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Die Besten Skateparks in Deutschland: Wo du richtig abrocken kannst

Yo, was geht ab, Skater-Bruder? Wenn du in Deutschland unterwegs bist und auf der Suche nach den besten Skateparks bist, dann bist du hier genau richtig! Egal, ob du ein Street-Skater, Bowl-Fan oder einfach ein Anfänger bist, in Deutschland gibt es jede Menge coole Spots, an denen du dein Board zum Glühen bringen kannst. Also schnapp dir deinen Skateboard, zieh deine Lieblings-Skateschuhe an und lass uns die besten Skateparks in Deutschland durchchecken.

1. München – Olympiapark Skatepark: Der Klassiker

Lass uns mit dem Klassiker beginnen: München und der Olympiapark Skatepark. Der Park liegt mitten im Olympiapark, einem der bekanntesten Spots in der Stadt, und ist bei Skatern aus ganz Deutschland super beliebt. Der Park ist riesig und hat alles, was das Herz eines Skaters begehrt.

Was ist gut? Du findest hier einen riesigen Streetpark mit Curbs, Rails und Treppen. Es gibt auch Bowl-Sessions und eine riesige Fläche zum Cruisen. Wenn du also auf Herausforderungen stehst, bist du hier genau richtig.
Vibe: Hier geht’s entspannt zu, aber du wirst auch einige richtig gute Skater treffen, die schon den ein oder anderen Trick draufhaben. Der Park ist ziemlich belebt, besonders an den Wochenenden.
Location: Direkt im Olympiapark, also mitten in München, was ihn super leicht erreichbar macht.

2. Berlin – Mellowpark: Der King of the Bowl

Wenn du nach Berlin gehst, darf der Mellowpark auf keinen Fall fehlen. Der Mellowpark ist einer der größten Skateparks in Deutschland und auf jeden Fall der bekannteste Spot für Bowl- und Street-Skater.

Was ist gut? Der Park hat mehrere Bowl-Anlagen, Rampen, Rails und eine richtig geile Streetarea. Wenn du also schon ein bisschen Erfahrung hast und deine Tricks auf ein neues Level bringen möchtest, bist du hier goldrichtig.
Vibe: Super coole Atmosphäre, viele kreative Skater und immer gute Stimmung. Der Mellowpark zieht sowohl Anfänger als auch professionelle Skater an.
Location: Direkt am Flaeming Skate, ein großer Skatepark in Berlin, einfach per U-Bahn zu erreichen. Ein Hotspot für alle Berliner und Gäste der Stadt.

3. Hamburg – Skatepark Bahrenfeld: Street & Bowl in einem

Hamburg ist bekannt für seine coolen Spots, und der Skatepark Bahrenfeld gehört definitiv dazu. Wenn du eine gute Mischung aus Street-Elementen und einem fetten Bowl suchst, dann ist dieser Park genau der richtige für dich.

Was ist gut? Der Park bietet Streetfeatures, wie Rails und Treppen, und einen richtig geilen Bowl für die Vert-Freaks. Es gibt außerdem einen großen Skatebereich, der auch für Anfänger geeignet ist.
Vibe: Der Park ist bei den Hamburger Skatern super beliebt, und die Leute dort sind meistens ziemlich entspannt. Du findest hier eine Mischung aus Anfängern und Profis, die zusammen abrocken.
Location: Der Skatepark Bahrenfeld befindet sich in Hamburg-West, unweit vom Altonaer Volkspark. Der Park ist einfach zu erreichen und bietet viele Möglichkeiten zum Parken.

4. Köln – Skatepark Rheinpark: Am Wasser skaten

Köln bietet den Skatepark Rheinpark, der direkt an der Rheinpromenade liegt und mit einer geilen Aussicht auf den Fluss und den Kölner Dom lockt. Dieser Park hat alles, was du für einen guten Skate-Tag brauchst.

Was ist gut? Ein großer Bowl, sowie Street-Elemente wie Rails und Ledges, machen diesen Park zu einem super Spot für alle Skater. Besonders cool ist die Lage direkt am Wasser, was das Skaten bei schönem Wetter nochmal viel mehr Spaß macht.
Vibe: Der Park hat eine entspannte Atmosphäre. Du triffst hier Leute, die einfach Spaß am Skaten haben, und das ganze Setting lädt dazu ein, den Tag zu genießen.
Location: Direkt im Rheinpark in Köln, neben dem Kölner Messegelände. Der Park ist nicht zu übersehen und leicht von der Innenstadt aus zu erreichen.

5. Frankfurt – Skatepark Eschersheimer Landstraße: Für Street-Skater und Bowl-Fans

Frankfurt bietet mit dem Skatepark Eschersheimer Landstraße einen echten Geheimtipp für Skater, die auf der Suche nach einem Ort sind, um richtig abzurocken.

Was ist gut? Der Park hat eine coole Street-Area mit vielen Rails und Curbs sowie eine große Bowl, die tief und groß genug ist, um ordentlich Höhenmeter zu machen. Die Features hier bieten für jeden etwas, vom Anfänger bis zum Profi.
Vibe: Sehr lebendige Atmosphäre, vor allem nach der Schule oder an den Wochenenden. Du wirst hier viele junge Skater treffen, die fleißig ihre Tricks üben.
Location: Direkt an der Eschersheimer Landstraße im Zentrum von Frankfurt. Easy zu erreichen, besonders mit den Öffentlichen.

6. Stuttgart – Skatepark Cannstatter Wasen: Der Space für Profis

Der Cannstatter Wasen Skatepark in Stuttgart ist ein super beliebter Spot für alle, die mehr als nur ein bisschen Street-Action wollen.

Was ist gut? Die Bowl-Anlage ist riesig und perfekt für Vert-Skater, die auf großen Transitions abfahren wollen. Auch die Street-Sektion hat einiges zu bieten, mit Rails und Treppen, die dir beim Skaten die perfekte Herausforderung bieten.
Vibe: Hier geht’s wirklich zur Sache – der Park zieht vor allem professionelle Skater an, aber auch Anfänger können sich hier austoben, wenn sie bereit sind, ihre Skills zu pushen.
Location: Direkt am Cannstatter Wasen, unweit von Stuttgart, und relativ einfach zu finden, besonders wenn du in der Nähe des berühmten Mercedes-Benz-Stadions bist.

7. Leipzig – Skatepark Lindenau: Der Hidden Gem

Leipzig hat sich in den letzten Jahren zu einer echten Skater-Hochburg entwickelt, und der Skatepark Lindenau ist definitiv ein Hotspot für die Szene.

Was ist gut? Ein kleinerer, aber sehr feiner Park mit einer tollen Mischung aus Street-Elementen und einer coolen Bowl-Anlage. Die Features hier sind gut durchdacht, und es gibt immer genug Platz zum Skaten.
Vibe: Sehr lokale, entspannte Atmosphäre. Du triffst hier viele Leipziger Skater, die ihren Park lieben und die du mit der Zeit bestimmt auch kennenlernst.
Location: Der Park liegt im Stadtteil Lindenau, relativ zentral und gut erreichbar. Auch hier gibt es viele Cafés und Spots, an denen du nach dem Skaten chillen kannst.

Fazit: Dein Perfekter Spot zum Skaten

Egal, ob du in Berlin, München oder Hamburg unterwegs bist, Deutschland hat jede Menge geile Skateparks zu bieten. Vom mega Bowl in Berlin bis zum entspannten Street-Park in Köln – hier findest du alles, was das Skater-Herz begehrt. Pack dein Board, hol dir die Crew und ab geht’s auf die Rampen! Viel Spaß und gute Vibes, bro!

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The Best Skate Parks in San Diego: Where to Shred Like a Pro

Yo, bro! If you’re in San Diego and you’re looking to hit up some of the sickest skate parks, then you’ve come to the right spot. This city is a skateboarder’s paradise, with spots for every kind of skater—from street rippers to bowl lovers and vert junkies. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been shredding for years, there’s a park here with your name on it. So grab your board, throw on your favorite tee, and let’s dive into the best skate parks in SD.

1. Mission Valley Skatepark: The Big Kahuna

Alright, first up, we gotta talk about Mission Valley Skatepark. If you’re serious about skating, this is the park to hit. It’s got everything you could possibly need—huge ramps, a killer bowl, and tons of street features. It’s kind of like the mecca for skaters in the area, and it’s got that vibe that makes you feel like you’re about to drop in and get some mad air.

What’s Good: You’ve got a massive street course, perfect for grinding ledges, rails, and stairs. Plus, there’s a bowl with deep transitions for you vert guys. Whether you’re into tech tricks or just trying to send it, Mission Valley has you covered.
Vibe: A mix of pros, locals, and new skaters. The energy is high, and everyone’s there to have a good time. Expect to see some serious tricks being thrown down.
Location: Right off I-8, easy to get to if you’re cruising through town.

2. Belmont Park Skatepark: For the Beach Vibes

Yo, if you’re near Belmont Park at Mission Beach, you gotta check out their little skate park. It’s not the biggest park in SD, but it’s got a killer location right next to the beach. So you can catch some gnarly waves, then cruise over to the park to finish your session with a perfect sunset.

What’s Good: This park’s got a rad snake run, smooth bowls, and a street section that’s perfect for practice. Plus, the view of the ocean is totally clutch.
Vibe: Super chill beach vibes. You’ll see a mix of skaters, surfers, and tourists all enjoying the good weather, so expect some laid-back fun.
Location: Right next to the beach, so it’s perfect if you’re spending the day by the ocean and want to squeeze in a skate sesh.

3. North Park Skatepark: For the Street Skater in You

If you’re all about those street-style tricks, North Park Skatepark is where you wanna be. This place is known for its sick street course—think rails, ledges, stair sets, and even some fun transitions thrown in. Whether you’re working on perfecting your kickflips or grinding that big rail, this park has it all.

What’s Good: Big ledges, fun rails, and tons of street features. Plus, there’s a mini-ramp if you wanna catch some air.
Vibe: North Park has a more downtown feel, so expect a good mix of skaters, b-boys, and local hipsters. It’s got that urban skate scene vibe, for sure.
Location: Right in the heart of North Park, so it’s easy to hit after grabbing some food or coffee from a local café.

4. La Jolla Shores Skatepark: Small But Mighty

Now, if you’re out in La Jolla and you don’t wanna go too far to get your skate on, check out La Jolla Shores Skatepark. It’s not the biggest park, but it’s a solid spot for a chill session. It’s got a bit of everything—a mini-ramp, a few street features, and a fun bowl.

What’s Good: Perfect if you want a quick skate sesh. The mini-ramp is smooth, and the street course has just enough to keep things interesting without feeling crowded.
Vibe: La Jolla is always laid-back, and this park’s no different. You’ll catch some younger skaters learning the ropes, but also plenty of experienced shredders dropping in on the bowl.
Location: Close to the beach, so you can skate, surf, and then grab some fish tacos after.

