Inline skating: coming to a community near you.

It's Saturday morning, and I have awoken at the crack of dawn. It's not the sound of a rooster crowing that has pierced the stillness of my suburban domain -- the hist rooster left with the farmer who owned this laud. It sounds more like yelling coming from the soccer field, but it could be a swim meet or the cries of tennis players, it might even be an early softball game.

Whatever it is, I'm awake and heading out the door for my morning skate. My recreational facility has been provided for me by the county's road department. They resurfaced all the streets in my neighhorhood recently with a new slurry material that in much smoother than the old chip seal; that stuff rattled my fillings. I feel glad on this morning that the county in taking an interest in my health, even if it in the road department. I am enjoying myself, burning calories and increasing my aerobic fitness like I never thought possible.

As I pass my neighbor's house, he in out al the end of the driveway getting his newspaper; that's probably as far an he will walk thin day. I don't know him thai well, but I understand that he had heart surgery recently. He ought to try inline skating, hut I waste no time trying to recruit him. As I pass by, he guffaws and yells something unintelligible in my direction; I think I hear the word "crazy." Like most folks I know ages 50 and older, he seems to think that inline skating is a kid's sport, dangerous and difficult. He'd be surprised to learn that the fastest growing age group taking up inline skating is women 60 and older.

My skate takes me past soccer fields and baseball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts. I think about how nice the recreational facilities are in this county. I'm feeling good, and it's a beautiful day. The area bike path beckons; it runs all the way into the city, through forests and parks along Rock Creek. Unfortunately, I don't feel like tackling its difficult hills and tight turns; it wasn't built with skaters in mind. And besides, why put up with angry bicyclists on such a peaceful morning? I decide to stick to my usual neighborhood route. It would be nice, I think, to be able to skate somewhere else. Maybe next week.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

As interest in inline skating grows, those who have expected little from their local park and recreation department are beginning to question if skaters are being well served. What roles should the nation's park and recreation agencies play, if any, in providing facilities for inline skating? Should they encourage inline skating by offering lessons or activities?

The scenario described above is a fairly accurate description of this writer's experience in his own "backyard," with a few barbs thrown in to get your attention. There aren't many places in the United States where inline skating, by virtue of its number of participants and the health and fitness benefits that it delivers, has received the attention it deserves from public officials. However, to the credit of park and recreation professionals, the questions posed above are being asked with greater frequency It is becoming tamer to envision changes on the not-so distant horizon.

First of all, some facts are in order:

Inline skating has grown faster than sport or recreational activity. In the eight years that the Sporting Manufacturers Association has growth of inline skating, participation has increased by a virtually unheard of 850 percent. In 1997, more than 30 million individuals skated. Inline skating has outgrown baseball, tennis, soccer, and many other traditional sports. Admittedly, the speed with which inline skating has grown has made it difficult for public officials to react In particular because facilities require long lead times for budgeting, planning, and construction. Commitment to a new sport cannot be made if that sport's lasting power is questionable.

EVERYONE SKATES

Inline skating has been perceived as a kid's sport. Indeed, ball of those skating are young people. Adults, particularly community leaders who have seen kids with baggy pants mid nose rings grinding away at the steps of city hall, see inline skating as a nuisance. There is also that perception shared by my neighbors that inline skating is dangerous. Yet, the trends show that 80 percent of all skaters, adults included, are taking up the sport for recreation and fitness reasons. About Ill percent are aggressive, or stunt, skates: the remaining 10 percent arc in line-hockey players. Women make up half of all skaters. Inline skaters represent ail ethnic groups and can be found in every

In 1997, inline skating grew at a rate of inline industry red with dismay. Them are not the numbers to which it had become accustomed. Compared to the growth rates of other sports in 1997, however, inline skating continued as a leader in the sporting-goods industry. Participation in baseball, basketball, tennis, softball, racquetball, and mountain biking all declined. Golf saw an increase, thanks primarily to the boost from Tiger Woods and a host of other young golfers. Some fitness activities, like treadmill exercise, walking, and weightlifting, are growing. While there is no clear drop in participation in team sports and games, stationary cycling, aerobics, and swimming all declined. If recreation officials are confused about where the interests of the American public are headed, it is easy to see why. But the case of inline skating deserving the attention of these officials is a solid one.

Inline skaters are generally an agreeable group. After all, they've discovered and adopted a very enjoyable pastime. The majority are well educated, reasonably well off financially, and are regular members of the community. The recreational activity they have chosen is very healthy. They burn a lot of calories and improve their cardiovascular fitness while experiencing an injury rate not much higher than golfers and dramatically lower than participants of basketball and bicycling. So, assuming that I have made the case that this group is deserving of some attention, what does it need?

Aggressive skaters require skateparks, currently a very hot topic, and are happiest on steps, ramps, and rails. Inline-hockey players require indoor or outdoor rinks. Obviously, the quality of neighborhood streets is not an important issue for either of these groups. It is the recreational and fitness skaters who need smooth pavement. And while some are confident enough to skate on the streets assuming they are skatable--and mix it up with vehicular traffic, the majority of adult skaters are happiest on paved paths or roads in their local parks. Here they can enjoy a "smooth ride" without having to worry about traffic. They can skate at their optimum pace, rest when necessary, and enjoy the views.

The mecca for recreational skaters is New York City's Central Park. Closed to traffic, the paved roads that wind through the park are filled with 20,000 or more skaters -- plus thousands of bicyclists and runners -- on summer weekends. The Central Park Skate Patrol keeps a watchful eye on this show, keeping the various elements from conflicting with one another. The New York City Park Department encourages this intervention and provides space for a stopping clinic at either entrance to the park. In Chicago, the lakefront path is also a skater's paradise and is kept that way by the Chicago Skate Patrol. Both patrols, as well as 24 other patrols in cities from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Miami Beach, Florida, are part of the International In-Line Skating Association's (IISA) National Skate Patrol program. These cities have demonstrated that public paths or roadways can safely accommodate inline skaters, bicyclists, and pedestrians. With little or no additional investment, a community can provide a great place to skate; all it needs to do is open an existing area and provide supervision.

