By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Aaron Ira Smart soared into the air, grabbed his board, and did a keen trick mid-air between rounds at an annual event that astounds me each year. Smart, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation with heritage from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) as well, did this at last year’s Cherokee Skate Jam.
Aaron Ira Smart, one of the organizers of this year’s Cherokee Skate Jam, does a trick in between rounds at the 2023 event. This year’s event is set for Wednesday, Oct. 2. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
He, along with Anita Lossiah, of the Elawodi (Yellowhill) Community Club, are the main organizers of this year’s event that is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 2 at the Cherokee Action Sports Park (Ayvdagwalosgiyi – “Thunder Place”) in Cherokee, N.C. The Cherokee word describes the sound that the wheels make against the concrete at the Park.
This keen event has been hosted by the Elawodi Community Club each year and is open to all skaters. Entry to the competition is free, and prizes will be awarded for beginner, intermediate, advanced/open divisions as well as an open competition for best trick. Registration will start on Oct. 2 at 9 a.m., and the competitions start with the beginner division at 10 a.m.
According to the Statista Research Dept., “In 2023, there were 8.92 million individuals who went skateboarding at least once during the year (in the United States).”
Brandon DesJarlais wrote an article for Beyond the Board entitled, “Thriving beyond the board: The surprising health benefits of skateboarding and longboarding”. In the article, he named several major benefits including: improved balance and coordination, enhanced muscle strength and endurance, and increased flexibility and range of motion.”
He went on to write, “Skateboarding is an excellent form of cardio that can help lower your risk of heart disease. While running might burn more calories per hour, skateboarding is a lower-impact activity, which can be less stressful on your joints.”
Shaun White, Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding and also a very accomplished skateboarder, said, “Skateboarding helps a ton with balance, precision, with air awareness…it gets your senses to be spot-on and it’s also a great way to take my mind off things.”
I shoot a lot of sports in my job, and skateboarding is one of my favorite sports to take photographs of. The action is intense and just simply awesome. I’d encourage everyone to give it a look at this year’s Cherokee Indian Fair.
The Skate Jam is a very welcoming event as well. Everyone is invited to come and watch for free, and everyone is invited to come and skate – no matter what level you’re at. Each year, I see the older, more experienced skaters helping the younger ones with tips and tricks. And, it’s one of the few sports where I constantly see competitors cheer on their fellow competitors. They’re genuinely happy when another competitor lands a complicated trick or tries something new. It’s a refreshing environment.
So, take a few hours on Oct. 2 and head on out to the 8th Annual Cherokee Skate Jam. You won’t be disappointed. And, if you’re a newbie to skateboarding (even if you got a board last week), bring your board and come try it out, have fun, make new friends, and learn something new.
If you have further questions on this event, call (828) 736-2698 or 736-6170.
