Parents – buying a skateboard for kids

Skateboarding's fun for young ones too!

Browsing the content from our coaches manual below, you’ll see that it’s easy to make the mistake of buying a “toy” skateboard at a big box store or sporting goods store. A new skater, especially those who are smaller in size, perhaps ages 4 through 8, can benefit from having a “real” skateboard, and one that’s sized-down. At a skateshop, you can find a “mini,” or a smaller skateboard for kids.

The biggest problem with the imitation skateboards you can find at non-skateshops, is that the trucks don’t turn as well as real skateboard trucks, and the bearings don’t spin as well. These two factors hinder the new skateboarder’s learning almost immediately, making it harder for them to learn how to turn the board. Kids on these “toys” will also form the bad habit of bracing against wheel that don’t roll freely, hindering their learning later, and promoting falls that could have been prevented had they been on a real skateboard from the beginning.

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Fort Collins pool skating

Pivot on Head

I was skating the other day in Fort Collins, Colorado – there’s this great new park with a backyard pool replica – and learned how to go over the stairs in the shallow end. We were skating with some local kids when I had this idea: could I use someone’s head to pivot around? Wouldn’t that look cool! Well, here’s the result.

Centennial Skatepark Session

The first video: Tom’s Frontside Turns – a learning process

Here’s a compilation of clips from the day:

Silverthorne Skate Camp

Here’s a short couple clips from Skate Camp day at Silverthorne, Colorado. Angus Morrison coaches some local kids.