5. Chicano Park Skatepark: The Underground Spot

Okay, if you’re looking for a skate park with some serious culture and history, head over to Chicano Park in Barrio Logan. This park is a little hidden gem, with a wild urban vibe. It’s got a lot of graffiti art and a deep bowl that’ll give you that OG skatepark feel. It’s a spot where you’ll definitely find the locals holding it down.

What’s Good: The bowl at Chicano Park is legit, and it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s deep and perfect for vert skaters who want to throw down some serious tricks. Plus, the street course has plenty of ledges and rails.
Vibe: This park has a cool community of skaters and artists who come together to represent. The culture is super rich, and you’ll find some rad, old-school vibes mixed with newer tricks.
Location: Right under the Coronado Bridge, and the park is full of mural art that represents the Chicano culture.

6. Clairemont Skatepark: Classic California Style

If you want a classic California skatepark, Clairemont Skatepark is where it’s at. This park has been around since the 70s and has seen some of the biggest names in skating. It’s got that old-school feel, but it’s been updated to keep up with modern skating needs.

What’s Good: The bowl here is massive, with deep transitions that’ll make your legs burn in the best way. There’s also a street course that’ll keep you busy for hours.
Vibe: A mix of veteran skaters who’ve been around since the early days and new blood who’s just starting to learn the ropes. There’s always someone throwing down crazy tricks at Clairemont.
Location: Located in Clairemont, this park is close to the heart of San Diego and is easy to hit whether you’re coming from the beach or the city.

7. Skateworld San Diego: A True Vert Spot

If you’re all about the vert life, then Skateworld San Diego should be on your radar. This park is home to one of the sickest vert ramps in San Diego, so if you’re into grinding and catching air, this is your spot.

What’s Good: The vert ramp is smooth and ready for those gnarly tricks. You’ll also find a street course that’s beginner-friendly, but still fun for more advanced riders.
Vibe: A mix of old-school vert riders and younger skaters looking to learn the ropes. It’s a good spot to push yourself if you want to level up your skating skills.
Location: Located in Linda Vista, Skateworld is pretty easy to find if you’re coming from the central parts of San Diego.

Final Thoughts: Ready to Shred?

So, bro, now you’ve got a list of the best skate parks in San Diego, and it’s time to get out there and start shredding. Whether you’re hitting up the massive bowls at Mission Valley, catching some beach vibes at Belmont Park, or going for that old-school Clairemont style, San Diego’s got a skate park for every kind of skater.

Grab your board, hit the pavement, and remember—skating is all about having fun. So keep it rad, push yourself, and enjoy the ride. See you at the park!

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How To Get Better at The Mental and Physical Aspects of Skateboarding

You’ll hear many Olympic skaters say, skateboarding is just as mental as it is physical. And not just because they’re in a big skate contest but because of the sheer amount of mental and physical discipline needed to become a great skateboarder.

That being said, there are age-old secrets and tricks of the trade (pun intended) that skaters have passed on for generations. Secrets that until now have remained confined to the skatepark but GOSKATE has sourced the largest network of professional skate instructors to share with you how to conquer the mental and physical challenges to become a better skater.

“Watching a student conquer their fear is so inspiring to me,” says Rachel Douglas, our skate instructor from North Carolina. “These little girls are so brave and go on to coach each other, I love it.”

Many parents and new skaters are surprised when we promote just how much of a mental activity skateboarding is. In fact, many skaters will tell you the mental aspects of skateboarding are the greater of the two challenges.

That’s why we put it first on our list.

The Mental Aspects of Skateboarding

The physical aspects of skateboarding are hard and that’s precisely why you have to adopt a positive attitude and flexible mindset that allows you to make mistakes and more importantly, learn from them. The physical aspects will seem like the hardest at first but once you commit yourself to get better at skateboarding, the mental aspect becomes just as important.

The rewards from triumphing over these challenges are glorious and super impactful to a person’s life.

Operating in the Face of Fear

Operating in the face of fear is the most basic mental challenge in skateboarding. But our fears are pretty unique as many of them stem from failing at a trick that results in physical injury. And while skaters begin being afraid of dropping in tiny ramps or grinding small rails, they eventually, like Olympic Skaters, have to conquer new fears on bigger ramps, bigger rails with more complicated tricks. The only time you’re not afraid is when you’re not progressing. That is something that binds us all as skaters, we all deal with this fear and like a muscle, we get better at conquering it. Some kids will be more adept at this than others and for some, this is why they will quit skating. Proper safety pads and learning how to fall will be paramount for a new skater and preventing falls and the creeping fear of them but ultimately the new skater has to find the mental strength within themselves weighing their passion against the risk.

“Most students are scared at first,” says Claire Burgess, a skate instructor out of Boston. “It’s the best part of being an instructor, watching them conquer that fear and go on to easily do the things they were once scared of.”

The students who find joy in conquering their fears and connect the dots to the future of what next is possible, are the ones who get better at skateboarding the fastest.

Figuring Out Tricks and Avoiding Frustration

Many parents think skateboarding is all fun and games and while it is one of the most fun and healthy activities for your child, there will be moments of frustration. Skateboarding is hard and learning new tricks is literally creating something out of nothing. Not every kid will be able to take on this responsibility, get frustrated or even worse, bored with skating. That is another huge reason we recommend booking with a skate instructor.

It’s not as simple as the participation trophy you might get in T-Ball and the skatepark, while an obstacle course is not a playground. Additionally, while there are contests and coaches, skating is not a game with a clear objective. Skaters have to find their own way and pursue their own inspiration and path to learning new tricks, conquering fear, and developing their own style as a skater. Skateboarding will make you the happiest person in the world but there are times when skateboarding will make you angry, frustrated or sad. Which brings us to our next point.

Staying Positive and Mental Health

Skateboarding has been at the forefront of the mental health conversation for a couple years now and deservingly so –skaters have a rich community capable of impacting thousands, if not millions, of young people. We’ve been fortunate to have some amazing pro skaters speak at length and even form organizations to promote mental health in skating but it also speaks to the fact there is a real opportunity to stay positive in the face of everything skating has to offer.

“Skating has made me the happiest and angriest I have ever been,” says Jacob Paz, our skateboard instructor out of California. “I just love it so much and I know these kids too, so it’s important we teach them how to be positive in the face of frustration.”

You might want to skate so bad but are suffering from an injury or maybe you didn’t place so well in a contest or have had a difficult time learning new tricks. These are all factors a skater will have to deal with throughout their skateboarding journey. The better you get, the harder it can be. Understanding to always do your best to stay positive and check in on your mental health starting as a beginner skater, will go a long way to ensuring you love skateboarding throughout your entire ride. Staying on your board, feeling good, skating good, all of these factors will help you get better at skating.

Confidence and Avoiding Comparison

The old saying goes, comparison is the death of authenticity and this is certainly true when it comes to skating that has increasingly become more competitively focussed. Luckily, seasoned skaters like our instructors understand that all skaters are extremely different and that’s a great thing. But some young and new skaters see one skater ollieing higher than someone else, or jumping down a bigger set of stairs and start to feel jealous or bad for themselves.

Even more commonly, new skaters can be nervous at a skatepark seeing bigger, older skaters skating faster and blasting through the park without a second thought. This is probably the most common mental struggle or “fear” for the new skater and can be particularly hard for new skaters starting out in their pre-teen or teenage years. But it also represents one of the best opportunities to become a confident skater if you follow some of our trips above.

Skating with a friend, an instructor, or just knowing these people at the skatepark would rather see you fumbling trying to skate than sitting or standing around. You can always ask for help and be pleasantly surprised who might be offering to show you the ropes. Be confident, don’t compare, and implement as many of our tips above and you’ll see yourself getting better at skateboarding every session.

Your Relationship with Your Skateboard

Every skater should be developing a personal relationship with their skateboard but what exactly does that mean? Well, for starters, an adult can imagine what it’s like to have a relationship with their automobile or even their bed. It’s something that is a direct reflection of you. The state of your skateboard will resemble the current mental and often physical state you are in.

If you don’t care for your skateboard, if you misuse or misplace or mistreat it, you will essentially be dampening your ability to get better at skateboarding. You will also spend a lot of one-on-one time with your skateboard, skating down the sidewalks of your hometown and learning the grooves at your local skatepark. You will develop a keen eye of the nose and tail and when your griptape is dirty and things of this nature. Some skaters will even sleep with their skateboards right next to them or always have them on them at school.

Your skateboard can be your first love. Treat her with respect and she will respect you back. In time, you will understand this deeply and be grateful for it.

The Physical Aspects of Skateboarding

The physical aspects of skateboarding are just as important as the mental aspects of skateboarding and often go hand in hand. That being said, they are a bit easier to identify and maintain if you have a positive and determined attitude. Here are some age old secrets sourced from our GOSKATE instructors.

Know When Not To Skate:

One of the hardest things for a skater is knowing when not to skate and most days you won’t be faced with this type of decision. But every now and then when your ankle is still feeling iffy, it’s 98 degrees out or your back is still feeling tight, you’ll have to give yourself the day off. This can also be true if the skatepark is wet, crowded with bikers or some other reason a little voice in your head is suggesting a day off – know when not to skate. It’s literally a skill a part of getting better at skateboarding.

Stretch and Stay Hydrated:

We cannot stress enough the importance of stretching and staying hydrated even if it’s your first day skating. You might be starting to notice many of the physical aspects of skateboarding involve preventing injury and being able to perform –that’s precisely why we have to stretch and stay hydrated. Developing a stretch routine and always having a large water bottle on you will help you along the way. All pro skaters have a stretching routine and the best of the best even have trainers who stretch them out before and after skating. Invest in your physical health and consider buying things like a foam roller, theragun or stretching bands.

Activities Outside of Skating:

Skateboarding works certain muscles that can easily get overworked if you don’t do other activities outside of skating. Now that doesn’t mean you have to be a competitive basketball player to get better at skating but something as simple as taking a walk every morning or shooting some hoops with friends can help support some of those muscles around skating from getting too worn out. Many pro skaters will take a mile walk in the morning to loosen up some of their joint and ligaments to prevent injury. Some skaters rock climb, some skaters surf, there’s no limit to what you can do to promote physical health and getting better at skating.

Skate Enhancing Workouts:

This one might be for the older skaters out there with a gym membership but it really goes hand in hand with our previous bullet point. Skating involves a ton of muscles, your leg muscles are actually your biggest muscle group. So there’s a huge opportunity to work out those muscles and improve your ollies or leg strength. Many young skaters will be desperate to develop leg muscles to improve their skating and puberty will help with this, But in the meantime there’s plenty of skate enhancing workout involving the legs, core and even upper body tons of pro skaters share on instagram to get you better at skating.

