ADULT SKATE by Devin Greaney, freelance writer. From THE GOOD LIFE, February, 2004

It has been a while for this thirty eight-year-old. Let’s see, there was 1995 at Pandemonium. There was 1987 on the Galveston Sea Wall. Before that time it gets a little fuzzy but I think Jimmy Carter was President. Now there I was stalling as I put on my rented roller skates as disco hits of the 1970’s and hair bands of the 1980’s played over the loud speaker.

I finally did work up the courage to don skates and hit the rink. The skates felt much less natural than I remembered from when I was twelve. I was realizing I don’t know if I remembered how I did this. “Relax your arms and duck walk,” a friendly skater suggested. Another bit of advice... when a fall is about to happen, do not try to catch yourself. Crouch down, butt first, cross your arms and that will help stabilize you and probably stop the fall, or at least make the fall less injurious. It brought back memories from when I was much younger and just learning but in those days it was a much shorter distance to the ground if I fell. Many thoughts crossed my mind.... “I hear a broken tailbone is very painful.” “I am glad we are close to Seton Northwest Hospital.” “Will Austin EMS give me pain killers in the ambulance or will I have to suffer the long ride until I get there?” Power of positive thinking.

Every Tuesday night from seven until ten, Playland Skating at 8822 McCann in North Austin lets the eighteen and over set take over to exercise, mingle and relive their childhood. Some appeared to be about college age and many others looked like they might have kids who were in that age group. This night there were about two hundred fifty. There are many regulars, both singles and couples, who show up every week. The lines start forming right at seven PM. The different skaters all unite on the rink. The speed skaters don’t seem to mind those who are slower. Those dancing skaters were not giving dirty looks to the ones whizzing past them. Along with different skaters there were different skates. A typical skating rink on Saturday is full of teenagers and younger who were born when in line skates were common place. But most of this crowd preferred to rent the “old school” roller skates. The six dollar admission includes rental of roller skates, but for an additional three dollars inline skates are for rent and the faster black widow skates are four dollars.

There are veteran skaters and new ones. Chris Bataille enjoys the mixture of people. “Kind of an eclectic mix from all walks of life,” she said. “you have young and old, teenagers and flower children and everyone is friendly and protective of each other, “ she said. Bataille is now dating a man she met at Playland through a friend.

One of the newer skaters was Lynn Kessel who runs on a regular basis, but had not skated in about five years. Kessel joined friends George and Beth Basar for the evening. They had been going about a month and a half. Kessel overcame her fear and fell once without injury. “I wouldn’t have thought of it. I already told them I am coming every week,” she said. George Basar liked the exercise, but there was also a sense of nostalgia. “It takes you back to your childhood,” he said.

When the lights are flashing and the Abba’s “Dancing Queen” is playing on the loud speaker accompanied by the hum of roller skates, it could be today or twenty five years ago. The skating rink, which opened in 1974, has a feel of nostalgia for those long time Austinites who remember going to birthday parties and weekend afternoons from their childhood as well as newer residents who remember similar places from their hometowns. Most every town had a skating rink like Playland that was a hub of pre teen and teenage life for fun, socializing with friends and making new ones. Teresa Lyles was skating with her husband Seth and remembered skating at the rink from childhood. “I grew up here. I first came when I was seven or eight and all the time after that,” she said.

Alexa Buxkemper was skating at Hotwheels in South Austin when she was in seventh grade and met Chris Maloy. The two became junior high sweethearts. Now the two are in their late thirties and restarted that romance about three years ago. The two lament that the seventh graders of today seem more interested in playing video games at home than going out to the skating rink which was a favorite pastime for them at that age and today. Buxkemper now owns her own business making skating apparel. How is this for a romantic spot? “About a seven on a scale from one to ten,” Maloy said.

Meeting that special someone, or going out with that special someone is a draw and a big one. Singles groups, outdoor sports groups, singles and couples show up and have found this social gathering an alternative to nightclubs, especially to meet fitness-minded people. There is no smoking or alcohol on the premises. Many of the health and fitness oriented people want to meet others with a similar lifestyle and a night on the town at a night spot thick with cigarette smoke is about as appealing to them as being pepper-sprayed. Running, swimming, biking or rock climbing is more their speed, but no one is going to put on romantic music and light a mirrored ball while the couple blissfully holds hands and scales the granite face of Enchanted Rock. When combining a romantic evening and fitness, what could be a better choice?

Jen Gover and her boyfriend Jim (did not want to give a last name) were getting back into skating to prepare for a ski trip to Snowbird, Utah. Both said skating helps them get ready for skiing since snowy slopes are not commonplace in Austin. They find roller skates better than inline skates to prepare for the ski trip. “It works the ankles and lower legs,” Gover said.

