During these last six years that I've been skating, I daresay that I've spent more time on my skates than on my own two feet. That's why I tell nervous storeowners, clerks, and security guards that I'm more likely to have an accident while walking than while on skates.

Most competitors that I'm up against nowadays have literally been skating since before they even learned how to walk, so it's no wonder I've never seen any of them go down in a race. After all, when's the last time you saw a pedestrian fall while just plain walking down the sidewalk?

I overcame my initial fear of falling by turning skating into a game. Together with in-line pioneers Bill LeBon, Eric Grossman, and Ian MacLean, we zipped and dodged and darted and swerved while playing in-line soccer with a tennis ball. During prolonged study breaks, we'd set up two narrow goals and the only rules were no guarding the goal and no contact. Time would slip by unnoticed.

Ultimately, this game helped boost my confidence level because it increased my agility and finesse on skates, preparing me for many situations where quick reactions were necessary. After a short while I was able to turn and stop and kick and change directions at will. Most importantly, like a cat always landing on all fours, I acquired the skills to be able to recover from potential mishaps. Why use your pads when you can stay on your feet?

Another game which improved my overall agility was sharks and minnows -- really just a glorified game of tag. We'd set up a space with boundaries, designate one person "it", and chase or be chased for all we were worth. The fear of getting caught made me forget about the potential for falling. Then when I did fall in the normal course of playing, I was so relaxed I never would hurt myself.

Some falls are unavoidable. Recently I was skating a sinuous stretch of bright sunny road in Ranchos Palos Verdes and entered into a shady turn that I hadn't noticed was still wet. I was down before I knew it, and even though I was traveling in excess of 25 miles per hour, I emerged virtually unscathed because I was programmed to roll out of it. By rolling to a stop I distributed the impact over my whole body instead of unnecessarily abrading any one patch of skin.

By playing these games you can conquer your fear of falling by ameliorating your reflexes and sense of balance. As a result, you'll become much more comfortable and confident on your in-line skates. This newfound trust in your own abilities will translate into sheer, unbridled enjoyment -- the ultimate raison-d'etre of sport in my book. Furthermore, you'll know you'll have overcome your in-line insecurities when instead of seeing the danger in a piece of pavement you'll see nothing but unlimited possibility.