The smell of pavement and sweat permeates the fresh morning air. Danger tends to litter the skateboarding community, but no wipe out or brushed shoulder can alter the love for the hobby these skaters harbor.

“I’ve been skating since third grade,” Jake Kreamer, junior, said. “To me, it’s like any other hobby, like riding a bike.”

Skateboarding originated in California in the mid-’50s as a result of weak surfing waves on the coast. Skateboarding allowed riders to replicate the feeling of riding waves without the ocean. The sport developed over time and eventually made its way east. Today, skateboarding has become a key part in  the lives of many students.

Skateboarding only requires free time and a skateboard. According to Kreamer, this applies to all levels of skating.

“I skate everyday,” Evan Greene, junior, said. “It’s a free sport where I can take a break from an off day. I like it because you can do it whenever you want, wherever you want.”

KHS, however, does not tolerate skateboarding on campus. Signs around campus explicitly state, “Skateboarding is not permitted.”

There are many unique tricks skateboarders try, many of which are considered dangerous. For example, grinding down a handrail or jumping down a ledge. For this reason skating on campus is considered a liability. Many skateboarders do not see the danger in their sport.

“Everything’s dangerous,” Ben Berger, freshman, said. “You can’t find something that’s perfectly safe.  There’s always going to be some kind of risk, so we should be allowed to board.”

Another potential negative regarding skateboarding is the stereotyping. Some students stereotype skaters and see skateboarding in another light.

“I think skating is way too stereotyped, like with kids destroying stuff and it’s really not like that. We’re just skating for fun, not causing trouble,” Kreamer, said.