Safe learning at the skate park

When young and inexperienced skateboarders come to the Thunder Bay Skate Park, they’re seeing skaters of all different skill levels and often don’t realize how tough some of the tricks are.

"The big guys jumping down the big things looks like a lot of fun, but they don’t understand their capacity," said Angelo Daniele, a Thunder Bay Youth Zone skateboard instructor. "That’s how a lot of injuries occur on a day-to-day basis because the kids step up to obstacles they’re not ready for."

To help teach and encourage novice skaters, Youth Zone is partnering with the Thunder Bay Skateboard Coalition and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit with a poster campaign and ambassador program at the skate park.

"We’re trying to make this sport less intimidating for people to try," said the skateboard coalition’s John Kelly. "A lot of people tried skateboarding before, slipped like a banana peel, fell on their butt and never wanted to try it again. We want kids to try, get more confidence … so if they fall, they’ll be able to get back up instead of calling it a day."

This summer on Mondays and Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m. Youth Zone will have two certified instructors at the park teaching newcomers to the sport not only the basics of skateboarding but how to stay safe, including how to properly fall.

"That’s step one," said Daniele.

Helmets are definitely No. 1 when it comes to safety, but pads for elbows, knees and wrists are also recommended, especially for beginners.

"It’s a human reflex to stop yourself on your wrists and a lot of injuries are caused like that," Daniele said. "Knee pads are good too because when you fall a good way of learning is to slide out on your knees."

The health unit helped the skateboard coalition make posters featuring a young boarder sporting all the safety gear with the slogan ‘Falling hurts. Pain sucks. Wear the gear!"

Public health nurse Marita Campbell said with skateboarding, there are going to be injuries but helmets and pads will help minimize those injuries.

And while some skaters, say the risk is half the fun, the campaign’s poster boy Dakota White told Campbell he’s a better skateboarder when wearing the gear.

"He says when he’s doing a trick, he doesn’t have to worry too much about the fall," she said. "He knows he can roll out or slide out if he’s wearing the appropriate gear."