According to the Merck Manual, a popular home health reference source, in one hour inline skating burns up two hundred eighty three calories for a one hundred twenty five pound person and three hundred ninety six calories for someone who weighs one hundred seventy pounds - that’s the same amount as softball, aerobics and tai quon do, the manual said.

But enough science facts ... back to romance. “I tell the guys there’s a lot of women,” said Pete Morin, owner of Playland. “There’s no drinking and people have things in common. It’s good exercise,” he said.

Laura Cantu, a former Austinite who now lives in San Antonio, came the seventy five plus miles by herself just to attend adult skate night. “During couples skate I’ll ask sometimes ask someone to skate slow, but just to skate,” she said. Though she has many friends in Austin, not many enjoy skating as much as she does. “It’s good clean fun ... it is still good there are a lot of people like me who have not grown out of it,” she said.

Valkyrie, who didn’t want to give her last name, said she has a flirty friend who is not above “accidentally” running into women while skating, but gently enough so no one is hurt. “I’ve seen (him) fall on top of girls and I wonder if he is staging it, ” according to Valkyrie. She stands out floating around the rink wearing farrie wings and ears. She has nine set of wings, most made by her. It all started two years ago when “My friend had a birthday party and we all came dressed as fairies,” Valkyrie said. A tradition was born.“I’m tricky. I’ll bump into them or make eye contact or just ask them to skate,” Alan Holland said.

One Sunday afternoon of skating in October of 2000 saw Renee’ Benites watching her daughters Stephanie, then three, and Marisa, then six. The girls were skating and began chatting with Michael Febonio, who had been skating for over twenty years. But this night three years later saw Renee’ and Michael skating close as the rink was darkened and lit only by the flashing overhead lights. The couple slowly skated around the floor, backwards and forwards He spun her around and lifted her off the floor as “Dreaming of You” by Selena was playing. A lot happened to them between those three years and some way or another skating was part of it.

Michael was a few years older than Renee’ and an avid skater. A native of Boston who had lived in Austin since the 1970’s , he had no children of his own but often mentored to kids through skating. He would sometimes buy skates for those who could not afford them. The children, especially those from lower income neighborhoods could have a good, fun exercise activity off the streets and in a safe place. He gives lessons on Sundays at Playland, though his full time job is at Hoover’s Publications.

Renee’ kept in shape and her kids enjoyed skating. When Marisa and Stephanie brought Michael over to meet their mom, there was interest, but not much else. “I was mum for several days,” Renee’ said. He encouraged her to come to Adult Skate Night and she did. “It’s great exercise and a lot of fun,” she said, plus “I like the retro music. I’m a child of the eighties.” She added. Busy work schedules kept them apart. She is an accountant and the time from December to April is the season where social life is minimal at best. They were able to squeeze in visits to go skating, but for future soul mates, there first Valentine’s Day was a non event.

After dating and many trips to Playland on Tuesday nights, the sparks began and October 2, 2001 the two were married. The two held their reception at - you guessed it- Playland and manager Nathan Dieringer played a dance for the two as they skated around the rink as a married couple. Of course, things did not end there. Then came family life. It is an activity that adults and children can do together and that family does. “Families that skate together stay together,” she said. “We’ve been married a couple years and we have kept it fun. Skating has made it fun,.” Renee’ said. Michael says many couples miss the opportunity to skate once they have kids. “Don’t stop,” Michael said. “It’s easy doing this two to three times a week. I’ve seen people get into the humdrum of life and loose their body shape,” he added. He says when people leave and come back, they are always suprissed to see that he is still there and still skating. “I’m like that enduring rock,” he said.

The children are members of Texas Speed, a skating team that practices before the big people take over on Tuesday nights. With mom, dad and the two girls all into skating, Michael estimates there are visiting Playland about four times a week. Which is a bit problematic since the family lives in South Austin. Renee’ said they are looking for a house in Central part of town. As a couple they have made many friends at the rink. They have met couples and singles, some are skaters and some are married to or dating people who skate. From Michael’s experience, that means the other one will soon put on skates or roller blades too.

Renee’ said one day a new skater was having trouble “You’ve got to help that guy, he’s got a long way to fall and he’s really going to hurt himself ,” Michael told her so she went over to give him some advice to keep himself safe. The Febonio’s have become good friends with him and his girlfriend. “We’re like a family here,” Renee’’ said. (Devin Greaney fell once but was only slightly sore the next couple days. No strains, sprains or breaks.)

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