Proper Skate Attire and Equipment:

Proper skate attire and equipment should be a no-brainer but the reality of the situation is many new skaters and their parents are throwing their kids into the skatepark with improper footwear or inadequate pads. Having the proper attire and skate equipment is going to help you get better at skating, reduce injury, and boost performance.

“There’s nothing I love more than skating with my friends, even to this day,” says Peter Rassmusen, our skate instructor out of Texas. “I hope every skate student gets the chance to become a local skater at a skatepark and make friends. You meet so many awesome people from all different backgrounds.”

Book a Free One-On-One Skate Lesson with a GO SKATE Instructor

There is no better way to get better at skateboarding than to book a one-on-one skater lesson with a GOSKATE instructor. Having a skate instructor present gives you or your loved one the confidence to try new tricks and provides a well of knowledge accessible in real time. A skate instructor has seen it all before and can anticipate the physical and mental challenges past, present and future for your skating journey.

Check out what skate instructors are available in your area today and claim your free one-on-one skate lesson while supplies last.

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Paris Olympic Skateboarding Review – The Future of Skateboarding Has Arrived

The events of Olympic Skateboarding in just its second go around has many crossroads and intersections where conversations, much like these athletes, collide and compete in a world class event. It’s no secret the first 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games were nearly eclipsed by cultural debates but it didn’t take long before the actual contests went down, and the skate world at large saw a familiar sight –a skate contest with amazing skaters.

“I was skeptical about the Olympics in 2020,” says Brayden Petering, one of our skate instructors out of Boston. “But when the games began and the contest started, me and all my friends really enjoyed it. I mean, Yuto versus Nyjah for a gold medal? C’mon.”

Since 2020, and now in our second Olympic season in the Paris 2024 games, skateboarding has taken a collective sigh of relief and it felt like our community at large could really enjoy the Olympic games without having to bring up the age-old debates. The spectacle wasn’t so much of, “What will it be like?” but moreso, “Who is going to win?” “What will the course look like?” And “Which skaters are going to make it to the finals?”

One thing for certain is the Olympic games continued to have a huge impact on the trajectory of skateboarding, from single handedly changing how the world views skaters and how skaters view themselves in 2020, to reinforcing some of the core elements of skating. For instance, skateboarding’s first pro skaters were teenagers, and this year’s Olympic podium, unlike most sports, had several teen medalists.

Additionally, the 2024 Paris Olympics introduced new skaters whose approach to learning how to skate was single handedly for the Olympics– training for something other than producing incredible street video parts. That is something that has never happened before in the history of skateboarding. Marking a turning point and representing an opportunity how one can contribute to skateboarding and quite frankly, their country’s skate community.

Of course, just like how tricks evolve, skaters get better and the competition rises, and the trends, insights, and debates have always evolved with it. But with the second season of the Olympics, this time we have the unique opportunity to see Olympic trends specifically. Not X-Games, not street league, not Dew Tour, but the Olympic trends that reach a far deeper global community than a branded contest that happens several times a year.

“My friends and I thought Nyjah was going to win Gold this year,” said Ian Loman, one of our skate instructors from Vegas. “But to know he’ll be training the next 4 years for that one goal, he’s surely going to have another chance. Should be incredible to watch for sure.”

It’s part of what makes every Olympic contest so much fun to watch and talk about with our friends at the skatepark. Now in reviewing these trends and outcomes of the 2024 Paris Olympic games through the athletes and their countries finest skaters, we get an intimate look in real time the ripple effect the Olympics have on the industry at large.

The Youngest Olympian and largest Olympian Age Gap in Olympics History

2024 Paris Olympic Skateboarding saw the youngest Olympian ever to compete, Zheng Haohao, an 11-year old kid representing China. What perhaps is most significant about this, and we mean this with respect, most people, even skaters in California (skateboarding’s mecca) had never heard of the phenomenon until the games.

Comparatedley to Great Britain’s Andy Macdonald, the 51 year-old legend and oldest statesmen to be in the 2024 Olympics. Macdonald used to be Tony Hawk’s doubles partner in the X Games in the late 90s early 2000s. This is the oldest age gap in the history of the Olympics for a single event. That is a badge of honor only skateboarding can wear.

Teenage Podium Sweep in Women’s Skateboard Park Final

Yeah, you read that right. All 3 Olympic medal winners in women’s park are teenagers and one of our podium winners was competing in her second Olympics already.

Let’s start at the top with 14 year old Arisa Trew out of Palm Beach Australia taking home the Gold medal with her impressive final run featuring several 540s and kickflip transfers landing an impressive 93.18. It might be worth mentioning here that the scoring system was updated this Olympics to adjust for men and women, seeing a sliding scale. Nonetheless, scoring in the 90s is no easy task for any contest or gender.

Tokyo Bronze medal winner, 16-year old Sky Brown, pulled into second with 93.21 but was bested when Japan’s Cocona Hiraki came in with her final run to secure another Silver medal. That makes two medals each for both Sky and Cocona, who undoubtedly will make a third Olympic appearance in 2028 in Los Angeles.

Just take a second to imagine you or your child is an Olympic gold medalist at the age of 14. Not just one olympic medal but two. That’s one heck of a student athlete with a bright, bright future.

We have decades of skateboarding tricks and obstacle evolution boiled down into just two formats.

Olympic skateboarding will never completely encompass skateboarding and that’s a beautiful thing. Contributions come from all different types of skaters and different aspects of skateboarding. There’s freestyle, flat ground tricks, plaza ledges, manuals tricks and all types of rail and technical skateboarding you just can’t fit into one contest. To be honest, there were some people skeptical on the course for the park section, finding it limiting creatively with even some being as bold to mention Tony Hawk was disappointed in the course.

On that note, it is also probably worth mentioning how Tony Hawk landed the 900 on a vert ramp, an obstacle not featured in the Olympic games. If the Olympics were around in this capacity in 1999, maybe the 900 and Tony Hawk’s legacy would not exist?

What if’s aside, the fact we have decades of skateboarding evolution boiled down to two disciplines is somewhat unfathomable but it also just goes to show how Olympic skateboarding really only represents less than 1-percent of skaters. We don’t want to bring up old debates but it is significant and a trend that leaves some skaters worried or feeling left out.

We have less than .05% of skaters being represented on the world stage.

It’s really difficult to put into perspective how less than one-percent of skaters are represented in the Olympic Games and just what that means to skating compared to other sports. Because after all, aren’t the Olympic athletes truly the best of the best of each sport? So why would we expect more than 1-percent to be represented? That might be true for most sports but skateboarding is different in the sense some of the best skaters in the world are incredibly street skaters but drop them into a street course competition and they absolutely have zero chance. They can’t deal with a person on a radio queuing them into a ramp or telling them to wait for a commercial break or they don’t have the sponsors financially able to send them to contests all over the world to compete. There’s a lot more that goes into it, including certain privileges like home schooling, being able to leave a country to move to California, and other factors before we can say every skater has an equal opportunity to be represented in the Olympic games. That being, these .05 percent of skaters are still impacting 100% of skaters.

If you are reading this article, the Paris Olympic games affected you. And thousands of people are watching skateboarding for the first time. If for every 100 people, 1 new skater enters the fold, the 2024 Paris Olympic games could very well be the origin story for the next Tony Hawk, Nyjah Houston or Rayssa Leal.

Although Tony Hawk landed the 900, the 900 and the X Games did much more for skateboarding as a whole than just Tony hawk. The trajectory of this impact is going to be much greater than any person can argue against. And while that impact has the potential to do more harm than good, we have to imagine as long as it is leading to new skaters being inspired to step on a skateboard for the first time, skateboarding will always produce the counter culture needed to tip the scales back to the core aspects that make skating such a powerful community.

Olympic Skateboarding is Gaining A Ton of Respect But Certainly Deserves More

This might be the hardest section of this article to articulate because skateboarding needing respect doesn’t make a lot of sense. But what we mean by this is the fact that the broadcasting for Olympic skateboarding was pretty difficult to find. Sure, the Olympic games had it scheduled on time but many skaters complained that in their area their local channel didn’t actually play the contests live. Additionally, many skaters had to tune in to a live stream instead of NBC. Some of our skate instructors had mentioned how they recorded the Olympic games because it said on their T.V. guides it was playing but in fact, Women’s Olympic water polo was shown instead.

On a more positive note, Snoop Dog and Olympians like Devin Booker were in the Athletes section of the skaters, giving high fives and words of encouragement while being completely engaged in the contest. You have to imagine with a host of sports at their fingertips to choose from, high profile athletes are choosing to come to the skate events, is pretty telling. The skate events are also happening quite early in the morning for the best weather possible but some skaters have complained there still isn’t enough being done to support the athletes. Why reports have been minimal, it has long been known that the Paris Olympic games refused to put air-conditioning in the Olympic village.

Luckily skaters are the toughest athletes on the planet but it’s worth mentioning the sports world at large is starting to acknowledge just how spectacular skaters are as athletes and as a crowd draw. Mark our words, one day Olympic skateboarding will be one of the most talked about Olympic sporting events in the entire Olympics.

The U.S., home to skateboarding’s birthplace, does not dominate the podium like other major sports

Forget decades ago, how about even just before the first 2020 Olympic games… Imagine if we told you the USA would have yet to win a single gold medal? It would sound impossible right? But that is exactly what happened at the 2024 Paris Olympic skateboarding games.

Australia’s Keegan Palmer took home Olympic gold for the second Olympics in a row for men’s park with some of the most technical sound and gnarly park skating ever seen, backing up his teammate Arisa Trew from Australia after she took home Gold for Olympic Women’s Park. While yes, the U.S. took home Silver with Tom Schaar for Men’s Park and Silver with Jager Eaton for men’s street, it goes to show how valuable the addition of skateboarding has been to the global Olympic Games and how every corner of the globe makes up this competitive community.

Skateboarding Will Return to its Birthplace in 2028

What a perfect way to wrap up this article then the realization skateboarding is about to return to its birthplace of Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic Games. Skateboarding and the Olympics as a whole have a unique opportunity to showcase skateboarding’s roots and hopefully don’t let this opportunity go for granted. Imagine skateboarding’s founding fathers like Tony Alva and Jason Lee being able to not only witness but provide their commentary nearly 60 years after skating conception. It will be an amazing opportunity to provide a real context to just how much skateboarding has evolved since those early days of DogTown and to hear straight from the legends who were there. At GOSKATE we’re extremely excited at the prospect of the Olympics returning to Los Angeles where conditions are perfect for skating.

These ponderings are just some of the cultural implications of the Olympics but even so, skateboarding collectively enjoys what these amazing skaters are accomplishing, with the industry at large tuning in to congratulate the next Olympic class of skaters. Wherever you are on the Olympic skateboarding debate, we are all in this together. So we might as well enjoy it.

