Enter action sports, two words helpful for the purpose of categorization and description, yet rarely used by the general populace. Action sports, for lack of a universal description, fall into the non-team category of sports. These "sports" are pursued individually, yet done in social situations, and generally involve a degree of physical risk and adrenaline that make them intimidating to the average person. Think of skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, freestyle motocross, wakeboarding and so-on: something you'd catch during a Saturday viewing of the X-Games on TV, or see the kids in your neighbourhood kicking up a racket with (while, no doubt, engaging in some manner of mischief).

Do you have doubts that skateboarding, for example, is a sport? Many skateboarders aren't sure either, but I guarantee it involves a level of athleticism and skill equal or superior to any traditional team sport, not to mention a staggering amount of income and endorsements for those in the top professional ranks. You may also recall the Turin Olympics, when snowboarding won the ratings war thanks to the high-energy halfpipe and boardercross competitions. And you're no doubt familiar with gold medalist Shaun White as a result, who appeared on the covers of Time Magazine and Rolling Stone (bare-chested, unfortunately). And you've heard of a guy named Tony Hawk, right? Exactly.

In an earlier incarnation of Sympatico-MSN Sports, action sports was offered as a content category (or "sub channel", as its referred to within our office) alongside hockey, basketball, football, golf and so-on. From a cultural perspective, it was a little, shall we say, lame. Skaters and snowboarders rarely dabble in their pursuits; it tends to be an all-encompassing lifestyle that consumes their time and defines their identity. The least we can do is honour that dedication with how we offer content.

Enter Push.ca: a new built-from-scratch website. Instead of creating an awkward pairing of team and action sports, reminiscent of a grade nine "Stairway to Heaven" last dance, we've opted to do it right. Push.ca is your new source for action sports, specifically skateboarding and snowboarding (with more to come as the site grows), with a heavy mix of custom content that includes videos, columns, blogs, photo galleries, forums and more.

But why are we sharing this information here, within the sacred sporting ground of The Five Hole? That's because we plan to tease you with nuggets of content from Push.ca here in Sympatico-MSN Sports. And if we don't win you over in time, the very least you can do is pass the link over to your son/daughter, brother/sister, cousin/kin, friend or neighbour who might enjoy what we're offering. And in due time, perhaps you'll see a little something dedicated to the delights of ballroom dancing. When, you know, hell freezes over.

www.push.ca