After landing in Chicago on Monday, I wasted no time getting myself to the Rink for my first skate of the trip later that evening. The following morning, I headed to the 10am–2pm over-21s open skate session — and that’s where I met George.
George’s presence immediately stood out. Every few steps that he took around the rink, he’d stop to chat with another skater, always smiling, always engaged. It was clear that skating meant far more to him than just time on wheels — he was also here for community, connection, and friendship.
When we crossed paths early in the session, we stopped for a conversation. George proudly told me he had just turned 80 and had been skating for decades. And so I knew that George was someone whose story and experience I wanted to more about.
"As an adult skater, there is no athletic activity that's comparible to roller skating. When you roller skate on a good session, it's like going to the health club. Going to your psychiatrist. Going to your doctor's meeting. And going to church - for $10.
We share conversation and experiences and feelings with each other."
~George
Q.1: When did you start skating?
I've been skating 46 years. Of course, I skated younger as a kid, but I didn't get to the degree I am now. I also skated as a teenager. I bought these skates when I was 17 or 18.
After I got married the first time, my wife didn't skate. So the kids just used to play with these skates in the basement. And then later on, at about 34 which was 46 years ago.
Q.2: What's kept you skating?
I was kind of looking for something at that time that I could do athletically, that would fit into my routine. And I worked on weekends, so I couldn't do what most people did in terms of tennis and that type of thing.
I came skating one day, a skating party, and fell in love with it. I fell in love with the athleticism about it, and I fell in love with the women. All of the young women skating. I just fell in love with it, and that's the ways it's always been for the last 46 years.
I've met some of the most wonderful people
. I met my wife indirectly from a skater. We were friends 46 years ago. And I would later make a connection with her 30 years later.
Q.3: What changes have you noticed over the 47 years that you've been skating?
Music changes, absolutely.
My generation really has not changed, except because of physical ability. A lot of them drop off. Very few of the people I was skating with 46 years ago, 30 years ago, skate now. Most people drop off as they age out. You start ageing out at 50 and whatnot. I am one of the exceptions of people who still skate.
Q.4: What's allowed you to become of the exceptions?
I've had injuries and I have injuries now. I call them old man issues. But my love of skating alows me to continue. I've found that as people naturally get older, they lose interest.
They get into another relationship that takes them away. They move out of town. That's the reason why most of the people I was skating with 40 years ago drop off.
I can't speak on young people about their activities, I'm not of that generation. But all the rinks are full on young people's days. There's still plenty of young people who enjoy it.
Q.5: Has skating taught you anything?
As an adult skater, there's nothing like it, there is no athletic activity that's comparible to roller skating. When you roller skate on a good session, it's like going to the health club. Going to your psychiatrist. Going to your doctor's meeting. And going to church— for $10. And I said that because we get all of that from roller skating.
Because we interact with people. It's the same people.You interact with these people, and you talk to them. You know, we share conversation and experiences and feelings with each other.
And the doctor part is we talk about our physical illnesses, and benefits me. Those conversations help me with information about medical issues.
And of course, I feel that when you're with these people, you're in church. It's the same people.
Q.6: Did you expect to be skating for so long when you came back into it?
Well, back then, no. But then, yes, I never wanted to stop. I'll keep going whilst I physically can.
[Another skater comes over to give George a pencil portrait that she has made him for his recent 80th birthday]
This is one of my skating buddies. Her name is Pam. She's an artist, and she made this picture for me - for my birthday.
She's also my skating therapist. Literally. She enables me to be able to skate as well as I do.
It kind of a resembles me, but I've never been that handsome though.You should have made me a little bit more ugly.
Thank you, Pam. I appreciate it. I really do.
Q.7: [Pam] Why did you do this drawing of George?
Because I love him. He says I'm his therapist, actually it goes both ways.
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Kelly
Cranial Osteopath | Wellbeing Coach | Roller Skate Instructor
Skate Base London
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