When Alvarez longboards he feels a sense of freedom. Wind gliding through his body, legs bent, and arms extended outwards, Alvarez is able to transcend through the land and ride the waves of a concrete ocean.
Alvarez has been skateboarding since the eight grade but began longboarding his first year in college after watching a video about it. He was intrigued by the sense of freedom and calmness he saw in the video.
Like many skaters, Alvarez has tried both skateboarding and longboarding, however he prefers longboarding due to its style, “the aspect that drives me more is cruising…it’s just very chill.”
To an experienced longboarder like Alvarez, the differences between skateboarding and longboarding are obvious, but to the average person it might not be so clear.
The difference between skateboarding and longboarding is found in the name. A skateboard is approximately 28-32 inches long, while a longboard ranges in size from 32-60 inches. Another difference is longboards have harder wheels, or durometers, and more flexible axles. These differences in form are what lead to differences in style.
“If you look at a longboard it has bigger wheels, what that allows a longboarder to do is to go faster” said Omar Hernandez, who has longboarded for three years.
Whether a skater will define him or herself as a longboarder or skateboarder, both suffer from the inability to skate on the UTEP campus.
Section II of the UTEP Parking and Transportation handbook states “Use of skates, skateboards, skate blades (roller blades) are not allowed on campus.”
“It’s mostly a safety concern. Bicycles have breaks, skateboards don’t have breaks, rollerblades don’t have breaks. There’s a dependence on the human factor in order to steer and to stop.” Said Michael Salazar, assistant director of Parking and Transportation services.
Skateboarding regulation in the University of Texas at El Paso is modeled after other campuses in the UT System. “We do research, we look at what other UT schools do first,” said Salazar.
However, skaters feel a misunderstanding of the sport has led to misguided policies.
“I think that the people that actually, currently own a longboard themselves they know how to break, they know balance or if they don’t they wouldn’t bring it to school” said Hernandez.
But perhaps, the near future looks brighter for skaters on campus. Due to the move towards a more pedestrian friendly campus, the opportunity for a change in the discourse regarding skating policy is possible.
“As we become more pedestrian based the possibility exists that maybe it could be more open to that mode of transportation because you won’t be dealing with cars” said Salazar.
The need for change in policy on campus is seen through the creation of RIDE a student led organization for skateboarders, bikers and roller-skaters, which aims to change the discourse regarding skating policy on campus.
The organization seems to reflect the general consensus among UTEP students regarding skating policy “I think it should be allowed” said Alan Garcia, junior.
Whether policy is slow or fast to come, one thing is certain. Longboarding is more than just a sport, “it’s a way of life” said Alvarez.
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