Louisville Masterbladers - Inline Skating Club

Louisville Masterbladers

By Rebecca Miller

Publication Date: May 1996

Masterblader. (Noun) Road warrior on wheels, with mission of covering adventuresome trails in the great outdoors, dedicated to the aspect of having fun.

You may have seen them whizzing by you while driving in your car. You may have witnessed some acrobatic feat in the making while jogging through the park. You may have dreamed someday to be able to zoom down a hill with them at warp speed, with only the wind at your heels. You may someday have the opportunity to join this elite group of road warriors.

Introducing only organized In-Line skating group--the Louisville MasterBladers--a diverse group of rollerblading enthusiasts dedicated to the aspect of having FUN! The group consists of adults from all walks of life ranging in age from 22-52. To become a true Louisville MasterBlader, you must be able to skate at a speed of at least 15 miles per hour for 15 miles, maneuver hills with the greatest of ease, and be able to brake on a dime.

The Masterbladers also have an intermediate group of skaters who skate together at a moderate pace for 10-15 miles once a week. To become acquainted with this group, it is suggested that an interested skater participate in one of the free beginner clinics given four times a month at Skier's Edge (see calendar of events).

One of the best parts of joining a skating group, according to most Masterbladers, is the idea of blading adventuresome trails each skating excursion; skating with new faces from different backgrounds, getting one heck of a fabulous workout, and going to feast together afterwards. The feasting segment seems to be the ultimate experience.

SKATING IN LOUISVILLE

Roller Blading (In-Line- Skating), though fairly new to the Louisville community, is an excellent form of cross-training. It is an athletic sport and considered the transportation wave of the future. You can burn as many as 375 calories an hour during an intermediate skate, and even more during the highly competitive advance group skate.

In the spirit of promoting camaraderie and friendly competition, the Louisville Masterbladers also join other regional skating clubs. In April, the Cincinnati Blade Brigade visited the Louisville club for a twenty mile excursion through the glorious roads in Anchorage, Kentucky. In spite of the rain, a grand time was had by all-especially over lunch-food is what fuels most blading enthusiast's motivational appetites.

Local races and national races are also held in conjunction with the In-Line Skating Association. The officious race team for the Louisville area is called the Louisville Speed Team. The team has hosted and won many races in the area including Skate The Loop in Cherokee Park-now a Derby Festival Event, and a race in New Albany, Indiana during the Harvest Homecoming.

The Louisville MasterBladers skate at least four to five times per week and average approximately 70-80 miles, weather permitting. As with anything you attempt to achieve mastery at becoming, you must practice, practice, practice. It just so happens that you can have fun and meet interesting people at the same time with this Louisville group.

SAFETY TIPS FOR IN-LINE SKATING:

1. Always wear full protective gear-helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads.

2. Practice basic skills, like balance and braking, before you skate on anything but a smooth, flat surface.

3. Avoid hills until you are ready, and always skate under control.

PRACTICING TIPS-GETTING READY TO ROLL . . .

To get a feel for your skates, try some basic skills on grass or smooth pavement, in a quiet area away from traffic, before you roll onto the trail:

Practice walking around with the toes of both feet pointed slightly outward. This is how you'll be pushing off when you get started skating.

Practice balancing on one foot at a time. The better you can balance yourself on your skates, the easier striding and stopping will be.

Practice using your brakes to make sure you can stop.

BRAKING:

Active Brake Technology-from Rollerblade-also called an ABT brake. If you are using this type of braking system, simply move the braking skate forward-this applies pressure to the cuff and lowers the brake pad.

Standard heel brake-lean forward at the waist, tilt your braking toe up and apply pressure to the heel brake while bending your other knee-requires a demonstration.

TAKE A LESSON

To join the Louisville MasterBladers, or for more information call Rebecca Miller at (502)625-9684.

Happy Trails!