Since its invention and popularization, the skateboard has become a standard item of equipment for young Americans. Today, with skateboarding as popular as it has ever been, the skateboard can be seen as an icon of youthful energy and adventurousness. The skateboard was originally conceived as a means of surfing outside of water. In the late 1950s, Californian surfing enthusiasts, frustrated that the weather and waves were not always suitable for surfing, began nailing the …showed first 75 words of 313 total…

…showed last 75 words of 313 total…sewer pipes, were succeeded by specialized skateboarding parks, in which formal competitions could be held. After suffering lapses in popularity at the end of the 70s and 80s, skateboarding has recently made a comeback as both a pastime and a sport, thanks in part to the popularity of its kindred sport of snowboarding. At the moment, skateboarding is the nation's sixth largest participant sport, and is likely to remain a centerpiece of American youth culture.