It's the freedom of roller skating that Tracey Zarowski can't forget.
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When her laces are bound and there are eight wheels to push off, she might as well be eight years old again with the world - or a nice smooth concrete slab at least - at her feet.
Several decades and two children since she quit competitive roller skating, Ms Zarowski, of Corrimal, has rediscovered her childhood passion.
After pulling her skates on as a way of keeping up with her scooting three-year-old, Charli, she has created Wollongong's new roller skating school, Suns Out Skates Out.
"It's dedicated to promoting the joy of roller skating," said Ms Zarowski, 37, who promises an inclusive environment with classes pitched at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
"For the beginner and intermediate classes, it's all about just understanding your skate and edges and how to fall correctly, how to get rolling, how to comfortably turn around and skate backwards.
"Then it goes into more intermediate skills, where you're starting to do two-foot spins, heal-toe spins and 180-degree jumps."
Classes will run out of Russell Vale Community Centre at a cost of $30 an hour for adults and $25 an hour for children.
Roller skating has veered in and out of vogue over the years, gaining widespread popularity in the 1930s and 1950s, and again in the 1970s, when it was linked to roller disco. It and inline skating had another moment in the sun in the 1980s and 1990s, when they became outdoor pursuits.
The COVID pandemic lockdowns have been more recently credited with rousing roller from its slumber.
"But I think the problem with people picking it up during COVID [lockdown] is that a lot of people were just trying to teach themselves from content on Instagram, and not getting the right direction to be able to advance," Ms Zarowski said.
"And I've known of people who've bought a pair of skates in lockdown and never gone any further with it."
Ms Zarowski advises beginners to find a properly-fitting pair of skates to start with.
"When you're starting it's all about bending your knees, keeping your posture up and not looking down at your skates," she said.
"After that, it's practice, practice, practice."
Visit @soso_rollerskating on Instagram for more information, including details of a free meet-and-greet on Saturday, November 11, at Towradgi basketball court (3.30-5pm).
Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
