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/
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.
This week's stop is Brushy Creek skatepark located in Cedar Park, Texas. Cedar Park is located thirty minutes from downtown Austin. This park, like Northeast Metropolitan skatepark, was built Newline skateparks. The skatepark is fifteen thousand square feet and is Cedar Park's first skatepark (1).
Features
Mini bowl
Large pool coping bowl
Street course
Hip/Pyramid
Multiple Pyramids
Hours
7am-10pm
Park Description
Rail/Ledge Set
Brushy Creek's street course is pretty unique compared to the rest of the skateparks located in Austin. The transitions are extremely mellow in the street course. They are on the verge of being bank ramps. Even though the transitions are mellow I never had a problem picking up speed. There are multiple rails and ledges that provide good lines. The mini-bowl is also constructed well, with transitions ranging from six-to-eight feet. The large pool-coping bowl is pretty intimidating with its foot of vert in the deepest part. Brushy Creek is a fun skatepark and is worth skating if you happen to be in the Cedar Park area.
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
10am-10pm
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
This week I visited Dallas' Lakeland Hills skatepark. The skatepark is located about fifteen minutes from downtown Dallas. The skatepark is really small; there is not one ramp that is over six feet tall. It is by far the smallest skatepark I have skated. But if you happen to be in the area and are looking for a quick session, Lakeland Hills skatepark is still a fun skate.
Features
4ft mini-ramp
adjustable grind box
Bank ramp
Pyramid with a ledge
Hours
Dawn-Dusk
Pyramid
Park Description
Adjustable Grind-Box
While Lakeland Hills skatepark is not very big, it still has some fun stuff to skate. The ramps are made out of metal which is unique compared to other outdoor/public skateparks. The metal seems to skate faster than concrete. I had fun messing around with their adjustable grind box. It was interesting to see all the different ways I could set it up. The mini-ramp has a quater-pipe connected to it which made transferring to-and-from each of the ramps fun. Lakeland Hill's low transitions and lack of skaters makes the park ideal for someone who is just starting to skate.
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
Mini-street course
Bowl
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.
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.
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
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 fromhttp://www.maps.yahoo.com
