times two

Second lesson and it went great. Everyone was letting it all out, going for it, and killing it! My tiniest gal just bombed off the quarter in the street park tonight. She held on, stayed low, fell the first couple of times, and then nailed it, supermanning on the flat. She got scared at how fast it went, so I caught her and slowed her down after, cos that superman move looked painful, even if it wasn't for her in her full pads. Teen gal's mom showed up early with a camera again, I thought I explained last time about last lesson for photo ops. We need to get some confidence first! Poor girl just switched off. She was really trying for most of the lesson, getting the swing of pumping the transitions.
I gave sort of a physics lesson in both classes tonight, using a ball to demonstrate how momentum gets lost, absorbed. I'm not sure if I was clear, I should probably brush up on my basic science if I'm going to be dropping that ish. It made sense to me, the idea that we have to provide the momentum by using our bodies, our knees, our arms, our hips. It was fun. I am such a nerd.
Went over pushing from square one with the girls. Brought my homemade pipe+deck balance board so they could feel how their feet need to stay flat, why do they want to go on their toes all the time? The heelside lean I understand better, then they come and complain to me about their board always turning left. I think the balance board practice helps to make clear about heelside lean and tippy toes fails. Really trying to get across the importance of stance for balance.
Other than the awesomeness of progression tonight, my knees both ache right now, and one of the girls totally nailed me with an ankle chop while we were standing talking. Just one foot on the ground, one foot still on the board, whoop- kicked it into my ankle bone. I sucked it up and made like it didnt hurt enough to make me want to cry. Smiled and kept on talking.
Karma you nasty bitch.

HIGH KICKS '11!

Alright, it has begun!

Off to a new start in this new year with a batch of new rippers to get stoked on the feeling of four wheeling. So far we are awesome. Monday night mayhem brings one class of 5 boys, another class of 5 girls, soon to be 8 girls. Amazing.

Everyone is off to a radical start, we are all pushing strong. Need to clean up a set of bearings and find wheels for one guy whose board has no go, then collect up some wrist guards so my girls feel free to fall on their fannies. I love whoever it is that brings us the free supply of Skateboard mags, big ups! I hand them out to the newbiest newbies to read through and get acquainted with parts and pieces, the way I did to learn to put trucks on straight when I didn't know which way was up.

Letting all the ladies know about High Kicks For Skate Chicks upcoming this summer at the outdoor Lerwick Park. I'm thinking t-shirts this year. We are going to be a crazy 8's skate gang!

I wish I could take pics of these guys and gals and how hard they're working to get on board. Hopefully you will be seeing them all at a park near you soon.
Here is some great footage of the park I feel blessed to share and get to use here in Courtenay, BC.
Eisei Sugimoto, the man from Japan is here to show the kids what's up and how to charge a park proper like a freight train. I'm so glad he came!