Roller skating in general, and Inline Skating in particular, has been receiving a massive boost with young skaters queuing up to experience the joy of skating, in India. Various skating clubs have been seeing an upward trend in parents encouraging their kids to take up the sport. Today, the Indian Team stands at an overall 2nd position in Asia for Skating. In fact, Roller Skating, having missed its place in the Olympics last year, is now being considered for the 2020 Games, scheduled to be held in Japan.
The governing body for skating is the Roller Skating Federation of India (RSFI) registered in 1955. It has been affiliated with Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) (World Parent body of Roller Skating) since 1971. RSFI was accorded recognition by the Government of India since September 1990, followed by recognition by the Indian Olympic Association.
According to RSFI, Skating in India can be divided into three parts: Speed, Artistic and Roller Hockey- competitions being held for all categories. The important levels of competitions in India are Club level, State Level, All India Invitational Competition, National level and Selection Trials for the Asian and World Championship.
The selection trials are a matter of prestige for the country, as the students chosen represent the country in global competitions. They have to go through strict trials with Indian as well as foreign coaches. Only National and state level winners are invited by the RFSI to participate in the trials. The Asian and World Championships, which every skating aficionado aspires to participate in, are held once in 2 years.
Competitive clubs present nationally, in cities like Visakhapatnam, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and many others, push their students to be the best in the field, instilling values like discipline, commitment and increasing their endurance, driving them towards excellence. They train these young achievers to strive for and reach their goal of becoming the best there is.
On a lighter note, considering that this sport has achieved such a high level of seriousness, it is surprising that it is only now that a movie is being made on inline skating. As per a recent article, the membership in skating clubs nationally is on the rise and some even mentioned the movie Hawaa Hawaai being responsible for it. We could call it Pester Power. However, whatever the reason might be, parents couldn’t be happier. A kid skating outdoor, is definitely a happy kid indoor!
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