Your Kid Could Be An Olympic Skateboarder

Does your child or loved one have what it takes to be an Olympic skateboarder? Are you looking to introduce your child to the highest trained skateboarding instruction in the world? What if we told you that 90-percent of Olympic skaters were taught by a skate instructor or skate coach at some point?

Without a doubt GOSKATE would love the chance to teach your child what it takes to become an amazing skateboarder. Contact us today and find out the local skate instructors in your area. And who knows, maybe one day your child will be competing on television around the globe as an Olympic Skateboarder.

The post Paris Olympic Skateboarding Review – The Future of Skateboarding Has Arrived appeared first on Goskate.com.

Should I Hire A Skate Instructor For My Kid?

Skateboarding is one of the most unique activities in the sense a skate coach or skate instructor isn’t something built into the sport like soccer, football or baseball. That being said, skate mentors, skate coaches and skate instructors have existed in skateboarding since the very beginning in various forms.

Even Tony Hawk learned from pro skaters like Stacy Peralta and Tony Alva and as skaters ascend to skate new contests, deeper training is required to perform well. You might be surprised to learn there is an official Olympic Skate Coach for Team USA. How cool is that? Even the best of the best still have a skate coach.

At GOSKATE, our instructors have decades of skate experience under their belts, with the majority skating since they were young kids like their students. They know the ins and outs of learning tricks, the vocabulary and trick names, the mental struggles and triumphs of falling and getting back up. All the good stuff.

But let’s go over these in more detail in our following sections.

What is a Skate Coach?

For some skateparks, from Boston to Los Angeles, a skate mentor might be the older crew looking out for the new guys, or maybe a local park attendant or supervisor with skate experience. But in modern day skateboarding we have the privilege to provide you with the highest trained professional skate instructors to not only master the foundations of skateboarding but learn what it takes to be an amazing skater.

That being said and arguably even more importantly, a lot of learning how to skate with an instructor isn’t just about learning tricks. Rather it’s the things like how to draw inspiration from other skaters, how to be happy in the face of failure, how to digest skate media, keep things in perspective like skatepark etiquette, comparing yourself to others and even skating alone versus having a friend to skate with.

From our experience and as you can check out in our Skate Instructor tab, most skate instructors are experts in skateboarding with some to a ton of experience working with kids. Males and females ranging from the ages of 16-25 are pretty common but there’s also 20-30-40 year olds ready to teach group classes.

We’ll have more on picking the perfect instructor for your child in this article later.

14 Best Reasons To Hire A Skate Instructor

If we may, with over two decades of skate heritage we are qualified to list the best reasons to hire a skate instructor. Not only are we the largest collective of skate instructors, we also have the most comprehensive reviews of skateparks, skate coaches, skate camps, skate trick tips and skateboarding news to a full spectrum of learning about skateboarding. And our instructors also contain these skills.

The highest trained professional skate instructors: Like we said in our introduction, we have over two decades of skate heritage training and conducting skate lessons for thousands of students. Our students received the highest professionally trained instruction ensuring your loved ones learn how to skate in the most safe and fun way possible.

Mastering the foundations of skateboarding: The foundations of skateboarding can be easily overlooked or not intuitively understood just by stepping on a skateboard. However, they are the most important to getting our students rolling in the right direction, literally. Having a skate instructor can dramatically expedite this process and have your kid pedaling, turning, and maintaining their balance after their first lesson.

Learning the lingo of skateboarding: One of the hardest parts of learning about skateboarding is the vocabulary associated with tricks and localism at skateparks. A switch back tail, switch 180 smith grind, heel flip feeble grind, stalefish tail bash, are all terms a skater has mastered over time. But with a skate coach, your child can learn these with much greater ease and not be self conscious about asking questions.

Teaching proper skatepark etiquette: We all know what a snake is but are you aware of what that term means in skateboarding? A snake is someone who gets in someone else’s way oblivious to the skater they interrupted. Many kids have no idea the lines, the start points, when to drop in, and how to talk to older kids (or even kids their age) at the skatepark. Teaching proper skatepark etiquette not only boosts the safety of your child but everyone around them. This is arguably the biggest advantage and most impactful advantage to having a skate coach or skate instructor present with your child.

Learn what it takes to get better at skateboarding: Like we mentioned earlier in this article, learning what it takes to become a better skater is arguably more about the mental journey than the physical. Becoming a great skater is about time commitment, physical development and maintenance, healing injuries and pushing yourself to not just enjoy skating but to get better. This is an entire article in itself but for us now, you’ll have to take our word for it that our skate coaches can relay all this information and more to our students.

Learning how to fall: Shouldn’t you want your child learning how to land tricks not fall? Of course but in skateboarding you’re going to fall more than you land. That’s why learning how to fall is so important. Learning how to bail correctly, tucking, rolling over your shoulder, sliding out on your hip or back, avoiding your wrists, elbows and knees when not wearing pads, these are all essential to not only becoming a better skater but preventing injury.

Tips on nursing a skate injury: Skate injuries are unlike any injuries across sports or recreational activities. Luckily, skaters for decades have proven techniques to help you heal a rolled ankle, a swellbow or other skate injuries most doctors will have zero ideas how to treat. Most doctors’ first words are, “stop skating,” so yeah. Skate instructors come in clutch.

It’s the safest way to skate: That should be enough of a sentence to make you want to book a skate instructor but we’ll keep going. Skate coaches and instructors have all the tips to avoid skate injuries and prevent putting your child in dangerous scenarios.

Understanding of skate media: In a day of ipad kids and social media, there are numerous skate media outlets for your child to get into. That being said, not all of these are very kid friendly forms of skate media. They also might look at a form of skate media and not understand how skate media has changed or can impact their own skateboarding. This is certainly a whole article topic in itself but you can imagine in today’s world the amount of skate media your child can consume.

Mental struggles and triumphs of skating: The mental struggles of skateboarding surround trumps and failures and will give your child a range of emotions to deal with. Skateboarding will make your child the happiest and the angriest they ever have been and is a huge reason why it’s such a powerful developmental tool for your child. However, sometimes this can be hard for your child to navigate on their own and they might lose perspective or find it hard to smile in the face of failure. More on this down the line.

How to draw inspiration from other skaters: Whether you’re 13 or 30 every skater has a favorite skater. And drawing inspiration from the sources of your choice is what skateboarding is all about. Having a skate instructor can help your child be exposed to skaters and brands, artists, photographers that your child would otherwise not be exposed to.

How to keep things in perspective: Keeping things in perspective can be hard for a child discovering a new passion. Skateboarding can also lead to comparing yourself to others or interacting with all types of people that can sometimes be hard to navigate. There’s pressure in skateboarding, there’s also joy and jealousy, there’s really a playground of emotions out there that a skate instructor can help your child navigate with an older, wiser perspective.

Having a friend to skate with: Honestly, this might be the single best reason and motivation behind booking a skate instructor. Skateboarding is all about having fun and nothing is more fun than having a friend to skate with. Book a one-on-one skate lesson today and watch your child’s face light up when an older kid gives them a high-five after learning their first trick.

You get better at skateboarding faster: Some skaters will reach huge heights on their own but our students have shown us time and time again that learning with a skate instructor dramatically improves their skate skills. Whether they want to skate for fun or train to be an Olympic skater one day, learning to skate with a skate coach is by far going to make you a better skater, faster.

Selecting the Best Skate Instructor for Your Kid

Selecting the best skate instructor for your kid is going to come down to a few elements, the most basic being location.

Here is a link to finding the local skate instructors in your area:

We also invite you to check out our Pro Skate Instructors Tab here to learn a bit more about who we have available and what qualifies them as a world class skate instructor.

We have our Most Popular Lessons listed as well and group classes, intermediate versus beginner classes, camps, and birthday parties.

GOSKATE’s Pro Skate Instructors & New Review System

GOSKATE is excited to introduce to you our new review system for our professional skate instructors. Not only do we have decades of skate teaching under our belt and the largest collective of skate instructors in the USA, we also have the most direct rating and review system to ensure you’re picking the perfect skate instructor for your child.

We’ve also added additional testimonials with photos and reviews on our social media on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. You can check out the channels here and we invite you to follow, subscribe and stay connected for the latest and greatest from GOSKATE.

Facebook:

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It has been our honor and a privilege to provide skate lessons for thousands of students for over twenty years. We can’t wait to see what the next decade of GOSKATE students and instructors accomplish and we hope to have a chance to teach your kids the most fun and safe way to skate possible.

The post Should I Hire A Skate Instructor For My Kid? appeared first on Goskate.com.

Best Skateparks in Seattle and the Greater Washington State Area

It’s no secret it rains a ton in Seattle and the greater Washing State area and for parents on the outside looking in, they might think this means there’s not a ton of great places to skate. Well, it’s quite the contrary. Skaters love to skateboard at any cost and the unwavering commitment to skate in the face of poor weather conditions has given rise to a thriving skate community who’ve in many cases taken it upon themselves to provide awesome skateparks.

In this article, we’re providing you with the most comprehensive list of the best skateparks in Seattle and the surrounding greater Washington State area, one of the most beautiful and fun places to skate in the entire U.S.A.

“I feel extremely lucky to have grown up as a skater in Washington State,” says Chris Millbank, one of our GOSKATE instructors. “It might rain a lot compared to Cali or something but it makes us extremely dedicated to skate when we can and our skateparks are legendary for sure.”

We couldn’t agree more Chris. Stick around at the end of the article, we might have some bonus skate spots for you to check out.

Now, let’s GOSKATE!

All Together Skatepark Seattle

3500 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103, United States

The All Together Skatepark in Seattle is a living testament to the skateboarding culture in the Seattle and Washington State area in terms of community and their commitment to providing awesome skateparks all year round. This indoor skatepark is arguably the most iconic skatepark in all of Seattle, hence why we started our list off with it. Skaters enter an outdoor sports center, practically a one-stop-shop for any outdoor activity you can do in the Pacific Northwest. Head down some stairs and you’re first greeted by a skate shop before paying a couple bucks (goes to keeping the skatepark lights on) to enter the park. Immediately, skaters can rejoice in a plethora of skate obstacles, including a beginner friendly section with kneehigh quarter pipes, an open space flat bar ledge section, a transition mini ramp section with a spine, and a bank to curved curb. The park with all its uniqueness and safety from the elements has hosted countless iconic skate contests, with most recently an all girls skate contest for the nonprofit, skatelikeagirl. It’s a definite must skate when in Seattle or the greater Washington State area.

GOSKATE RATING: All Together Skatepark is a must-visit when in the Seattle, Washington state area for all skill levels.

