I’ve dedicated the greater part of my life to a sport that is familiar only to a minority of the population, but nonetheless, loved by that minority. Inline Skating, to me, is one of the most complete and unique sports on the planet due to its aerobic base, technical necessity, venue variety, level of enjoyment, and lack of prejudice to body type, to name a few. It has taken me through experiences that most will never get the chance to encounter in their lifetime and has instilled in me values that cannot be learned simply by opening a book or attending a seminar. Despite its current lack of presence in the Olympic Games, Inline is an incredible sport and I have absolutely no regrets of the sacrifices I’ve made, or the time I’ve contributed over the last 14 years. When you break down what exactly it takes to be competitive on the world level of Inline Speed Skating, the requirements are really quite remarkable. The athlete must be fit; they have to be prepared for constant intervals, long levels of intensity, and they need the ability to reach maximum speeds. The athlete must be technically sound; skating is very heavily governed by one’s ability to make their equipment work efficiently for them. A skater cannot simply be the strongest or fastest in the sense of lifting weight or completing plyometric exercises, they must understand how to translate that and apply it to their technique. The athlete must be exceedingly versatile when dealing with change; a successful skater is often required to adapt to distances, surfaces, weather conditions, and changes in elevation throughout the course of competition. The essentially required high levels of fitness, technicality, and versatility alone establish Inline Speed Skating as a legitimately deserving sport amongst the Olympic Family. This sport is unlike many others in that it virtually has a limitless amount of venues upon which you can practice it as an implausible form of low impact exercise. Of course, there are the banked tracks, indoor wooden floors, indoor cement floors, and road courses which are considered to be our official sites of competition, however, this group is only the tip of the iceberg. There are sidewalks, parking lots, parking garages, boardwalks, bike paths, parks, basketball courts, roads with bike lanes, neighborhoods; the list could go on and on. Skating is an extraordinary form of exercise when you consider the lack of shock it puts on the bones and tendons. Moreover, being able to support your total body weight comfortably throughout the duration of the workout, makes for a much healthier, enjoyable activity. Finally, the aspect of Inline Speed Skating that I find to be most interesting is that it doesn’t seem to care what your body type is. I’ve seen mighty midgets take on jubilant giants to win distance races; I’ve seen skinny sprinters demolish muscle heads in time trials and short races. What it all comes down to is to the individuals drive to strive for technical perfection and will to suffer through the pain required to push the body past the levels of comfort required to become a champion. Big, small, overweight, skinny, black, white, even handicapped; skating is a sport that anyone can excel in with enough motivation. In conclusion, Inline Speed Skating is much deserving of a spot in the Olympic Games. From thrills and spills to speeds of upwards of 35 mph with no help from gears or pace setters, this sport is truly a sight to see. It is a healthy form of exercise that can be practiced decisively or recreationally virtually anywhere. Instilling discipline and values that will help guide one through life more smoothly and efficiently, Inline Skating is not simply a hobby or activity, it has the potential to be a vessel upon which one can grow and learn values applicable throughout the rest of their lives.