Welcome To Our New Skateboarding Expert: Lorrie Miller!
I am a mother of four, a teacher and writer in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Though I am an avid tame-wild camper, forest-trail runner, and transportation bide-rider, I primarily engage in organized sport at the sidelines, whether it is on the field hockey or soccer pitch, or behind the hay bales of a downhill long boarding race. My son, Wolfgang, has been skateboarding for four years and long boarding for a year and a half. He started racing seriously a year ago, and placed first in two races in his division (grom/junior), most recently on Saltspring Island, BC.
His downhill racing has pushed my parental involvement and understanding of the sport into every aspect: gear, safety, regulations and culture, especially now that he has has become a sponsored rider. As a non-skater parent, I have had a serious learning curve, but the racers in our community have been very generous with their suggestions and support. This is one of the many positive aspects of the long board culture. I hope that my insight and experience can help parents new to the sport as they nurture their own kids on wheels.