Jack Crawford Skatepark

Jack Crawford Skate Court, 68th Avenue Northeast, Kenmore, WA, USA

Just because it rains quite a bit in this neck of the world doesn’t mean there’s not awesome outdoor parks for you to skate. It’s actually the opposite and a big factor to why we wanted to provide you with the most comprehensive skatepark guide in this area. Jack Crawford Skate Court is exactly one of those parks. The Pacific Northwest has always been famous for its unique skatepark designs but Jack Crawford takes that legacy and made it contemporary. A unique dog-bowl in the middle of the park sets the tone for transition skaters looking to hop around onto some nearby hubbas. A kidney bowl in the back left intact a local quarry rock, which are scattered throughout the park on banks and quarters. Enjoy some uniquely placed obstacles and an open space to learn how to skate if you’re a beginner. Ultimately a great skatepark to master the foundations of skating and we highly recommend booking a one-on-one skate lesson here. Claim a free trial – there’s 2 remaining!

Monroe Skatepark

Lake Tye Park, 14964 Fryelands Blvd, Monroe, WA 98272, USA

The Monroe Skatepark at Lake Tye Park is living proof just how far skatepark designs have evolved in the pacific northwest. Back in the day, as you will see on this list, the Washington State skateparks were known for giant bowls, where beginner skaters could only dream about dropping in on. But parks like Monroe, featuring the latest and greatest in skatepark design, excite skaters of all skill levels. Fit with amazing street obstacles in the form of various ledges, funboxes, stairs and rails, Monroe is what contemporary skating is all about. These locals here are some of the best in the state and it’s only a matter of time an Olympic skater is representing the USA coming out from Monroe skatepark.

Issaquah Skatepark

Issaquah Community Center, 301 Rainier Blvd S, Issaquah, WA 98027, USA

It’s always rad when there’s a skatepark named after the local Native American culture and this skatepark does not disappoint in design and location. Issaquah skatepark is at the local community center where the city has dedicated resources in designing this awesome skatepark. State-of-the-art in terms of material and cement quality but the obstacles are even more impressive with pump track-like flow for a central pipeline of speed that shoots you to pockets of ramps and banks to an open section of street obstacles. We love the tabletop gap and pyramid fun box and the surrounding trees that keep the area cool. The bowls here have a variety of heights and while the skatepark is somewhat beginner friendly, this skatepark really has a ton to offer to all skill levels. It’s one of our favorite skateparks and definitely worth the trip if you’re visiting the area.

GOSKATE RATING: Issaquah Community Center skatepark is a great skatepark for beginner skaters to have a one-on-one lesson. Otherwise, head early in the morning before older and more experienced skaters get there.

Bellevue Skatepark

14224 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue, WA 98007, USA

We knew it wouldn’t be long before another indoor skatepark appeared on our list and for good reason. The Bellevue indoor skatepark has to be one of the most fun skateparks in Washington State, fully furnished with some of the most classic skate obstacles a skater could ask for. Vert ramps, mini ramps and everything in between, the all wood skate courses feel like something out of a video game or old skate mag. Flat bars of all sizes stretch the park in street course fashion with hubbas and out ledges inviting your pop to grind along to the next quarter pipe to stall and turn around to skate some more. The park has been open for decades and was fully remodeled in 2009. Come skate 4,000 square feet of pro style courses with specific hours of operation based on skill levels. Our favorite obstacle? The doorway drop thorough ramp!

Federal Way Skatepark, Steel Lake Skateboard Park

2620 S 312th St, Federal Way, WA 98003, USA

Federal skatepark is a great historic skatepark in the greater Washington State area that proves there’s decades of skate culture embedded in the area. At first glance you might think this skatepark is outdated with its initial designs leaning more towards a fully encompassed extreme sports design. But as we’ve always said at GOSKATE because we’ve witnessed it ourselves, unique skateparks produce unique skaters. Federal way is entirely unique as its design of steep tall spines, quarters, stairs, rails, make a skater almost feel like they’re in the shallow end of a pool. Blasting and pushing hard to develop skills that when going to other parks will make them laugh with ease. The classic vibes are still here tho with a five stair, euro gap, centrally placed funbox and just overall all good cement you can only find in concrete meant to endure the elements, there’s a clear reason why Federal Way Skatepark has a high rating among our skaters and instructors alike. The coping is particularly awesome here too.

Burien Skatepark

400 SW 146th St, Burien, WA 98166, USA

You can’t talk about the Pacific Northwest or Washington State and not mention how beautiful the area really is. With all that rain comes incredible spring months of green and blossom and it’s skateparks like Burien Skatepark that benefit from it. One of the most beautiful outdoor skateparks, Burien Skatepark is also an amazing park for beginners and kids alike. Why? Because it has a ton of open space and lumpy pump tracks and mellow banks. While at first glance you might think this skatepark is too fit for beginners, it rather takes you back to a simpler time in skating. You enter a Dogtown surfer mindset and in your lower center of gravity you nurture the roots of skating within yourself. It’s a great skatepark to visit and we highly recommend booking a one-on-one skate class here. The entire skatepark is outlined by a ledge by the way.

GOSKATE RATING: While Burien Skatepark might have an interesting reputation the park is undeniably great for young and beginner skaters alike.

Mill Creek Skatepark

13901 Heatherwood Dr, Mill Creek, WA 98012, USA

Mill Creek Skatepark is one of the raddest skateparks in the USA and represents what’s possible when a city allows skaters to design a skatepark. It literally has every type of street spot imaginable including a cement picnic bench launch obstacle and a 3-gap-3 double set. The park also has an iconic pier-seven manual pad (a famous San Francisco Spot) and several handrails of varying length. The only issue here is the skatepark kinda outweighs its location in terms of skill and population. What does that mean exactly? Well, the skatepark has a tremendous amount of street like obstacles but it’s located at the YMCA. So parents think it’s suitable to drop a kid off unsupervised. This skatepark, like all skateparks, is not a playground but a training area. We highly recommend booking a one-on-one lesson here to make sure your child starts off on the right foot and does so in the safest and most fun way possible.

Covington Skatepark

25064 164th Ave SE, Covington, WA 98042, USA

Skateparks have the opportunity to really be a living work of art and many times skaters take this into their own hands with graffiti but the awesome small park of Covington decided to let skaters paint the ground. The beautiful murals spread between a prefabricated skatepark with everything a skater could want. A classic mini ramp with a spine, flatbar in the middle, two ledges and manny pads, a quarter in each corner, Covington skatepark really is the perfect skatepark to learn the fundamentals of skating. Basically sprouted in a grassy knoll, the skatepark is surrounded by nature and just overall produces great vibes. While some skaters don’t love a prefabricated skatepark, Covington shines above the rest with design and artistic influence in the park. It’s a great park for kids and beginners as well, so pile up the minivan and call your friends and head to Covington skatepark in Washington State.

Ballard Commons Skatepark

Ballard Commons Park, 5701 22nd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107, USA

Ballard Commons Skatepark was a bit of a challenge to add to this list but we thought that makes the perfect reason for it to be on here. Because skateboarding isn’t easy and no one should go into it thinking skateparks arn’t going to be challenging also. Ballard Commons is actually quite uncommon in its design with a famous tombstone quarter pipe that leaves onlookers trembling. A host of transitions with carrying eights and vertical walls, pool coping corners, deathboxes and euro gaps are sprinkled throughout. Just walking by the skatepark almost looks like a giant hole in the ground but there are some art installations and limited street obstacles. Nonetheless, if you are a transition or vert skater, you’re going to want to come out to Ballard Commons Skatepark in Washington. Or if you want to spectate some incredible skating, come through. It’s free and open to the public.

GOSKATE RATING: This skatepark has a huge transition section that won’t serve beginners. Bowl skaters will have a blast and there is a larger flat ground area for new skaters to master the foundations of skating.

Bainbridge Island Washington Skatepark

Strawberry Hill Park / Off-leash Dog Park, 7666 High School Rd NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, USA

Bainbridge Island Washington Skatepark is one of the most unique skateparks we have ever seen. It reminds us of those classic 70 skateparks that were sprinkled throughout the world when skating was first gaining global recognition. The skatepark is essentially a series of pools, bowls, spines and quarter pipes combined by snake runs and infinite quarters for massive pumps and airs. Seriously, this skatepark might not even be a skatepark if it wasn’t for the brave skaters who want to carve, slash, grind and fly through the air. This park is sometimes referred to as Strawberry Hill and when you say those two words skaters know exactly the park you’re talking about. It’s 12,000 impressive square feet of grindline masterpiece design and while most skaters can find something fun to skate here no matter their skill level, this park is definitely a great park to have an instructor to help you get the most out of it.

Billy Johnson Skatepark

24700 Lindvog Rd NE, Kingston, WA 98346, United States

At first glance, the Billy Johnson Skatepark might seem like an undeveloped or older skatepark that might leave skaters wanting more. But the truth of the matter is it’s actually quite the opposite. Sure, it’s not as new as some of the parks closer to a downtown metropolis but the uncanny charm of this skatepark nestled in the unsupervised wilderness puts skaters in a true home away from home. An open space with great concrete, simple obstacles like banks, down rails, quarters spaced out perfectly ensures skaters have hours and hours of consistent fun. Some park designers try to innovate so much they actually alienate the skatepark from the fundamental elements of learning how to skate or even having fun. Billy Johnson is the exact opposite and we highly recommend you check it out.

Carnation Skatepark

Valley Memorial Park, 31999 Blanche St, Carnation, WA 98014, USA

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to skate 5,000 square feet of pure transition? Well, now you no longer have to wonder. Carnation Skatepark at Valley Memorial Park is essentially a giant empty swimming pool, complete with 3 complete pockets and corner bowls and a large bowl at its western end. The park is completely unique in the sense there are no street obstacles and the large transition park plopped in the middle of a grass field almost feels like you’re skating inside the actual Earth itself. While this skatepark tends to not be beginner friendly, once your child learns the foundation of skateboarding and how to drop in, they can be expected to have hours and hours of countless fun, learning all types of transition tricks. If you’re in the area, we consider booking a one-on-one GOSKATE lesson at Carnation.

Shoreline Skatepark

NE 155th St & 8th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155, USA

Shoreline skatepark is a great skatepark in the greater Washington state area and for many reasons. The first being the design of the skatepark has great features built with cement integrity. The second is the wide open nature of the park giving plenty of room for new and young skaters to master the foundations of skating. Additionally, the skatepark is really, really fun with a ton of obstacles for varying skill levels. Some parks feel like they are designed to push the limits of what makes skateboarding gnarly, whereas some skateparks like Shoreline are designed with all skaters in mind. A perfect mix of street obstacles and basic transition, this skatepark is a great skatepark to increase your skateboarding skills at a fast and safe rate. We highly recommend checking out this skatepark if you’re cruising through Washington State. It’s easily one of our favorites on the list.

