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Dec 2002
With this article, we kick off a series showcasing notable Skating Seniors who shine as examples of the saying "age ain't nothing but a number." SENIORS LIVING LONGER, HEALTHIER In today's athletic skate world you find not only the young in age but the young in spirit as well who sometimes have just as much (if not more) energy, zest and enthusiasm for the sport. Enter Edna Davoll, 65, of the Bronx New York, who has been described as a friendly, cheerful, athletic woman whose body is in better shape than many 20 year olds. She first tried skating as a child in Columbia, South Carolina when metal skates were attached to your shoes and skaters needed keys to adjust them. Edna did not like those skates very much especially since it was so easy to lose the keys. She soon forgot about skating and pursued other activities. In her early 30's, Edna took up the sport of skiing. Skiing was a lot of fun but the only thing she did not like about it was the hassle of having to transport and wear all the necessary equipment. With skating, you simply put on skates and you're off, while skiing requires not just skis but poles, boots, jackets, hats, gloves, sunglasses, etc. In spite of that, she stayed with skiing until her return to roller skating years later. RETURN TO THE ROLLER RINK Edna did not put on another pair of skates until she was in her 40's and living in New York. One night a friend called and encouraged her to come skating. Edna thought her friend was nuts but she decided to take her up on the offer. "I went to [the Village] after work and saw this place that was about as big as a living room, lights blinking, music going, skaters going round and round and naturally I got those rental skates on and it was fun," she recalled. She enjoyed herself so much that the next day she went out and bought her very own pair of skates. That small rink (Waverly Place) became her Friday night entertainment spot for the next five years until it closed down. After the closure, she took a seven-year hiatus to participate in other activities like a local marathon. MARATHON WINNER
She admits the course was very challenging but the satisfaction of completing it and even coming out a winner is something she will never forget. "You had to deal with the streets so it was pretty rough, jumping over potholes and whatever else, but I survived. It was invigorating and fun," she said excitedly. To her disappointment, the annual event was canceled after 1991 and has not been held since. A few years later she returned to rink skating after finding a very nice one that was home to a dedicated group of adult skaters who skated on Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights. Soon they began visiting rinks in New Jersey and other parts of New York. At the time, there were a large number of rinks to choose from and that is one reason Edna believes roller skating was and is highly popular in the area. "It is a fact that we had quite a few rinks at one time and they were filled. I don't care what night you went there was a large population there and as people matured they stayed with it. New York was persistent with their skating, they took it seriously," she said. SKATE TRAVELS
"I think a lot of the gentlemen out there improvised. You would see them on skates similar to skateboards but not that gigantic. They had manufactured their own wheels and skates. It was amazing!" she said. Later skate trips took her to Cincinnati, Boston, St. Louis and "all over." Whenever she travels, she takes her skates along and never hesitates to find out where the nearest rink is. ALL IN THE FAMILY Edna's love for skating and her skate family has caused some friction with her biological family in the past. At one point, she even had the family reunion scheduled around one of her skating affairs. Her four brothers and their wives did not understand at first but now they do and are considerate of her passion. They have even taken time to watch her skate and have nothing but compliments for her. They know that skating is not just exercise for Edna, it is her enjoyment and fun and she benefits from it mentally as well as physically. "Edna has always been someone to look up to over the years," says Antionette, her 39-year old niece. "She has always been someone to seek advice from, to reach out to for comfort and generally be a go-to person. It was hard to understand her passion for skating in the beginning because she always wanted to find a rink. No matter where we were, no matter what we were doing, she always had to find a rink for at least one night that she was there. When I went to the rink and saw her whipping around, doing dance moves that I could only wish to do on a dance floor, I understood. She's wonderful and her physical health is a testimony not only to us, the ones who love her best, but everyone else as well. She not only looks great but she feels great. And that makes all the difference in the world!" Edna still skates twice a week (Sunday and Thursday nights) and recalls vividly the times she used to skate five nights per week. However, due to the fact that many rinks closed over the years leaving only a few that have established adult nights, she along with many New York skaters do not skate as often as they used to and they also tend to avoid sessions that cater to the younger crowd. YOUTHFUL ENTHUSIASM AND ACCIDENTS Edna admires the enthusiasm of younger skaters (age 18-21) but notices that sometimes they are so happy to be doing their own thing that they are not very concerned about others around them. This is noticeable with the habit some have of cutting through the middle of the floor (a practice not necessarily limited to the younger skaters). Edna has witnessed a number of injuries result from a skater doing this and causing someone else to fall who may be in the middle performing dance steps. Other than minor distractions like these, however, she finds rink atmosphere to be "terrific" with most people showing consideration to their fellow skaters. She has encouraged many younger skaters to begin traveling to visit out of state rinks and those who have responded are happy to be able to "represent" with Edna and the numbers of other skaters from the area who love traveling to various skate functions throughout the country. IT'S IN THE GENES Edna makes it very clear how much skating means to her by the enthusiastic tone of her voice and the excitement that emanates from her as she talks about her favorite pastime. Although skating is the main factor in her good health, youthful appearance and vitality, she also credits a healthy diet (consisting primarily of fresh fruits and vegetables) and also her weekly aerobics and body sculpting classes. Edna also loves cycling, another sport she has actively practiced for many years now. In 2001 and 2002 she participated in the Tour de Bronx, that city's largest free bicycling event. She was thrilled to complete the 40-mile course and to ride with so many fun loving people including quite a few energetic seniors. If you think Edna went home after those races and called it a day, think again. The races were held on Sunday mornings/afternoons and after resting up a few hours after them, she headed back out the door for her regular Sunday night activity. Getting her roll on was a fitting way to celebrate completing the Tours. She plans to participate in the event again in 2003. There are two other keys this active woman credits for her stamina:
the hereditary factor and the unseen things she can only be grateful for.
"I'm blessed. It's in the genes. I get a lot of compliments,
but, it just comes naturally. The only thing I can say, the only
thing that I absolutely know for sure is that I'm truly blessed."
- Kim Muhammad -
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