel freedom. When i talk on the phone, its almost always something about skating. Most of my friends are skaters, or involved in skating. When i go on vacation, its to a race. So, needless to say, my life is skating, and family of course.

Now that i have said that, that i absolutely love skating, here is what i think about the decision...

We have been skating for decades, without being in the Olympics, do we NEED to get in to survive? no, we don't. We have proven that every four years that goes by that we don't get in, we still skate. The skaters that are "lifers" will continue to do what we do. I think that we will loose some of the fastest skaters to ice, but that will let a new breed in for a new face of skating. There will still be races, indoor, outdoor, track and road, and we will all still love the fact that we can strap on our boots and go for a skate. I'm still going to build boots for inline skating, and will try to get a small hand(or foot) in the ice market also. Will I go to ice? nah, its too cold for me. I will still enjoy heading to bluegrass where we skate, and do loops to clear my head, and enjoy the outdoor air!

I have said this before, as others have.. Inline skaters are some of the most fit, in shape, and healthiest athletes in the world! We will still strive for the top spot in the greatest sport in the world (ours), and that is being a world champion. A WORLD CHAMPION.. wow.. that is big, seriously, how many of your friends can say they are a world champion? That's a big deal! Even if you will never get to that point, whatever you want in your skating career is still great! a regional champ? that is awsome.. if you win your local league meet? congratulations!!! whatever you can do, is a personal best and that will live with you for the rest of your life.. you strive to be the best you can? That will teach you to be the best in your future job. So, we didn't get in.. again.. oh well... we still have a bunch to skate for!

Now i don't have the answer to "grow" our sport at all.. to be honest, I'm not sure anyone does.. The way that we would eventually get in the Olympics would be to be in the media, TV, movies, papers, etc.... The way to get in the media is to have major sponsors that pour tons of cash into advertising. To get sponsors to see us is to be on TV.. see what I'm getting at here? we are stuck between a rock, and a really hard place. I hope that everyone can work together to build up skating in the public eye, we could use it..

So, we aren't in the Olympics.. eh, whatever.. do i wish we got in? yes, very much so! do i think that we will still continue to do what we do? yep, of course!



Well, I think my wife wants me to get off here, yall get out and tell some people about the greatest sport on earth! Go skate, stay healthy, safe, and God bless ya!!!!!!