Skateboarding in Naperville; Rolling with the Times

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There may be no sounds of summer coming from Centennial Beach… but head right next door to the Centennial Skate Park and you’ll hear life rolling on.

Family Affair

Shawn: “Especially with the quarantine, not being able to play soccer, basketball and everything else that goes on during the summer – to be able to bring them out to the park and watch them play together and learn from each other is fantastic.”

Shawn Foley is out with his son and daughter at the skate park, a haven of sorts from the doldrums of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last few months have given 10-year-old Liam and 9-year-old Alina an opportunity to try something new.

Alina: “Because I watch Youtubers who skateboard and then I wanted to start skateboarding.”

Liam: “Some of my friends started doing it and I watch videos on it. And I pick up on it quickly.”

Serious Skateboarding

While Liam and Alina learn the basics, there are more seasoned skaters rocking down ramps. Sergio Yu has been skating since the first grade, but has only taken the sport seriously the last few years.

“Seriously skating – I determine that by like doing tricks. You’re actually learning and progressing as a skateboarder.”

And it’s the learning process, along with the consistent failures that accompany it, that bonds the skating community, according to Yu.

“Every skater goes through struggles like falling off, breaking stuff, bruises, shinners – which are tons of bruises on your shin – every skater goes through that so the more you go through that, and the more you suffer through skating, the more you become a hardcore kind of skater where you’re always in this mentality to push yourself for more goals.

Safe Activity

In new guidelines from the Governor’s office, the risk level assigned to skateboards is low – meaning skaters in Naperville can still take to the pipes and rails at Centennial Skate Park, as well as Frontier Skate Park, without a worry.

Reporting for Naperville News 17.