Mike French words and photos by Jorge Gomez

Inline skating has quickly become a very competitive sport. Kids are starting to skate at a younger age and developing their skills so quickly that it may be hard to keep up with them at times. This sudden boom makes you think about who the next great talent is going to be. So what is the definition of a great skater? A true definition may be hard to come by, but words like creativity, style, personality, and fearlessness all come to mind. Minnesota is lucky to have many skaters that fit this definition, but one name that always sticks out is Mike French. He posseses the qualities and talent that most kids can only dream about having. Go big or go home is the way Mike skates. Adding to his balls out way of skating and his knack for doing tricks that any other skater would never dream of trying, is his fluidity and style. It all comes out when he skates. He'll open up his arsenal of tricks and leave those that have witnessed his skills, with their mouths open and their hearts telling them that this kid is the future of rollerblading. Mike's life revolves around skating. His mind is constantly working, trying to come up more tricks to master and bigger gaps to attempt, he is truly living the sport and lifestyle that comes along with inline skating. Although Mike is young and still developing himself as a person, he has made a large impact on the lives of the people he skates with, in his home called the Twin Cities. As a skater with merely 17 years under his belt, it would be hard to find someone else with more passion and love for the sport of rolling than his.