At Albany State University, it is a known tradition to have an evening event where students can enjoy their homecoming celebration in doing none other than, skating at the skating rink!
This past Wednesday, on October 16th, the Student Activity Advisory Board hosted the fourth night of Homecoming 2013 at Stardust Skating Center in Lee County, Georgia. Skate night always brings the ASU crowd together to socialize and show off some of their talents in skating. I was surprised at how many students not only knew how to skate, but skate very well.
The event began at 8pm which was free admittance for Albany State Students until 9pm, which followed with a five-dollar fee for entry. Then you were given a temporary ticket to give to the designated police officer to enter the actual skating rink showroom.
As I walked into the skating rink, almost every face was familiar. This was an event where everyone comes together, where there are no altercations, no competition, just fun for everyone participating. I asked senior Bruce Colvin how he viewed Homecoming Week’s annual skate night, he said, “it is a fun and energetic atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. It is one of my favorite events to attend during homecoming week.”
The sport or talent of skating was is an interesting hobby to master. It may seem easy for some, but for others, it is quite a challenge. Surprisingly, it is one of the safest sports to participate in. As I watched the students make their way around the skating rink, I was amazed at their performance for such a fast-paced activity. I also noticed that every skater was determined to avoid one thing while on the rink, the art of falling. It can be embarrassing for some, but it is normal to fall at times when you are skating.
Some styles I noticed while watching the skaters were indeed eye-catching. Everyone had on different types of roller skates if they did not receive the skates distributed by the roller rink. Some students wore rhythm skates, skates that allow you to move to the music played in the rink, and others wore speed skates, to go fast around the skating rink. Slow skaters were in the middle of floor to avoid collision with the more advanced skaters. All night students skated backwards, danced while skating, and even had skating dance routines. It was very entertaining to watch!
I got the attention of one of the more talented skaters, Brandon Moore. Moore has attended every skate night since Homecoming of 2009. I asked him about his styles of skating and what he enjoys about the event. “I’ve been coming to skate night since my freshman year at Albany State. I spend my spare time here at Stardust just to have fun. I’ve been skating since I can remember and my favorite style of skating is rhythm skating. I love music and these skates allow me to move to the music and help do spinning tricks and whatever else. This is event has always been great because I’m amazed at how many other students know how to skate since this sport is so underrated.”
Other activities during this event were arcade games such as car racing, ping pong, board hockey, just to name a few. Everyone was occupied with either gaming or skating. The event ended at 11pm and it drew a large crowd. Everyone seemed to have fun during their time at Stardust Skate Center. But it was time for everyone to go to their destinations to prepare for the next day’s events.
Skate night has always been a favorite event for myself and plenty other ASU students. This was a great highlight of week that was full of positive energy and a time for everyone to enjoy.
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