Godfather Unveils Plan for Future of Skating

Industry News

S.F. Promoter Proposes National Network of Skate Clubs

Plan Calls for Creation of Skaters Alliance

By Robert "Just the Factoids" Burnson

The head of the California Outdoor Rollerskating Association says skate clubs and teams should form an umbrella group to spearhead efforts to rekindle inline skating in North America.

D. Miles Jr., San Francisco's so-called Godfather of Skating, proposes naming the new group the Skaters Alliance.

The alliance, he says, would serve as a "supporting partner" for local skate clubs and teams.

It would work with them to build membership, organize events, obtain liability insurance and push for skate-friendly laws.

Miles proposed the new group in a 2400-word master plan that he posted Saturday on the rollerskating association's web site.

He says he hopes the plan will spark a discussion about what kind of organization should be created to fill the void left behind by the International Inline Skating Association (IISA).

"I haven't seen anyone talking about this," says Miles. "So I thought I would just throw it out there and see what happened."

The IISA closed its doors last December, leaving the North American skate community adrift.

Miles believes that with a strong umbrella organization, skating will start growing again in North America.

Zephyr Adventures owner Allan Wright organized a meeting in Duluth, Minn., last September to talk about plans for a new skate organization. But Miles is the first to throw out a proposal for a new group.

Under Miles' plan, the Skaters Alliance would be supported by membership dues. All members of associated skate clubs and teams would be members of the alliance. Ten dollars of their local dues would be forwarded to the national group.

Miles' plan doesn't address the issue of how the alliance would be governed.

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(posted on Nov. 14, 2005)

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