However, that's not the case anymore. You see, skating has now evolved into a career for the 19-year-old Matthews. There are appearances and competitions galore, not to mention the hours of training and preparation. There are the meetings with sponsors and media people, all wanting a piece of her time.
And then, there's the tour, the endless travel from point to point, all across the nation.
In the past month alone, Matthews has traveled to competitions in Milwaukee, Boston, Bristol, Connecticut and Dallas.
Just don't mention the latter stop.
"That was a nightmare," Matthews said. "It was horrible. I don't even want to talk about what happened in Dallas."
The travel sometimes becomes a grind, but Matthews understands that it's all part of being one of the nation's most successful female in-line skaters. She's considered among the top five stunt skaters in the world.
"The best thing I have is skating with my friends," Matthews said. "I skate even better when I'm not on tour, just having fun with my friends."
Later this week, Matthews will hook up once again with her skating buddies at the granddaddy of all in-line skating events, the X Games, which were set to begin Saturday at the First Union Complex in Philadelphia. The event, televised nationally by ESPN, features all the best extreme sports - namely skateboarding, street luge, downhill BMX bicycle racing, motocross cycling and a variety of stunt in-line skating, which, of course, is Matthews' forte.
The women's in-line park skating, called "vert," as in vertical objects, will take place on Saturday, Aug. 18. It will mark the fourth time that Matthews has participated in the X Games. In 1997, she participated for the first time, but failed to earn a medal. After missing the 1998 X Games with an injury, Matthews took home a silver medal in 1999 and a bronze medal last year - both of which were held under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
"It's like going from the Golden Gate Bridge to cheesesteaks," said Matthews, referring to the sandwiches that Philadelphia made famous.
Matthews likes her chances to do well this weekend, perhaps getting the opportunity to grasp her first X Games gold. She finished first in the most recent Inline Skating Series CORE Tour event at the South Street Seaport in New York two weeks ago, in her last tune-up before the X Games.
"It's been a good year for me," Matthews said. "I feel like I'm ready to do real well this time at the X Games. I already have the silver and the bronze. Maybe this year I can get the gold. I feel confident. I don't even worry anymore. I just go out there, wanting to have fun. Whatever happens, happens. If I can't have fun, then what good is it?"
Matthews, who graduated from Hoboken High School last year but has put off career plans and college to concentrate on professional skating, said that she doesn't feel any pressure to perform well at competitions like the X Games, which are widely viewed by an ever-growing audience of fans.
"I don't think it is pressure from anyone, just expectations," Matthews said. "The only pressure is the pressure I put on myself. Skating is a growing sport and the competition is getting tougher, so I have to stay at the top of my game."
Got a contract
Matthews has a contract with two skating sponsors - K2 Skates and Triple 8, which make helmets, pads and protective skating gear. She is in good standing with her sponsors, who provide her with a monetary bonus if she performs well at the big-time competitions, like the X Games.
The only aspect to being a professional skater that Matthews doesn't like is the unfair treatment from the television networks that Matthews feels women skaters receive.
For example, ESPN did not televise any live coverage of the women's vert skating competition last year. It's unsure what the network plans to do this year.
"If they scheduled our event on the same day as the men's, then it would definitely get on TV," Matthews said. "We don't receive the same representation on television. Everything would be dandy if we did. Because of it, other people look at the fact that we're not on live and say that we're not good enough. And that's just not true."
Matthews said that she tries to skate each and every day. Of course, it's difficult to find the proper place to attempt the jumps and the skating surfaces that Matthews generally likes to try in a city like Hoboken.
"I saw a new rail near Hoboken High School that I want to try," Matthews said. "Maybe near those new condos that they're building. I might try that next. But I like to skate rails and there aren't many around here, so I got to a skating park in New York [108th Street and Riverside Drive, near Columbia University], where they have rails and ramps."
Added Matthews, "I've done a lot of dangerous things in my day, doing big spins, jumping from one object to another. The crazy things don't bother me at all. What bothers me is that kids are now jumping off roofs or moving cars, things that no one ever thought would happen. It's like they're Evel Knievel. I know I'm not going to die doing what I do."
Matthews was asked how much longer she could compete and make a living out of being a professional skater.
"I think a lot about what I'm going to do next," Matthews said. "I know I can't do this forever. But I know I could never do a nine-to-five job, sitting at a desk, commuting for no reason. That's just not met. I don't want to be normal. Until everyone stops skating, then I'll definitely keep going. What keeps the sport alive is the young kids and the interest they have. I'm constantly signing autographs. I never say no to an autograph. I think I'd even be skating if there wasn't a tour."
Added Matthews, "It's weird, but when I was a kid, I used to look up to this skater Arlo Eisenberg. I was so excited when I was 12 and I had my picture taken with him. Now, we hang out together and skate together. I think I've been able to move forward with the whole tour."
Matthews' mother, Diane, still travels to the events and prays that disaster doesn't strike in the form of an injury.
"Every year, it keeps getting tougher for her and she's still out there, kicking butt," Diane Matthews said. "I'm scared to death when I watch her, because I'm afraid she's going to get hurt. But she's having good, clean fun with good people. That's the most important thing."
Matthews is happy that this year's X Games are so close to home.
"There will be a bunch of my friends that will be able to come, as well as other people I know who can come and watch," Matthews said. "It was a little tough when the Games were in San Francisco. In this area, there will be a whole different crowd, a different vibe. I'm really excited about it."
Added Matthews, "I've learned to deal with the professional work side, with the appearances and the events. But when that's over, I can go crazy and be me. If you really want to know me, you have to surprise me."
The surprise may come this weekend - in the form of an X Games gold medal.
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