GOSKATE RATING: Shoreline skatepark is one the most underrated skateparks in the Seattle Washington State area, deserving a lot more shine from the skatework at large. However, it does have a good rating on our site from those who skated it in our community.

Brannan Skatepark, Auburn WA

601-799 28th St NE, Auburn, WA 98002, USA

Brannan Skatepark is one of the most unique skateparks in the greater Washington State area. It’s a bit of an enigma, some of the ways in which the designs were made but like we said before in this article, unique skateparks produce unique skaters. A birth bath style bowl without coping opens the skatepark to a series of spines and quarter pipes before a funbox with a table top flat rail. Ledges and small ramps surround the skatepark which sits inside a sports complex inviting the whole family for some sunshine fun. It is rumored the skatepark was designed with bikes in mind, which for many this can be a caveat. But unique skaters and beginners looking to skate varying sizes of downhill obstacles will have a great time skating Brannan Skatepark.

Silverdale Skatepark, Silverdale WA

11601 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale, WA 98383, USA

What is constantly really amazing about Washington State Skatepark is how long these skateparks have been around, giving local skaters decades of skate culture. Silverdale Skatepark is a testament to this simple yet profound truth, with a simple layout proven for decades to give skaters countless hours of fun and seriously developing their skills in the meantime. Hard, weathered cement drops you into an array of banks, quarters and even spines, outlined by pyramids, down-rails and funboxes. Skaters enjoy a healthy flow between obstacles with space in between to practice as a beginner. Check out Silverdale skatepark when you’re in the area. We guarantee you won’t regret it.

GOSKATE RATING: Silverdale skatepark has a great bowl and transition section akin to the skateparks the Pacific Northwest are famous for.

Buckley Skatepark, Buckley WA

Buckley, WA 98321, United States

Buckley skatepark is one of those amazing new skateparks that captures that old skatepark feel. What do we mean by that? A lot of new parks are built in a such a way it feels like designers are cramming as much as they can into a finite space, whereas Buckley has a host of obstacles spaced well for a great flow. Built by Grindline in 2016, the skatepark has state of the art ledges, flat bars, pyramids that all lead into the center by a volcano, snake run and various quarters. The ground is also quite smooth and makes for a skatepark perfectly suited for new and young skaters. We highly, highly recommend booking a one-on-one skate lesson here at Buckley skatepark. This skatepark also has lights, something increasingly more rare in skatepark design.

Marysville Skatepark, Marysville WA

1050 Columbia Ave, Marysville, WA 98270, USA

Marysville skatepark is one of the highest rated skateparks on our list and for good reason. This Marysville skatepark features some classic street skateboarding designs built with the cement integrity of the early 2000s. Six, eight, ten stairs with their own rails and hubbas are sprawled in each corner of the park, with shoot out ledges, flat bars, pyramids and a host of banks for the perfect speed for any obstacle. There is also a perfect kicker ramp in the center of the park, something most skateparks don’t have nowadays and always attracts skaters of varying skill levels. The banks also lead up to ledges in a very unique way, providing a skatepark where creative skaters can really flourish.

GOSKATE RATING: Maryville skatepark is one of those skateparks that is destined to survive the test of time with a classic design for skaters of all skill levels. If you’re a local at Maryville you’re quite the lucky skater!

Bonney Lake Skatepark, Bonney Lake WA

7265 W Tapps Hwy E, Bonney Lake, WA 98391, USA

Every now and then a skatepark makes it on our list for their design alone and Bonney Lake Skatepark at Allan Yorke park is that skatepark. We’re talking about a skatepark with a design second to none, with unique bowl cut outs, roll ins, spines with connecting pyramids and banks – all fit with great coping. The corners of the skatepark are full of funboxes and interesting street rails, including two rainbow rails inspired by snowboarding. You’ve heard us say it before, unique skateparks produce unique skaters, booking your one-on-one lesson here today is a great way to ensure you child or loved one skates with a creative mind. Let us not forget the iconic stairway-to-heaven design in the center of the park, which invites skaters to grind seven layers of coping into two large banks. If you can skate well at Bonney, you can skate well anywhere.

GOSKATE RATING: Bonney Lake Skatepark is one of the most interesting skateparks we’ve had the pleasure of covering with a one-of-a-kind construction. While it might have an obstacle appearance best suited for intermediate to advanced skaters, there is still plenty a beginner or younger skater can enjoy.

Gig Harbor Skatepark

3510 Grandview St, Gig Harbor, WA 98335, USA

Gig Harbor is an interesting skatepark to say the least. It was built at a time when skateboarding and extreme sports were associated unfairly with disorder and was built right next to the sheriff’s office. While some parents might like that it is worth mentioning full pads and helmets, which can sometimes be a financial barrier for parents, are required. The park was built with all sports in mind, featuring larger transition obstacles than a lot of skateparks that tend to street and plaza obstacles. So depending on your preference you might really love skating at Gig Harbor skatepark. Also, since the skatepark does require full pads a lot of older skaters won’t skate here, making Gig Harbor extremely kid and beginner skater friendly. The obstacles might be intimidating but a seasoned skate instructor can surely show your child the ropes.

Harold E. LeMay Skateboard Park

14824 C St S, Tacoma, WA 98444, USA

There is a long standing tradition with skateparks in the Washington State area having humongous transition sections and Harold E LeMay skatepark is a testament to that. Here are just some of the varying quarter pipe sizes you can find at Harold E. LeMay skateboard park: A 10’ vert wall, a 14’ clamshell, a 13’ halfpipe, a peanut bowl with nine and eleven foot coping all connected by a snake run that goes from 8’ to 11’. This skatepark is truly a sight to behold and seasoned skaters can really explore their limits and push their skills to new heights (literally). There is a bit of a caveat to skating in this park. Skaters will need to pay for a membership and those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. I guess when you construct a skatepark where taking a misstep can result in injury you need to cover all your bases. That being said, this skatepark has to be on our list. It’s too good to not check out even as a spectator

Best Skate Spots in Seattle and Washington State

Garfield High School

500 23rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98122, USA

Garfield High School in Seattle Washington is a great skate spot most famously known for its big banks and iconic rails. The outside of the school literally looks like a skatepark with 15 foot steep banks perfect for wall rides. Inside you can find big circle rails with cement railings. So technically it’s called a rail but it is made of cement. Nonetheless countless tricks have been filmed by pro skaters at Garfield High School, making it one of the most recognizable and best skate spots in Seattle.

Jimmy Hendrix 3 Flat 3 Out Ledge and Double Set

E Pine St & Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122, USA

The name of this skate spot should make you want to go alone but the reality is this is one of the most famous spots in the Seattle, Washington State area. While the ledge is reserved for more experienced skaters, the two three stairs can be skated as one big gap or two three stairs back to back. There is also something so fun about skating over brick. The spot is known to be a bust tho until 5:00pm, so plan accordingly.

University of Washington Manny Pads

4063 Spokane Ln, Seattle, WA 98105, USA

It’s impossible to skate at a University and not find at least one great skate spot but to throw a dart at the University of Washington and find perfect manny pads? That’s rare. Seriously, take a look at the photo and try to tell yourself those are not perfectly designed for skating. The open space, flat ground and bricks make the skate ASMR incredible as well. One can not help but start salivating after looking at these perfect manny pads at the University of Washington. Bust rate can be kinda high if you’re not a student or respecting the people around you. But at GOSKATE, we know all our readers and skaters are taught how to respect skate spaces.

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Hollow Skateboard Trucks – Are They Worth It?

Skateboard trucks are the most overlooked part of assembling a complete skateboard. Picking suitable trucks can make or break your skating experience.

Let’s distill the differences between trucks and hollow trucks in this article.

What Truck Size Do I Pick?

Without a doubt, all skaters must first consider size. The truck size is the length of the truck. Size is important to match your deck size. A larger truck than your deck will weigh more, and inhibit your tricks. During flip tricks big trucks will cause wheels and trucks to hit the ground or ledges at undesired times.

Small trucks (more than .5 inches smaller than the deck width) will also detract from your skateboard experience. The gap between small trucks and a larger board will create instability during turns. A big gap in size can be a huge danger to the rider.

Recommendations

Deck Size…………Truck Size

7.5…………………………7.42-7.55

7.75…………………………7.65-7.80

8.0………………………….7.9-8.05

(An exact match is ideal)

What Are Hollow Trucks?

Hollow trucks were invented to reduce the weight of trucks. A lighter board is beneficial for ollies, and other tricks. Hollow trucks are when the inside of the trucks that have been hollowed out.

Trucks are made out of stainless steel – a durable material. The removal of steel has a weakening effect on the truck. Generally, hollow trucks start by hollowing out the kingpin. The kingpin is sort of acting like a big screw that holds together your trucks, washers, and bushings.

Photo courtesy of Kings. Notice the hollowness in the center of the kingpin.

Where Does the Kingpin Go?

The kingpin is the most important component of the truck. It holds the truck together. It connects the truck base (baseplate) to the bushings, and axle.

Are Lighter Trucks Better?

So, what’s the word on the street? Are lighter skateboard trucks really better?

The answer may surprise you – there is no consensus. The choice depends on your preference. Skaters usually pick based on their skating style. Some skaters desire the responsiveness of lighter trucks, while others need heavier trucks for more stability.

What’s Wrong With Hollow Trucks?

Hollow trucks are more likely to break. The process of removing metal also weakens the strength of the trucks. Many beginners and intermediates will not need to worry about trucks breaking. Hollow trucks are problematic for high-impact skating. A broken truck can cause severe injury and abruptly stop a skateboard.

Who Should Buy Hollow Trucks?

Technical skaters who need maximum performance for low-impact skating will benefit most. These skaters typically skate ledges, flat ground, manual pads, and generally close-to-the-ground objects.

What are the Lightest Skateboard Trucks?

Tensor Trucks: Tensor is recognized for their light and durable skateboard trucks, often using materials like magnesium to reduce weight.
Krux Trucks: Krux offers a variety of trucks known for their lightweight design, catering to both street and park skating.
Independent Trucks: While Independent Trucks are known for their durability and strength, often heavy, they also offer some lighter models, such as the Hollow series, which use hollow axles and kingpins to reduce weight.
Thunder Trucks: Thunder Trucks are popular for their responsive feel and lightweight construction, making them a favorite among many skateboarders.
Venture Trucks: Venture Trucks are another brand that offers lightweight options without compromising on durability.

These brands often have specific lightweight models or series within their product lines, so it’s worth checking their offerings to find the best fit for your skating style and preferences.

Conclusion

There are many approaches to light trucks. Hollow kingpins are simply one approach. To answer- Are These Hollow Trucks Better? A skater’s style and skill level must be considered. High-impact and advanced skaters may choose to skip hollow trucks in lieu of stability and support. Low-impact tricks can benefit from the lightness of hollow trucks.

