Scooter boys
Two students have bonded over their common interest of scootering.
April 2, 2020
Craving the thrill it provides, scootering has become a fixture in the daily routines of freshman Lake Brace and sophomore Jace King. Brace said he got into it because of his experience with skateboarding as a kid and has since shifted to scootering for the past four years.
“I rode a skateboard for a long time, probably two years, and then one of my friends got a scooter and I tried it,” Brace said. “It was fun so I decided to get one.”
Brace is part of a scootering group, riding with anyone who shows up at the skate park adjacent to the Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex. According to Brace, the group’s competitive nature is a big part of the group, with members always trying to outdo each other. However, Brace said this does not take away from the enjoyment of the activity, citing that it is still “really fun.”
Similarly, King said scootering has allowed him to forge new friendships after moving here over the summer. Around three years ago, King met someone who was riding scooters, which immediately ignited his interest to get a scooter.
“Scootering has [really] helped me,” King said. “Moving here as a new kid, I went to the skatepark and met some friends.”
The activity has allowed King to build relationships with new people, saying that there is an entire scootering community on social media. King said he uses hashtags as a way to increase his followership and share his passions. Gathering more than 6,000 followers on his Instagram, @jacek1ng, the scootering community has taken notice.
The activity brings people together around one common interest, King said, making it an ideal resource to build relationships with others, whether it be through social media or in real life.
“Scootering brings people together,” King said.
Despite some safety risks that come with scootering, Brace said he has been able to stay relatively injury-free, with his worst injury being to one of his shins.
“I don’t really fall that much, but [my worst injury] is probably doing a trick really high in the air and just coming around and hitting my ankles or my shin,” Brace said.
Michelle Brace, Brace’s mother, said her main concern when her son rides is possible head injury and she prefers her son to wear a helmet. While scootering is not a particularly dangerous activity, Michelle said the necessary safety equipment should still be worn.
“We have to buy insoles and stuff for his shoes because it’s hard on your heels,” Michelle said. “Anything you get into, you need stuff like that.”
Brace and King said they will keep scootering in hopes of earning a brand sponsorship. Creating their respective Instagrams, the pair have found a platform to showcase their skills. They hope that getting their name out there will lead to sponsorships from companies to potentially fund college and beyond.
Optimistic about their future in the scootering community, both King and Brace say they will continue scootering in the future.
“I just love riding with my friends, just having fun,” King said. “I’m just gonna keep having fun until someone recognizes me.”
