Writer's Club #10: Skateboarding, The Accidental Teacher

Include this article in your Skills Builder Journal. It could help you develop.. 

A little while ago, we held a competition to create a new club of writers. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be introducing you to our winners, and the entries they submitted that got them their spot! This entry was submitted by Imogen and is all about how skateboarding taught them some major life lessons…

I’ve been at the skatepark for an hour. There are two kids on scooters who keep whistling past me slightly too close, and the sun is beating down on the concrete. I’ve been trying to learn to kickflip for about a week now and my legs are both covered in blue bruises. For what feels like the millionth time I jump and try to flick the board over and for what feels like the millionth time it crashes into my leg and I stumble forward to recover my balance. I am hot and I am cross. Then, I see a little girl wearing a pink princess dress and very cool rainbow sneakers standing at the top of the tallest ramp watching me and the scooter boys. She turns to her mum and shouts “look Mum there is a girl skateboarder!” Suddenly I feel amazing.

The second I bought a skateboard and walked down the road with it under my arm I felt like the coolest person around. After falling off many times I realised the huge impact it was having on both my knees (wear pads to start!) and my general wellbeing. A piece of wood on wheels is very good fun but it is also an excellent teacher. Here are some of the things I’ve learnt:

Lesson 1:  Expect failure before success. No one lands a trick on their first try. The more you fail the more likely you are to succeed on the next attempt.

Lesson 2: Hard work pays off. The more time I spent practicing ollies the better I got at them. And just like how everyone pretends they haven’t revised and then gets full marks, everybody who rocks up to the skatepark and ollies around the place like a pro has probably had a step-ladder wedged across the top of two wheelie bins and used it to hold onto while they practice for weeks at home. Or maybe that’s just me. 

Lesson 3: Love being with yourself. Although you can go out and skate with friends, skateboarding is an individual sport, so you quickly develop perseverance and self motivation when spending hours falling over in a carpark by yourself. 

Lesson 4: Do things that scare you. Standing at the top of a ramp, looking down and being terrified, but going down it anyway, has taught me that you can overcome fear in all aspects of life. Doing something that scares you gives a huge sense of achievement and motivation for the next challenge that you choose to take on.

Lesson 5: Be brave. Don’t be deterred by the group that looks like they own the skatepark. There is an unspoken rule of taking turns on obstacles in the skatepark and you deserve a go as much as anyone else. If you don’t like it when it’s busy, try a different time. My local skatepark is always empty in the mornings.

But skateboarding isn’t just about learning. Going out there on your board is a lot of fun and hugely rewarding even if you’re not learning new tricks. Nothing feels better to me than giving advice to parents about how to buy their daughter a board, or encouraging someone to go down a ramp. Finally landing a trick you have been working on for weeks is a reminder that practice does pay off, and the happiness from that can last for days. Going out to skate without a team, coach or opponents doesn’t mean it is a lonely sport either,  there is a strong community at every skatepark who are always excited to see new people learning, and are happy to give you tips on how to learn new tricks. It is also a great workout for cardio-vascular fitness, strength and balance. This improves your mental and physical health, and for many people is more fun than running or cycling. 

So, how do you get started? Well, it’s simple! 

First, buy a skateboard. Then go somewhere smooth and flat. Put one foot on the front of the board, push on the floor with the other, lift and put that foot on the back of the board, and wow, now you can skate! Next, find some inspiration from skate videos on YouTube. I recommend looking up Vanessa Torres, Leo Baker and Rodney Mullen. Then it’s time to start learning some tricks. Start with an ollie and going down small ramps, then work your way up as you get more comfortable. And finally, don’t give up! Even if you can’t do something even after a long time of trying. Pause on that for a while, start learning something else, and then go back to it when you’re ready. 

Once you feel confident with your board, go to the skatepark and start skating! The feeling of finally landing a trick mixed with the endorphins from exercising is unbeatable. You will get some great pictures for your Instagram, and soon all your friends will be asking you to teach them how to skate. Your fitness will improve, so will your confidence and overall wellbeing. You may get bruised legs but you will also gain independence, determination and a lot of life skills!

Check out some of our other Writers’ Club winning submissions! Here’s Rhyia’s piece on the balance between having fun and managing your anxiety, and Eve’s piece on tackling the climate crisis.