The post Hollow Skateboard Trucks – Are They Worth It? appeared first on Goskate.com.

20 Best Bay Area Skateparks and Skate Spots

Simply but profoundly put, the Bay Area will always be synonymous with skateboarding. San Francisco, San Jose, Fremont and nearby counties have produced some of the greatest skateboarders the skate world has ever seen. Nyjah Huston, Stefan Janoski, Keif Hufnagel, and Mike Carroll are just some skaters who come to mind.

Equipped with amazing weather and populated cities demanding robust city architecture and public spaces, skateparks and skate spots have been the nucleus for a thriving skate community for the Bay. That being said, the Bay Area has naturally been where gatekeeper’s tend to keep their skate spots secret compared to other parts of the world. However, even with a natural affinity for localism and keeping skate spots close to the heart, there are plenty of amazing skate parks you can enjoy. And we’ve even included some videos of skate spots you can easily access to find the most famous spots with ease.

We’ve taken it upon ourselves to provide you with the most complete guide to the best Bay Area skateparks and skate spots while providing each one with its own Kid Friendly and Beginner Friendly Rating based on our GO SKATE surveys.

“I remember the first time I skated in San Francisco,” says Luke Johnston, one of our skate instructors in Davis, California. “Getting to skate all those famous skate spots and skateparks really inspired me to get better at skating.”

If you’d like to learn more about booking a one-on-one lesson via our skate instructors or to look up a skatepark in your area, check out our Skatepark Directory and of course, keep reading.

Now, let’s GO SKATE.

What makes a Skatepark Kid Friendly?

While most of the same aspects apply to best beginner skateparks for kid-friendly skateparks, there are more factors when considering what makes a skatepark kid friendly. For starters, one aspect can be how well a parent or guardian is able to watch their child skate or if some parks have designated hours for kids and beginners.

Statistically, most skateboarders are teenagers and many younger kids can be intimidated while skating at a skatepark, especially when they are beginners. It’s why we suggest booking a lesson with one of our expert trained skate instructors but in the meantime, you can rest assured that skateparks with open spaces, less incline based obstacles, and easy viewing are the most kid friendly.

Hours of operation will determine this as well. If you go to a skatepark at 8:00am versus at 5:00pm, the population will be drastically older as the day goes on. And lastly, the skateparks with the most advanced obstacles will have the oldest, most experienced skaters.

That being said, there are plenty of beginner and kid friendly skateparks in the Bay Area on our list below.

San Francisco Bay Area Skateparks

SOMA West Skatepark

We wanted to start this list off with a bang and it was easy to find the perfect candidate. Built in 2014, SOMA West is an incredible skatepark located right in the heart of San Francisco. You’ll find it nestled in the city’s popular South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood, beneath a bridge on Division St. and Bryant, giving skaters a city-grit atmosphere full of graffiti and scenic opportunities for photos and videos. Built with a skate plaza mentality homaging the legendary EMB skate spot, skaters get to enjoy a robust new skatepark with historic elements. While the skatepark might not be the most beginner or kid friendly per se, the iconic skatepark celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year establishing itself as a staple in the bay area community.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Average

McInnis Skatepark San Rafael

San Rafael is a gem of the bay area when it comes to this amazing skatepark. 4.3 out of 5 stars speaks for itself but so does walking right up to this concrete playground located off Smith Ranch Rd. This skatepark is often celebrated for its natural flow with a slight downhill from the top of the park to the bottom, giving the park a giant snuck run feel. It has a healthy mix of street obstacles and transition obstacles but with a more traditional skatepark feel versus the new skatepark plazas designed to mimic the streets. The skatepark is also deemed more kid friendly than a lot of other skateparks in the bay area but plays to all skill levels including beginner and advanced.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Slightly Above Average

Napa Skatepark

When you think about Bay Area skateboarding you might not think about Napa but hopefully that is about to change. Napa skatepark is a great skatepark with the same obstacle radness and creative courses without the hustle and bustle of busy bay area skateparks. So while this skatepark offers unique obstacles like bank to ledges, rainbow rails and wavy quarter pipes for a fun free flowing experience, the open space and smooth concrete makes the Napa skatepark a great kid and beginner friendly skatepark usually not suited to a park of this stature. This also makes Napa skatepark a great skatepark for kids to grow into great skaters and a great skatepark to book a one-on-one skate lesson.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Above Average

Pacifica Skatepark

Pacifica Skatepark is a great skatepark for those of us who might crave the more traditional skatepark builds found in skateparks constructed in the 90s. That’s why it has such a high rating, 4.1 out of 5 stars, from our skate instructors who are usually a bit older. That being said, our skate instructors can tell you, young skaters who can master the transition found at the Pacifica skatepark often grow on to be far more equipped to advance in street and beyond. The skatepark is also right by the Pacifica State Beach and was designed with valuable input from Tony Hawk, the skatepark is truly a gift to the bay area celebrated by skaters for nearly twenty years. Highly recommended by our skate instructors even if the park isn’t as beginner friendly as some others on this list.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Average

Hilltop Skatepark

Hilltop Skatepark is one of those skateparks you might have never heard of but local skaters have been talking about for years. With (77) reviews, the Hilltop skatepark is one of the most rated on our skatepark directory and boasts an impressive 4 out of 5 stars. The reason why is the skatepark has a great construction all while being very unique. With a donut bowl design, the skatepark utilizes quarter pipes and open spaces with varying lengths, heights and grooves to create a park not like any other in the area. The park is also known as Sundial skatepark, nestled on top of San Francisco Hilltop Park, receiving great sunshine all day long. It’s just one of those skateparks you can’t find anywhere else with a classic feel built by modern architecture.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Slightly Above Average

Heather Farms Skatepark

Heather Farms Skatepark also known as Walnut Creek, represents what a bay area skatepark is all about. Classic designs from the late 80s and 90s that have stood the test of time. It’s a bit more cutty than some other skateparks but that’s why people love to skate it. A central area where the quarter pipes meet at a pyramid, the surrounding rails and funboxes create a ring of flow. Skaters can session one obstacle or enjoy creating lines. While this park might not be the most beginner friendly, going early in the morning with your child will beat the crowds of older, more experienced skaters.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Average

Potrero Skatepark

We would be remiss to create a list of the best Bay Area skateparks and skate spots and not mention the legendary Potrero Skatepark. This legendary skatepark is kept famous from Thrasher Magazine’s editorial staff, so much so it is rumored the offices are close by. It’s a park not for the faint of heart. It’s essentially a giant bowl with some of the gnarliest concrete and incline one can skate. It’s one of the oldest standing skateparks on the West Coast and its volcanoes and curbs create a speed track for surf-skate enthusiasts like Jake Felps. This skatepark is not very kid friendly or beginner friendly to someone who wouldn’t know how to respect this sacred skatepark. However, booking a one-on-one lesson ensures your child can enjoy this iconic bay area skatepark like one of the pros.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Slightly Below Average

Treasure Island

You would think with a name like Treasure Island we wouldn’t have to say much more than load up the car with friends and the fam and let the gold hunting adventurer in you unleash. In many ways, that is exactly what skating in any of the bay area skateparks are, as hidden gems both well known and waiting to be discovered. A Park like Treasure Island provides skaters with an open DIY skatepark, with spines, quarter pipes, tiny pump tracks and volcanoes for a wide open skate experience. While the locals who built this spot can be known to keep a watchful eye, just follow the rules of proper skatepark etiquette and you’ll be fine.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Slightly Below Average

Berkeley Skatepark

You can’t mention the bay area and not talk about Berkeley, California. Berkeley is one of the most beautiful cities in the state so it’s no wonder the skatepark follows suit. What’s particular about this skatepark is even as one of the older skateparks built, its obstacles are still just as fun years later. Coming in at an impressive 18,000 square feet, this skatepark is also one of the largest skateparks in the bay area. The park is open till 9:30 pm with lights for skaters to enjoy perfect ledges, quarter pipes, pyramid banks, funboxes and an oval transition section. This skatepark is also one of the most kid and beginner friendly on this list. Enjoy!

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Above Average

Livermore Skatepark

Continuing the trend of great skateparks for kids and beginner skaters, Livermore Skatepark ranks up near the top. The park is built with skateboarders and bikers in mind, so there’s almost a split in the skatepark where there’s giant prefabricated ramps on one side and a cement skate section on the other. The skate section has some mellow ramps, quarter pipes and banks perfect for beginners to learn how to kick turn. There’s some more advanced ledges and flat bars and obstacles for more advanced skaters to hone their skills. It’s not super crowded or well-known either. We teach a ton of skate classes here. Highly, recommended by our instructors.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Above Average

Pleasanton Skatepark

Another great skatepark for beginners and kids is Pleasanton Skatepark, also known as Inline Skatepark. There’s so many unique skateparks in the bay area but Pleasanton just has this perfect charming construction of banks, curb sized hubbas, square flat bars and pyramids, you can’t help but enjoy this skatepark for hours on end. We’re a little surprised it’s not ranked higher on our user submitted reviews but that might be because this skatepark is known to have a ton of kids at it. Kids bring scooters, bikes and improper skate etiquette. But if you come to foster your passion for skating and don’t treat the park like a daycare facility, this skatepark is absolutely perfect.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Above Average

Concord Skatepark

The Concord skatepark is one of the least known skateparks in the bar area, with only 7 reviews on our skatepark directory. That being said, we couldn’t keep it off our list with some of the most unique architecture we’ve seen from a skatepark. The park opens with two giant tombstone pillars, its quarter pipes on the sides is something we’ve never seen. A banks ledge with three pyramid shapes cut out of it are the landing zones for a euro gap pump track, with huge quarter banks with zero coping. If it sounds like a skatepark out of the twilight zone, it’s not just you. That being said, all skaters know that the most unique skateparks produce the most unique skaters. Nyjah Huston for example grew up skating at the Davis Skatepark, which many would consider an odd park.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Average

UN Skate Plaza

The UN Skate Plaza is an accumulation of what skateboarding and skateparks have been leading towards for decades now. What began as seeding skateparks in undesirable locations or in big sports parks to keep skating centralized, now cities are understanding how healthy skateboarding can be to a metropolitan ecosystem. Instead of hiding skaters out of sight, cities like San Francisco are incorporating skateable architecture in their downtown areas. This is truly the future of skateboarding across the entire world and taking one look at the UN Skate Plaza is a hopeful glimpse of skateboarding’s incorporated future.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Below Average