In addition to good places to skate, the would-be skater needs competence. The first -- or perhaps the last -- skill a skater must learn is stopping. While many individuals who try inline skating have been on ice skates, that experience does not fully prepare them for stopping with an inline-skate brake. This skill can be easily learned from a qualified instructor. National Skate Patrol volunteers, constantly on the lookout for wobbly beginners, give fledglings simple instruction to keep them from getting in harm's way. A more formal instruction program, using IISA Certified Instructors, is available for recreation departments.

The IISA Instructor Certification Program has trained more than 2,000 Level I instructors. These instructors have in turn taught hundreds of thousands how to skate. This program has had a significant impact on the inline-skating accident rate, which declined dramatically in 1996. Communities that have relied on instructors to teach classes on a contract basis are now training their own employees. Chicago recently sent seven individuals to a weekend certification program in Detroit. Inline instruction classes require very little investment. There is no expensive equipment needed. An empty parking lot, which is not usually a problem in the evenings, serves as the venue. Protective gear -- helmets and pads -- should be a requirement.

Inline skating can be done alone, but it is a wonderful group activity. Recreation departments provide evening or weekend skates where beginners can get together with others for morale-building trips on a local bike path. Some departments may sponsor skate clubs or hold special events. The first National Inline Skate Week, which was held this past May, gives communities a reason to hold recreational skating events that encourage the whole family to come out and enjoy themselves. In some cities, group skates are held downtown after the commuters have gone home and the streets are quiet. These "city skates" attract thousands of people who get to taste the forbidden fruit. Led by National Skate Patrois, the skaters run on streets that are normally off-limits and see the sights from a truly unique perspective. They help bring life and economic vitality to downtown areas after-hours.

Some community leaders will continue to view inline skating in the same light that the city fathers viewed billiards in the 1960s musical The Musicman: an outlaw activity enjoyed by fringe elements that threatened the very social fabric of the town.

Fortunately, those in the business of meeting the recreational needs of our communities are becoming more familiar with inline skating and have accepted it as a legitimate activity, an integral part of the community's recreational agenda. As the story went, pool prevailed and the town lived happily ever after. And just in case you were curious, billiards is the nation's second most popular sport.

RELATED ARTICLE: THE BENEFITS OF INLINE SKATING ARE ENDLESS

As a form of exercise, inline skating is as beneficial as running or bicycling, according to Dr Carl Foster, associate professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and coordinator of sports medicine and sports science for the United States Speed Skating Team Consider these facts:

* According to a recent study by the University of Massachusetts, inline skating, when compared to running, causes less than 50 percent of the impact shock to joints.

* Anaerobically, inline skating was found to be more beneficial than bath running and cycling because it is easier and more natural for building hip and thigh muscles that are not developed in the other sports.

* A study conducted at the Human Performance Laboratory at St Cloud State (MN) University found that inline skating develops muscles in the entire upper leg, rear end, hip, and lower hack.

* During a 30-minute period, on the average, inline a skating at a steady, comfortable rate expends 285 calories and produces a heart rate of 148 beats per minute.

RELATED ARTICLE: WHO ARE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS?

Since 1991, the Instructor Certification Program (ICP) has certified more than 2,000 instructors throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. All over the world, in parks, community centers, health clubs, and skate shops, people are learning to skate or skate more effectively with the consistent, safe skill building methods of Certified Instructors trained by the ICP.

Certified Instructors have successfully completed a training course and test that involves a writ ten exam, a practical teaching exam, and a skating skills test. There are three levels of certification including sports-specific skills such as inline hockey, racing, fitness, street, vert, freestyle, and skate to ski.

If you are a strong intermediate skater interested in becoming a Certified Instructor, or would like to host a certification program in your area, call [phone] fur inure information

RELATED ARTICLE: SAFETY FIRST

Injury Rate Comparisons to Other Sports (#injuries:# participants)

Sport               Injury Rate

Basketball          2.34%
Bicycling           1.08%
Inline Skating      0.37%
Golf                0.26%

INLINE INJURIES

Hand/Arm            59%
Leg/Foot            19%
Head/Face           14%

RELATED ARTICLE: INLINE SKATING ORGANIZATIONS

International Inline Skating Association (IISA) 3720 Farragut Ave Suite 400 Kensington, MD 28895 [phone] or (800) 56 SKATE http://www.iisa.erg

Roller Hockey International 5182 Katella Ave. Suite 106 Los Alamitos, CA 90720 [phone] (3101431-2928 (tax)

USA Hockey Inline 4965 North 30th St, Colorado Springs, 60 80919 [phone] http://www.usahockey.com/inline

World Roller Hockey League G358 N. College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220 [phone]

RELATED ARTICLE: IISA RULES OF THE ROAD

Skate Smart

* Always wear your protective gear -- helmet, wrist protection, elbow pads, and knee pads

* Master the basics -- striding, stopping, and turning,

* Keep your equipment in proper working order.

Skate Alert

* Skate under control at all times

* Watch out for road hazards.

* Avoid water, oil, and sand.

* Avoid traffic.

Skate Legal

* Obey all traffic regulations. When on skates, consider yourself subject to the same obligations as a bicyclist or driver of an automobile.

Skate Courteous

* Skate on the right; pass on the left.

* Announce your intentions by saying, "Passing on your left."

* Always yield to pedestrians.