Heelys’ popularity rolls on

I have to admit that I wasn’t paying attention to the first conversation in my house about Heelys sneakers.

My family might tell you that I am not a good listener, but I would counter with the fact that I absorb, then respond.

With Heelys, I didn’t have much choice.

Seven-year-old Nate and his mom were shopping the other day, and my cell phone rang. It was Nate.

“Dad, can I have a pair of Heelys?”

Well, knowing what I know about them, this was my response.

“I want to see them first,” I said. And so I did.

Essentially, sneakers with rear wheels, these unique shoes were invented by a gentleman named Roger Adams after watching kids roller skating up and down the street one day while he was on vacation in 2000. Mr. Adams decided he could change common kid footwear like the sneaker into a fashionable version which can roll the wearer along with a simple shift of weight.

According to sportsunlimitedinc.com, “heeling is the newest form of transport. In their first year of existence, 1.25 million pairs of the shoes were sold worldwide.”

Today, Heelys are sold in 30 countries around the world. Celebrities as popular as Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal are wearing them, and a recent survey of local sporting goods dealers in Bangor found that they may be the hottest sports apparel footwear in town.

In fact, one dealer told this scribe that he sells them “as fast as we can get them.” That particular afternoon, he had just sold his last pair. Another call resulted in this: “We’ve been averaging one pair sold every four minutes.” With that, I bagged a size 3, raced eagerly to the store, and made a first-grader very happy.

Of course, there are necessary accessories for use with these sneaks.

Elbow, wrist, and kneepads are standard equipment for all users, especially beginners. Toss in a helmet – a must – and the young skater is ready to attack the pavement, or the kitchen floor, for that matter.

According to tween-trends.com, there are several advantages to wearing this shoe.

Primarily, they are stylish. Obviously, offering a variety of colors will enhance sales, but the convenience of transferring weight and creating a different shoe is the key item which attracts users.

Make no mistake, it takes practice to train oneself to become comfortable with these shoes. One foot in front of the other creates proper balance for stopping and starting.

Users are also advised to find some place with a rail to hold on to, especially in early use. Nate and his mother were a good team because she could guide him while the technique was being mastered.

I couldn’t help thinking about my old skateboard days, watching the two of them in the driveway.

Were a pair of Heelys waiting for Shelly Mother’s Day morning?

Nope. She’s a golfer. Enough said about that.

Yes, Heelys arrived at our house a few days ago. Now, if we could just fix those potholes in our neighborhood.

30-Second Time Out

With inclement weather indigenous to these parts, I thought of Husson College’s legendary baseball coach John Winkin and his plans a number of years ago for a domed stadium in Bangor.

The good doctor settled for a beautiful facility without a dome with artificial grass, or Field Turf.

But recent rain – which, for the record, we needed – puts outdoor schedules in a mess and gives pause for rethinking Dr. Winkin’s idea. Can you imagine what a facility like that would do for outdoor sports in this area?

BDN columnist Ron Brown, a retired high school basketball coach, can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net