Polson's community on wheels gather for their own party

POLSON - Seeing Mike Roullier expertly navigate the Polson skate park last weekend during Polson's SkateJam and execute tricks on his skateboard, it's hard to believe that just a few years ago, he could barely walk.

The 41-year-old from Polson broke his back and neck falling out of a window seven years ago and it took him several long months of rehab to recover from the injuries.

Two years later when his two sons, Cameron and Doran, got into skateboarding with the construction of the new skate park in Polson, Roullier joined in the fun and hasn't looked back.

"As soon as this got here, I got started skating," Roullier said. "It's a lot better than sitting on the recliner."

A former BMX bike rider and dirt biker, Roullier knows a thing or two about sports that let you catch air.

"I used to have crashes on my dirt bike that looked bad but I would get off dusting myself off and laughing," he said.

While sometimes Roullier said he catches grief from relatives about the safety concerns, he feels he's doing the right thing because it keeps him out and active.

"I know it keeps me from getting some stuff done around the house," Roullier said. "It's hard to stay away because it's so much fun."

He wasn't the only one at SkateJam having fun as several local skaters filled the Polson skate park for the annual event.

"I like getting together with people," 23-year-old Isaac Knudsen, of Polson, said. "Socializing is pretty much what skating is about and it's not much fun without it."

Fun came in the form of mini-competitions, a best trick contest, a game of SKATE and some free skating.

"I think it's great because everybody gets together and tries new stuff," 15-year-old Stanial Ferraro, of Polson, said.

According to the event's organizer, Dever Graham, local businesses provided drinks to keep the skaters hydrated.

Participants ranged in age from grade school to adults.

"It's kind of a gathering of all the local skater kids," Graham said. "Every kid knows about it."

Skateboard companies from Missoula provided free skateboards for kids that didn't have them during the event.

Twenty-year old Travis Rushing, of Polson, could be seen flying around not on a skateboard, but rather his BMX bike.

"A lot of places like Kalispell and Whitefish aren't biker friendly," Rushing said. "This is pretty sweet, I come every year."

Music ranging from electronic hip hop and reggae was played on a large sound system owned by 26-year old music producer Erik Johnson, of Polson.

"This is definitely one of my favorite events," Johnson, who does the music every year, said. "It seems like there's a group effort."

He said that the music does have a certain impact on the skaters performances and they prefer several different types of music across a wide spectrum ranging from punk rock to rap.

Much like athletes use music to get pumped up before, it can help a skater get into the right frame of mind as well.

"Anyone can come down here, get something accomplished on a certain song," Johnson said. "Music definitely makes people skate harder."

Johnson said he got his first skateboard in fifth grade and has seen plenty of skate parks but thinks Polson's is one of the best in the area.

"It's an amazing spot for these kids to have," he said. "Other parks aren't nearly as nice as this."

The smooth concrete that's consistent throughout the entire park isn't something that you'll see at other skate parks in the Northwest, some pushing a decade old in age, Johnson said.

He said he'd like to see the skate park in Polson expand and allow for more skaters, pointing to the recent expansion at the St. Ignatius skate park.

Montana has the highest skate park per capita ratio in the country, Johnson said.

"It's really starting to grow super fast," he said.

Watching the SkateJam, one could tell that while the sport is growing, a community of skaters in Polson and Lake County is growing as well.