Roller skating may seem like a fun pastime but it has developed into a competitive sport in the last few years, with three teams from Skatescool Tauranga having gone to Nationals back in 2020.
Skatescool Tauranga founder Kazna De Roles told Saturday Breakfast's Nigel Yalden that the rising sport brings a lot of joy to those who partake in it.
"Roller skating is great because it's not necessarily competitive," said De Roles.
"As soon as you strap on those skates, you just feel that freedom and that joy.
"You never see somebody sad on roller skates."
It is still a challenge to have specialised roller skating rinks in New Zealand. Skatescool Tauranga has overcome this obstacle by creating a "real home base which really grew the sport."
"Skatescool is very unique in the fact that we literally just had a giant building and set it up ourselves.
"Most places across New Zealand had like council venues or something but that help support the clubs, whereas my business basically just did it all on its own and built it because we had the public systems that we could play through to classes and things."
The local Tauranga skate school is growing more every year and continues to evolve both the recreational and competitive side of roller skating.
Listen to the full interview between Skatescool Tauranga founder Kazna De Roles and Nigel Yalden above.
You can also download the full interview on the Saturday Breakfast, and listen on the go. Download the rova app on apple or android to listen to this podcast on the go, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.
