For some people, skateboarding is just another way to get from place to place. For others, it’s a competitive sport.
As the sport grew in popularity, misconceptions about skateboarders spread. Throughout his skateboarding career, Brandon Novak experienced these misconceptions firsthand and learned to break out of them.
Misconceptions About the Skateboarding Community
Like with many other sports, misconceptions about athletes often come with the territory. Whether it’s assumptions about their style, way of living, or even taste in music, these impressions shape the way skateboarders are received by the general public. These misconceptions usually result from false assumptions about the personalities of skateboarders or their way of living. These are some of the top misconceptions about skateboarders.
Skateboarders Are Reckless
Plenty of people believe that skateboarders are reckless and irresponsible. People who aren’t fans of the sport might argue that skateboarding is dangerous and that skaters love to risk their lives for an adrenaline rush. However, there are risks in every sport and their corresponding athletes are aware of this. Skateboarding is a dangerous sport, but skateboarders practice long hours to avoid injury.
Skateboarders Don’t Go to School
One of the top misconceptions about skateboarders is that they don’t go to school or have a degree. Assumptions about the members of the skateboarding community have been reinforced by lots of television shows and movies. Skateboarders are usually portrayed as laid-back teens who skip school and cause trouble. This, however, is not the case. Although there may be skateboarders who are slackers, there are lots of other people outside of the skateboarding community who do the same thing. Plenty of skateboarders attend school regularly and go to college. For those who make it as professional skateboarders, their decisions about schooling may be different.
Skateboarders Are Delinquents
One of the most common skateboarding assumptions is that skateboarders are delinquents who like to get into trouble, but this isn’t a fair claim. People also assume that skateboarders are drug addicts. There are troublemakers in every community, and people from all walks of life may struggle with addiction. Plenty of skateboarders take their health and sport seriously. Like other athletes, many professional skateboarders train relentlessly to have a career in their favorite sport.
Brandon Novak has personally dealt with the misconceptions about skateboarders and has worked to break these stigmas. He struggled with addiction throughout a portion of his skateboarding career, but reached sobriety after several visits to rehab. As a result of his recovery, he became a certified intervention specialist and recovery advocate.
If you or a loved one are battling with addiction, call Brandon at 610-314-6747 to find out what treatments can work best for you.
