Freeline Skating
Freeline Sports is a California-based company that was built around their product, Freeline Skates, or simply Freelines. Freelines are a unique method of transportation and thrill seeking, with roots in skateboarding, snowboarding, and rollerblading. They are essentially two small skateboard-like boards, with custom trucks (the metal that attaches wheels to board), and skateboard-like wheels; one for each foot. There are no bindings to the skater's shoes as with rollerblading though, which makes it much more complex to master and do tricks with. The wheels are aligned pointing perpendicular to the direction the skater is facing - much like skateboards, and the experience is much like snowboarding (another sport I love).
 |
| Freeline Skater (1) |
There are many videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to skate with Freelines, but it's still not readily apparent how they actually work; simply put, it's all about friction. Imagine turning your back foot at an angle, and leave your front foot pointing in the direction you want to go; when you push your back foot out, the wheels can't turn because of the friction. The wheels on your front foot, which are facing in the correct direction, turn freely and you start moving. Bring your back foot back to pointing in the direction you're moving, and you begin to move. This is a simple example of how the friction gives you momentum, and when the skater has gotten the hang of it, the motion is S-shaped, where one foot is used to gain momentum from friction, and the other is left rolling freely.
This isn't easy to describe in words, and as it is when learning anything, practice makes perfect. It took me about three weeks to be able to actually skate around and generate my own momentum and build up some real speed.
Freelines are a relatively new invention, and so people are still learning how to use them, and how to create tricks and styles (similar to how the skateboard was invented and evolved). Check out some videos of Freeline tricks on YouTube to see how tricks are actually done. Mattie Tyce is one of the major innovators of the sport, and a video showcasing some of his skills is included at the bottom.
YouTube: Freeline Skates: Mattie Tyce (new footage added)
/http://www.freelineskates.com/
Check out Oliver's Blog "The Thrill of Fear" here!.
Freeline Skater. Retrived December 9, 2012 from:
http://www.gadget-o.com/sports/freeline-og.html
This week I was able to interview a Texas rollerblading legend, Aaron Jacobs. The interview offers a look at some of the changes that skating and skateparks have endured over the years. In the interview we discuss Aaron's rollerblading roots, indoor skateparks, as well as the benefit of public skateparks.
The tour continues on to Lively Point skatepark located in Irving. This skatepark, like Lewisville, was built by Site Design. Lively Point is twenty-thousand square ft, and was one of the first skateparks in Texas to build a cradle (1). The skatepark is not far from downtown Irving DART train stop, making easily accessible to anyone in Dallas.
 |
| Pyramid/Quater-Pipe |
Features
- Street course
- Pyramid
- Bowl w/ Cradle
Hours
 |
| Long Bank Ledge |
Park Description
Lively Point skatepark has a nice blend of transition and street skating elements. One side starts with a twenty foot wide bank ramp, goes to a line of rails and ledges, and then ends at an eight foot quarter-pipe. The course flows nicely, making it possible to include any or all ramps, rails, and ledges in a single run. Lively Point also does a good job at making the skatepark suitable for all skills levels without making it to obvious. If you are ever in the Irving area Lively Point is definetly worth a session.
 |
Texas' First Cradle |
Rules
- Skate at your own risk
- No skating before/after hours
- Pads are suggested
- No grafitti
- No skating in the rain
Additional Features
- Basketball court
- Tennis court
- Jogging trail
- Picnic area
 |
| Bowl |
- Spectators area
Contact/Location
- (972)721-8090
- 909 O'Connor Rd Irving TX
1. Site Design Group. (2012). Lewisville -Scion Skatepark. Retrieved from
 |
| Rails/Ledges |
htttp://www.sitedesigngroup.com/projects/details/lewisville
2. Map of Scion - Lewisville Skatepark. Retrieved fromhttp://www.maps.yahoo.com
 |
| Quarter-Pipe |
The tour moves on to one of the smaller skateparks, Shaylah Dame. The skatepark is fourteen-thousand square feet and has a small street course, and a huge bowl. The park is usually pretty empty due to the recent opening of both Northeast Metro and House skatepark. The lack of skaters at the skatepark made it easy to session the obstacle of my choice. So if you are looking to have a private session with your friends, Shaylah Dame is for you.
Features
Hours
6am-11pm
 |
| Street Course |
Park Description
The skatepark has a street-course which consists of a quarter-pipe, three ledges, and two handrails. The flow of the course left me wishing that there was a little more to skate, but I still had quite a bit of fun considering I was one of five people skating the park. I did not have to worry about getting snaked, which is rare at a skatepark. The bowl is almost as big as the street course, with transitions ranging from four-to-twelve feet. The bowl also has a small full-pipe connected to it, but due to the placement of it, it exists more for looks than for skating.
