Pupil Profile: James Doran - Skateboarder
I started skating about eighteen months ago. After watching a video series called CKY, I really got into skating in a big way. It featured skaters such as Bam Margera and Kerry Getz. The sheer talent they have is unbelievable and it makes skating addictive.
My friends and I skate around town everyday, weather permitting of course! It’s funny but as a skater you view things very differently. A simple ledge, walkway, set of stairs or even a railing becomes an ideal prop for the enthusiastic skater. Skaters are not vandals. The only thing they are guilty of is not having the facilities or proper skate park made available to them even though the equipment is in storage but never used due to insurance purposes. Even though other areas have overcome this problem Newry for some reason cannot. Belfast has T13, an indoor skate park which attracts many visitors throughout the year, us included.
Skating is a lifestyle. It is the best thing ever and in my opinion, it is the key to being young forever. As well as that it is the perfect way to keep fit and it gets you out of the house.
When you skate the first thing you need to know is you will get hurt. In other words ‘you gotta pay to play’. But when you eventually land that particular trick you have been tirelessly practicing, the feeling is awesome.
Sadly I broke my leg at the end of September of this year but that hasn’t put me off in the slightest. In fact the opposite is true, I want to skate even more now and I am impatient for my leg to heal completely. At least the cast is off now and I don’t need the crutches anymore.