TheJakartaPost
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Indonesian skateboarders strive to roll through the pandemic
Although skateboarding’s popularity cannot be compared to other mainstream sports such as soccer and badminton, Indonesian skateboarders have recorded remarkable achievements at numerous global events.
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Passing it on: A Green Skate School teacher with a young student. (Green Skate Lesson/Courtesy of Green Skate Lesson)
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kateboarding has gained popularity in big cities like Jakarta, with growing numbers of skate enthusiasts and skateparks popping up across the capital. The chance to explore outdoor areas while staying active and hanging out with friends is what makes skateboarding attractive — at least until the pandemic struck.
Since March 2020, the government has imposed social distancing and other pandemic measures in a bid to control the virus from spiraling out of control, including crowd limitation and curfews.
The measurements and the ever-growing fear of catching COVID-19 have stopped people from going out and visiting public places. It has become a challenge to stay fit while also avoiding contact with the real world.
But months into the pandemic, Jakarta skateboarders have found a way to keep on rolling through the crisis and, incredibly, gain more enthusiasts.
Pandemic effect
During the pandemic, most skateparks close at 9 p.m., according to skating instructor Diaz. Tony’s wife Lea Aprilia also told The Jakarta Post that skate parks were completely closed during large-scale social restriction (PSBB), forcing skaters to train online.
“At first, we trained online during the restriction. But now, our activities have gone back to normal [but] with health protocols,” Lea said on June 5.
