Skateboarding Argumentative Synthesis

Chris Archbold
Argumentative Synthesis
Prof. McKee
17 April 2013
Argumentative Synthesis on Skateboarding Skateboarding is a sport that is uniquely different from all others. It doesn’t require a team competing for a common goal. There isn’t a legitimate system that judges how talented a skateboarder is. There is no league regulating how skateboarding should be done. Skateboarding is an individualistic sport that provides infinite potential for progression. There is no limit on the amount of tricks that can be learned or landed. With stair sets, handrails, ledges, and street obstacles everywhere, the world becomes a skateboarder’s playground. Unfortunately, there is a wide misperception about skateboarding that many people develop.
The slang term skateboarders use to describe a skate obstacle is a spot. If there is nothing to skate, a skateboarder can use a parking lot to progress their flat ground tricks. Even a pizza box out a dumpster can be used to do tricks over. Absolutely anything can be used by a skateboarder to perfect their craft. Skateboarding is not limited to ramps or half pipes like most people believe. A bench at a bus stop can be used for grind tricks. What people see as a rail to guide them down a set of stairs is seen as a handrail to grind on by a skateboarder. Skateboarders view everything they see outdoors as a potential skate spot, regardless if people agree with it or not. Skateboarding is past the era of skating just pools and ramps. Martial Arts have evolved to the creation of the UFC and MMA league. The sport of racing has evolved to drag racing, NASCAR, street racing, and even drifting, where drivers get paid to spin out in cars. If racing can get a pass to evolve to different counter sports, with corporations financially supporting it, why can’t skateboarding get a pass? Its 2013 and skateboarder’s deserve to have more
There are many college students that skateboard on a daily basis. If a college student who plays basketball wants to shoot some hoops, they can go to their school’s recreation center and there will be plenty of hoops. College campuses have courts and fields for just about every major sport except skateboarding. There is a basketball court at about every college but barely any skate parks. If a college student who skateboards decides to go skate, where else do you expect them to go if there isn’t any local skate park around. If there is a heavily waxed ledge on campus that has been skated before, why is it wrong to go skate that ledge. Is it really vandalism to do tricks on that ledge that is already waxed up? It’s not like people won’t be able to sit on it after it’s been skated. People can still use a hand rail to guide them down a stair set after a skateboarder has done a trick on it. The business aspect of skateboarding could not survive if it wasn’t for skating on public property. Professional skateboarder’s make video parts from spots they skate in the street, not at a park. A skateboarding company with a team of pro skaters could not make money if they put out videos of their sponsored skaters skating only skate parks. Skate parks are fun and convenient, but most skaters utilize skate parks just for practicing tricks to prepare them to skate actual