ARE you looking to become Australia\u2019s next Olympic skateboarder, but need a little more practice at the park first?<\/p>\n
A series of free, beginner friendly skateboarding lessons at Eaglehawk Skatepark could help you get there.<\/p>\n
The All Aboard Skateboarding Sessions run by YMCA are scheduled for Saturday, 21 and 28 August from 10am \u2013 12pm, and operations director of the YMCA\u2019s action sports team Matthew Brett said they provide an inclusive learning environment for first-time skaters of all ages.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about getting down to the skate park, including anybody and everybody who wants to give it a shot and really promoting the positives of skateboarding,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to have any exposure to skateboarding in any way to be able to participate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have very experienced coaches so as far as the skill level, we will incorporate people who are a bit more skilled on the board as well as the people who are literally stepping on the board for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Brett said the addition of skateboarding to this year\u2019s Olympics had changed the landscape of the sport and its popularity was booming, particularly among children.<\/p>\n
\u201cSkateboarding has been on an upward trajectory for quite some time now and the Olympics definitely skyrocketed that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the Olympics, people are going out and buying their kids boards and they don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing, or they don\u2019t know where to start so that\u2019s where we really come in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do start very slowly if we\u2019ve got very inexperienced kids. We\u2019re going to start on the grass, we\u2019re going to teach them the fundamentals so that they can have an enjoyable experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s some game-based learnings and they\u2019re going to learn those initial skills, how to step onto the board, how to stand on it correctly, how to step off the board safely, how to fall down if you are going to fall down.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very inclusive as opposed to some more advanced lessons. It\u2019s really about giving everybody the opportunity to jump on a board and see if they like it and have some fun.\u201d<\/p>\n