Jackson Free Press

So your brother kicks your butt at skateboarding. Your best friend makes fun of you because you're too scared to try. After practicing all day, the only thing that you've achieved are cuts and scrapes on your knees and elbows. Needless to say, you're not feeling like Tony Hawk. But you don't have to be Tony Hawk to follow the guidelines of local skater Ricky Byrd.

1. Buy a Helmet.
"For a person who is just beginning, the first thing you should do is buy a helmet. Minor accidents are going to happen, and you want to protect yourself. Don't ever give up and get discouraged. Good skating doesn't happen overnight. It requires a lot of practice. Buy DVDs on skating and learn from them. Playing video games also helps. Don't take it so seriously. Just have fun with it."

2. Practice.
"A good thing for beginners is to hang out at skate shops. Practice on a balance trainer. Skaters of all skills use this. It's a board without wheels attached. It liesslanted on a cement wheel. It's not attached to this, so be careful when standing on the board."

3. Balance.
"Lightly place your left foot on the front of the board and then quickly place your right foot on the back. This causes the board to lie parallel on the cement wheel with it being in the center of the board. Put your arms out to help hold your balance. Skateboarding is a coordination thing."

4. Putting Coordination Skills to Use.
"Get a demo skateboard and practice outside on the parking lot. Use the same skills for the balance trainer and push off the cement with your right foot. Then place both feet on the board. From there, you'll gain more skill with a lot of practice. Once you become familiar with just riding the skateboard, then you can add in tricks and experiment with different types of boards."