This is a 100% fact. You need to have a natural atheticism that few possess! When I was a kid in the late 80s/early 90s, I had such a passion for skateboarding. I got every copy of Thrashing and Transworld. I watched every skate movie I could. My parents were kind enough to buy me a Tony Hawk board, tracker trucks (I think) and some good wheels. I had the skater shoes and gear. I watched all of the Powell Videos that I could find to rent at our local Video Rental stores. My best friend had a Vision Street Wear GATOR board. We spent hours every day skating. I was the little chubby kid who could ride (as in, roll across the ground and keep my balance) really good, and could keep up doing that...but even after a year could barely ollie, and just had zero athleticism/ coordination betwen my brain and legs/feet to do anything. I had an overabundance of natural hand-eye coordination, so I can't complain.
We went to a huge skatepark in Nashville one day in maybe 1990, and after watching some other kids on the ramp I decided to give it a go. I give myself an A for guts (or stupidity)...but I went down hard, knocked the breath out of me. I was laying on the ramp trying to breath as I felt like I had broken my back. Some of the younger skaters were yelling "Get the f off of the ramp, poser!" (and I WAS, but just didn't know it), but one of the best skaters at the park came down off of the huge half pipe, and helped me off (which quieted the others) and helped me compose myself (once I could breath I started crying). He was really cool. I went inside, called my mom to come get me, and said "F this"... that was the end of my skating career. LOL! I had other friends that were killing it after a FEW MONTHs. I still loved skating as a sport - but you either have it or you don't. I didn't even have a 10th of it for skating, LOL. I have a good friend who is in his 40s like me. He has a mini ramp in his backyard and still skates everyday..and posts videos to facebook. He still has it...and can still take the spills without needing an ambulance!