 |
| Huge Bowl |
Rules
- Pads are suggested
- Wait your turn
- Children under ten must be supervised
Additional Features
- Recreation center
- Playground
- Basketball court
- Jogging trail
 |
| Rules |
Contact/Location
- (512) 218-5540
- 1600 Gattis School Rd Round Rock, TX
(1)
1. Map of Shayla Dame Skatepark-Round Rock. Retrieved from http://www.maps.yahoo.com
 |
| Street Course |
This week on the tour I will be visiting Texas' second newest skatepark, House Park. House skatepark is located about thirty-five minutes from Northeast Metropolitan skatepark, and is worthy of a skate session if you are ever in the Austin area. It was designed by Canadian designer New Line Skateparks, and built by Prism Development and California Skateparks. The thirty-thousand square foot skatepark was voter approved and cost a mere 1.7 million dollars (1).
 |
| Handrails |
Features
- Street course
- Mini-ramp
- Bowl
 |
| Half-Pipe |
- Pro shop
 |
| Front of Spine-Bowl |
Hours
5am-10pm
Park Description
 |
| Back of Spine-Bowl |
House skatepark has a street course that flows better than most public skateparks, with two pyramid ledges pointing in each direction, some lengthy granite ledges, and plenty of transition it is a hard to not have fun skate House. It was surprising to see a regular mini-ramp at the skatepark, most public skateparks only have bowl ramps. House Park succeeds when it comes to creating a skateable bowl. The transition height, which ranges from six-to-ten feet, makes the ramp extremely skater friendly. If you happen to BMX, House is one of the few skateparks that allows bike use.
Rules
- The use of pads is suggested
- No graffiti or tagging
 |
| Ledges |
- Use of alcohol or tobacco is prohibited
Additional Features
- Pro Shop
- Skate-able art
- Spectator area
Location
W. 15th St. and Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX
 |
| Art-Ramp |
The tour continues on to one of Texas' newest skateparks, Northeast Metropolitan, which just opened its doors on September 18 (1). What makes the park so unique is that it is an outdoor skatepark that skates like an indoor skatepark.
Features
- Street course
- Mini snake run
- Two Bowls
 |
| Street Course |
- Shaded observation areas
Hours
8am-10pm
Park Description
Northeast Metropolitan skatepark was not an easy skatepark to find, but once I did I was glad that I was persistent. The skatepark is a fifteen minute drive from downtown Austin on Pecan St and 130. Once you turn into Northeast Metropolitan Park be patient and follow the road all the way to the end past the soccer and football fields.
 |
| Triple Bowl |
I have found that some outdoor skateparks tend to be slick, but this was not the case at Northeast Metropolitan. The skatepark grips to urethane wheels really well. While the park does not have separate beginner and expert level courses it does seem to offer a nice blend of street/transition skating for every level of skater.
Northeast Metropolitan Skatepark has one of the most unique bowls I have seen. It is three connected six feet bowls, and two of the three sides have matching tombstones. It is a must skate for intermediate-to-expert skaters.
 |
| Three-Way Launch Pad |
Rules
- Pads are strongly recommended
- Plastic pegs only
- Skate at your own risk
- No food, drinks, or smoking on ramps
- Unsafe behavior can result in removal from the park
- graffiti, tagging, and stickers prohibited
 |
| Ledges |
Additional Features
- Soccer field
- Basketball court
- Football field
Contact/Location
- (512) 854-9489
- 2703 Pecan St Pflugerville Tx
(2)
1.Travis County. (2012). Northeast Metropolitan Park. Retrieved from
https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/northeast-metro
2. Map of Northeast Metropolitan Park. Retrieved from
http://maps.yahoo.com/
 |
| Mini-Ramp and Box |
 |
| Launch Box in the Bowl |
 |
| Huge Bowl Ramp |
The next stop on the map is the thirty-three thousand square foot Scion skatepark in Lewisville. The park was funded by Scion and the city of Lewisville and designed by the global skatepark designer Site design (1).
Features
- · Massive Street Course
- · Bowl
- · Spine Ramp
- · Two observation areas
- · Beginner’s area
- Hours
- · 8am-10pm
 |
| Street Course |
- Park Description
Park Descriptiom
The Scion skatepark is the second largest skatepark in Texas and has one of the most unique street courses of any of the public skateparks I have visited. The skatepark has a nice balance of street and vert skating, including a beginner course and a separate course for intermediate to expert skaters.
 |
| Long "C" Ledge |
As you enter the park you are greeted by the beginner’s course and one of the spectating areas. As you make your way toward the back of the skatepark it gradually starts to get more complex. The obstacles that makes this park stand out are the two forty feet long c-ledges. Moving right past the c-ledges in the center of the park is a nice sub-box. And at the very end of the skatepark is the bowl.
Rules
- · Skateboards, rollerblades, bikes, and razor scooters
- permitted only
- · Protective gear recommended
- · Do not skate when the park is wet or icy
- · Look before you go, do not snake others
- · No BMX pegs
- · No skating outside the course
- Additional features
- · A dog park
- · Soccer field
- · Softball field
- · Football field
Contact/Location
- (972)219-3550
- 1301 S Railroad St, Lewisville, TX 75057
1. Site Design Group. (2012). Lewisville -Scion Skatepark.
Retrieved from
htttp://www.sitedesigngroup.com/projects/details/lewisville
2. Map of Scion - Lewisville Skatepark. Retrieved from http://www.maps.yahoo.com
