Indian Skaters

jatin · Administrator Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Posts: 136

Distorted flashes of blue and yellow whiz around the outside of the roller skating rink at Funky's Skate Center. The flashing streaks of color speed up and pass one another, or fall behind, easing the onlookers' dizziness for just a moment. These swift flashes are members of the Omni Inline Speed Skating Team.

On the inside of the rink, potential new members teeter-totter on their skates, reaching out for an invisible railing. Their wobbly ankles make no promises of stability, but they will learn quickly, says Mary Allmond, wife of Eforrest Allmond, head coach of the Omni team who broke national inline speed skate records in his category at the National Speed Skating Championships in July. Eforrest, 60, is competing in the 2009 World Roller Speed Skating Championships through September in Haining, China. His son John will coach until he returns.

Mary met her husband the first time she put on a pair of skates, when she was just 17. The Allmond family has lived in Harrisonburg for three years now after retiring from their skate and hockey shop business in Philadelphia, and raising their five children, all of whom skate. They formed the Omni team when they moved here in 2006.

"We're a skating family," says Allmond. "Our children had no choice, they were all involved."

The Omni team members come from Harrisonburg and surrounding areas to practice three times a week at Funky's. The team, of about 30 skaters, range in age from 4 to 60. Each age group participates in different distance races ranging from three to 10 laps, with each lap 100 meters.

"Nobody sits on the bench," says Allmond, "you can compete if you want to, even if you're a beginner." Allmond says beginners can try out inline skating for free to get a feel for the sport. The skate center lets new members use secondhand equipment until they get their own, says Allmond.

Many of the younger members play other sports as well. Tanner, 8, and Maryssa, 7, both enjoy participating in motocross together as well as inline skating and Ashley Huffman, 11, plays softball.

"She's a monster softball player," says Allmond, "but she knows a better sport now. What is it?" she asks Huffman.

"Inline skating," answers Huffman with a confident smile.

After the team does drills on their skates, they practice their form with plyometric exercises sans skates. Form is very important, says Allmond, as it can help prevent injuries.

Although inline skating is a non-contact sport, Allmond says it is possible to get injured just as in any other sport. She herself has suffered many injuries - two broken ankles, a broken elbow and an injured back. She's also been injured while watching a skating event. But not all run-ins with other skaters are harmful, says Allmond, who has won an event after crashing into another speed skater.

A Potential Olympic Sport

Inline speed skating races are done in many different formats: time trials, relays, distance races, marathons, and ultra marathons that take place throughout the U.S. Every skater's goal is to make the world team, says Allmond, who adds the team has representatives from almost every country in the world. Allmond says the sport is most popular in Europe where watching speed skating is like watching the Olympics, "everyone gathers around."

But it isn't part of the Olympics yet. But in the category of roller sports, it is a candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympics. "I would love to see it go through [to the Olympics]," says Allmond, "after all these years of waiting, it would be nice."

Callum Wills, son of Funky's Skate Center owners Joanne and David Wills, has been speed skating for almost eight years. Although the team practices inside, Wills, who recently placed second in a Belgium race, says the sport is even more popular on outside tracks. These outdoor competitions are held on regular pavement on city streets or park roads, or in an arena paved with asphalt or concrete. Speed skaters travel at about 28 mph inside, says Allmond, and usually faster outside.

Bringing Families Together

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bigdog111 · Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:58 am Post subject:

i hope this is not just a dream for us indians.....