The ‘90s are making a big come back. You can see big fashion houses revive the trends and TV series trying to bring back the big sitcoms of the era.
Well, if the return to the ‘90s is happening for real, you should not be surprised to see young people skating through the streets, doing all kinds of acrobatics. A group of youngsters, between the ages of 16 and 19, from central Turkey's Kayseri, has decided to do just that. They spend their spare time at skate parks instead of sitting in front of a computer.
The youngsters meet and skate at the city's Mimarsinan Park, constantly pushing the boundaries of their skills. Their action-packed practice sessions and shows have become a favorite with the local crowd. The teenagers perform all kinds of tricks, including ramp jump, slalom, and slides without any difficulties. Made up mostly of high school students, the group has put the summer vacation to good use.
However, roller skating is not something one can learn overnight. Mehmet Şahin, 18, has been practicing roller-skating since he was 10. "Roller skating has hugely improved my physical fitness in the last couple of years," he said.
Şahin said skating is one of his biggest passions. "Many small children come to the skate parks with their families to learn skating. They want to follow us and learn. They want to do even better. We practice skating as a group. Most of our members are between the age of 16 and 19. But we also help out our little friends who come here. We help them learn skating," he added.
He said that the new generation is growing up with technology. Many youngsters do not leave home and spend a lot of time on social media.
"They watch our videos on the internet and get impressed. But don't feel the urge to do sports. Many of them choose to sit home and become obese. Eventually, they have health problems. We are doing sports here, this is our hobby and we enjoy doing it. You can develop your leg muscles while doing slides and slaloms. Your body will become more flexible," said Şahin.
"Sometimes we jump, we bounce. Sometimes we fall and even get injured. But we get up and carry on. Our friendship gets stronger as we roller skate.
"Many youngsters do not even know what it feels like to get a bruised knee. They are deprived of these feelings," he said.
Nuh Mert Vahapo, another member of the group, said he has been skating for five years. He encouraged children to learn skating and do activates outdoor.
"We come here and improve as we skate. We make new friends and our friendship becomes stronger as we get to know each other better. Our friends who sit at home and spend time in front of the computer can come and join us. We are ready to hold your hands and help you learn skating," he said.
Another skater of the group, Yunus Emre Demirci said that if they are provided with adequate facilities they will volunteer to help other people learn roller skating.
