by sunshines pen

Created on: May 24, 2009   Last Updated: June 01, 2009

Skateboards in the 70's looked very different than today. Back then they were shaped like a small surfboard. So came about the name "sidewalk surfing". Surfers would go skateboarding on sidewalks after a day of surfing at the beach. Most of them were homemade from scratch using boards and steel skate wheels. Sometimes they were painted, but a lot of the time they were just left unpainted. Young people would get together and think up new better tricks to do on their boards.

Old swimming pools and closed down skate park were now used for practicing. Young people rode them on their driveways and the sidewalks for fun. The young people made homemade ramps to do tricks with. A lot of the kids would fall down a lot because the skateboards were not very sturdy . They would shake badly and loose wheels. Young people were falling and getting hurt.

A skateboard trick called the "ollie"was invented by Alan Gifand. Guess what his nickname was "Ollie".This trick was to become a basic one and led to other harder skateboard tricks being invented.

The skateboarding scene went down in popularity at the end of the 70's. A lot of the skateboard parks had to close. People lost interest and didn't go anymore. The insurance rates went up as the tricks got considered more dangerous. In the long run the parks weren't making a profit.

Then in 1972 urethane wheels were invented by Frank Nasworth were almost the same one's used today. The new wheel's got surfers and young people interested again. These skateboards were much easier to maneuver. The skateboarding era started back up again. More and more boards were being sold. Skateboard shops selling boards and gear were opening everywhere.

In 1975 the Ocean Festival was held. Skateboarding got more exciting. It was then called a sport. There was a team that was covered by the media. These young people were made famous. A movie was made about their lives as skateboarders. It covered their goals and accomplishments.

Today's skateboards come and many sizes, styles and colors.They come in all kinds of price ranges depending on what you need. Young and old people skateboard for exercise and sport. Money can be made in skateboarding tournaments. There are movies and books telling how to ride a skateboard. The books explain how to do many of the tricks.Young people can buy skateboarding shoes and clothes. Music is in tune to the skateboarding culture.

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