Greer (Palo Alto) Skatepark

Last on the bay area portion of the list closest to San Francisco, the Palo Alto or “Greer” Skatepark is worthy of capping it off. This skatepark is renowned for its distinctive bowls and nearly 35 years of skate heritage. That’s right, the park was constructed in 1991 and while the surrounding park and neighborhoods have changed, Greer Skatepark has remained. This skatepark is relatively kid friendly being in a large sports park but the skatepark itself is somewhat limited compared to what other skateparks offer. That being said, if your child loves to drop in and skate fast transitions, bring them to Greet Skatepark. It’s a history lesson at the very least as well.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Below Average

San Jose Bay Area

Fremont Skatepark

Fremont skatepark is truly out of a video game when it comes to the design and accessibility to this skatepark. Every city in the world should endeavor to have a skatepark like Fremont Skatepark. As one of the most rated (120) and highest rated 4.8/5 stars, this skatepark is one of the best skateparks in the state of California and one of the top reviewed in our entire directory. The skatepark has everything you would want, both beginner and advanced street and transition sections, featuring a wide array of bowls and quarter pipe centric snake runs; a street section with plenty of unique gaps, ledge formations, flat bars, many pads and banks, all placed without competition from other landing or starting zones. We didn’t even mention the skatepark has light for night sessions and is 30,000 square feet. We could go on and on but really you should check out this video below:

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Average

Lake Cunningham Action Sports Park

Lake Cunningham nearly single handedly demanded we added San Jose and Fremont skate parks to this list. With several incredible transition pieces like full pipes, corner pocket, half dome bowls and pool coping quarters galore, this skatepark looks like it was molded by the gods. An iconic tombstone wedge in the center divides the skatepark from its transition section into a more open street section. So while the transition section might be intimidating for kids or beginner skaters, there’s plenty of room for skaters to master the foundations of skateboarding. It’s a great skatepark to see the entire spectrum of skate skill, with obstacles for everyone no matter what you want to skate or skill level. It boasts an impressive 4.⅘ stars with 319 reviews. Bar far the most on this list.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Average

Newark Skatepark

Street League Skateboarding has just entered the chat. What do we mean by this? Newark is the perfect example of skateparks that stem from the Street league skateboarding mold, with the type of construction and obstacles found in the famous contest series. Table top rails and ledges and spread between small and larger stair sets. Banks and quarter pipes are placed around the edges to ensure flow and run up for each obstacle. A focus on plaza style ledges centers the park with a mellow but practical transition section for park-style skaters, with a larger pool like bowl on the top. This park is great for beginners and is certainly kid friendly. It’s a great skatepark to master the fundamentals and take your skating to new levels.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Slightly Above Average

Sacramento Honorable Mentions

For most Californians, Sacramento does not constitute the Bay Area but with such amazing skateparks within a short drive, we wanted to include some bonus skateparks in the area.

Granite Skatepark

Here we go again with another amazing skatepark that looks like something out of a Tony Hawk video game. Granite skatepark is an impressive 45,000 square foot park with expansive street and transition sections for skaters of all skill levels to hone their craft. The park also incorporates its surrounding areas of grass and hill tops to really make the skatepark an enjoyable place to be. 4.4 out of 5 stars with 168 reviews, the variety and opportunity to learn new tricks at Granite is second to none. While this skatepark can get crowded at peak hours, being one of the best skateparks in the state, it really is one of the most inspiring skateparks in all of Northern California to learn how to skate. Highly recommended booking a one-on-one class or skating the early hours if you’re a child or beginner skater.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Slightly Below Average

Tanzanite Skatepark

4.2 out of 5 stars and out of 177 reviews, we think you know where we are going with this. 16,000 square feet of skateboarding bliss, the Tanzanite Skatepark features a varied terrain of street and transition courses. Designed with both the beginner and professional in mind, the transition section has both beginner friendly and challenging obstacles ranging from 3 foot to 13 foot oververt. The diversity in design really invites skaters to thrive in their creativity and while its designed with advancing a skater’s skill in mind, the park is still relatively kid and beginner friendly. As we said in the start of this article, it’s all about the hours.

Kid & Beginner Friendly Rating: Slightly Below Average

An Ode to San Francisco Skate Spots

It’s really a disservice to mention a skate article about the Bay Area and not mention the amazing skate spot selection throughout a city like San Francisco. Home to some of the most legendary skate spots of all time, San Francisco has been a breeding ground for both the skate industry and culture as a whole. While many spots have come and gone, we thought a quick video of touring skaters checking out the city would be a perfect way to end this article.

The post 20 Best Bay Area Skateparks and Skate Spots appeared first on Goskate.com.

What’s The Best Skateboarding Shoes For Your Child?

As a parent, when it comes to the question of what is best for your child, you always want to be educated with the most up to date and expert derived information possible.

Parents will spend countless hours researching articles and videos to get the perfect sized skateboard for their kid and scan tons of FAQs on skateboarding. They ask the other local parents and skate instructors about the safest skateboards, safety equipment, helmet types, and have fun dressing their kids in the latest skate fashion.

But we have found the often overlooked but oh-so-important factor of skate shoes has one of the largest impacts on a child’s learning how to skate. Improper skate shoes can hinder your child’s progression or have their first time stepping on a skateboard compromised. It’s one of those things however that just slips a parent’s mind or simply they do not have the knowledge needed to get their child the proper skate shoe.

That is, until now.

In this article we’re going to cover:

The Importance of Proper Skate Shoes
Skate Shoe Characteristics to Avoid
Some of the Best Skate Shoe Companies
Where to Buy Proper Skate Shoes for your Child

Let’s get to it shall we?

Proper Skate Shoes Make All The Difference

“There’s so many times a new skater will pull up to class with a brand new skateboard, full set of pads and the right pants and everything but won’t be wearing the proper skate shoes,” says Ethan Allot. One of our GOSKATE instructors from Raleigh, North Carolina. “I just feel bad because they think something is wrong with their balance when in reality they just needed better shoes.”

Your Child’s Progression:

The truth of the matter is the wrong shoes will get in the way of your child’s progression. If you want to accelerate your child’s progression you need to stop shopping for shoes that are not from reputable skate companies. Just because a shoe is built for sports doesn’t mean it’s built for skateboarding. The most demanding sport of them all.

Your Child’s First Experience:

Your child’s first experience on a skateboard is a pretty big one. Having the wrong shoes might cause them to make mistakes, mistakes that could have been avoided if they were wearing the proper shoes. They might have trouble keeping their balance or find themselves unequipped to pedal, stop, or feel their board well enough.

Proper Safety:

At GOSKATE, everything we do from articles to our literal skate lessons, is to promote skateboarding the safest way possible. Wearing the proper skate shoes is one of the most important safety factors as a rolled ankle or a hurt foot is one of the most common skate injuries ever.

It’s All About Feel:

Even more so than most sports or crafts, skateboarding is all about feel. That’s why even something like your board or trucks being .2 millimeters larger can make or break your experience. The same is with skate shoes. Many new young skaters will have shoes provided by their parents, maybe air force ones or another shoe that has a huge cup soul or underfoot that completely disconnects the skater from their boardfeel. You want safe shoes but that doesn’t mean you want your child wearing combat boots. More on this below.

Shoe Characteristics to Avoid:

Made from Canvas Material

Canvas itself isn’t inherently bad, it’s just an unfortunate truth that this type of material isn’t built to last and usually is the easiest to rip and create holes in your shoes. Unless you want to drench your shoes in shoe glue, it’s generally a rule of thumb to avoid canvas shoes at all costs. Suede and even leather are more suitable for the demands of griptape but shoe companies have all types of non canvas shoes that do just fine.

Velcro or No Shoelaces

Just like with anything there are a few exceptions but shoes without shoe laces (especially for your child) is not going to be conducive to the demands of skateboarding. Tony Hawk famously said he used to tighten his shoe laces as tight as possible, so the shoe was literally as close to his footshap as can be. Some parents have kids so young they are still in velcro shoes and while your child might not be popping ollies, its a general rule of thumb if the shoes doesn’t have laces it doesn’t meet the criteria for a good skate shoe. Nike Sb and Vans do have some slip ons that skaters love but it’s generally for tech skaters who don’t jump down things and need a very intimate board feel. Like everything, give it a try and see what works. But the safest shoe is a shoe with shoelaces.

Lack of Board Feel

While lack of board feel is a bit more of an intermediate or advanced concern long term, new skaters or kids need shoes that provide a decent amount of board feel to meet the demands of mastering the foundations of skating. If your child has shoes with high rises or boot-like material, how can they find the pocket of their tail to pivot their skateboard on a quarter pipe? How can your child effectively push off the ground without being able to feel the tension between their toes and floor? How can the skater produce a slide or a grind if they can’t feel the resistance a ledge or rail is pushing back on them? It’s all about being able to feel these pressures in order to manipulate your board. This important truth is why some skaters skate the same shoe for life.

Safety Concerns from Poor Quality

Like we spoke on before, your child’s safety is always our top priority and the guiding principles to the advice and tutorials we share online. Simply put, if your child isn’t equipped with proper skate shoes, they increase their chances of injury. Old shoes worn out from other sports fit this criteria or even shoes that don’t fit properly. This is why skaters have their “skate shoes” they ONLY skate in. This ensures the shape and quality of the shoe is only impacted by what they do while riding their skateboard. Integrity is at the core of this and we recommend shopping for a real skate shoe from a reputable skate company.

Bought from an Unreputable Source

We don’t mean to sound ambiguous here but it’s a good rule of thumb to avoid buying skate shoes at places like thrift stores or resale retail. You don’t want to skate in used shoes that have already molded to someone else’s foot. You also don’t want to shop at discount stores unless you’re really on a budget, where you might find overstock or functionally deficient shoes. It’s all about reputable brands. Which brings us to our next point.

Some of the best skate shoe companies

Here is a quick list of some of the most well known skate shoe companies that with a long standing commitment to skateboarding, provide your child with everything they need to skate safely. We do not endorse or promote any of these brands specifically but suggest this list to provide you with proper information.

Nike Sb

Vans

Adidas

Emerica

Converse

New Balance

Lakai

D.C. Shoes

Etnies

Where to get Proper Skate Shoes for Your Child:

Skate Shops are the best place to get any type of skate gear for your child. In addition to promoting a cultural community hub in your city, your child can try on the shoes and see how they feel. Skaters find this paramount and often reference this test as the “out-of-the-box” feel of a skate shoe. The only cons to a skate shop is you may be limited to their selection or you might not have access to one in your town. We advise you to check out your skateshop for back to school shopping where they sometimes have discounts on shoes.

Onlines Skate Outlets like CCS have been supplying skaters around the globe with proper skate shoes for decades. However, you won’t have the chance to try on the shoe beforehand and sometimes during long bouts of travel a shoe can lose a bit of its shape. Skaters call this “blowing out” and is a reference to less quality made shoes.

Discount Stores or Sports Retailers can sometimes be a viable source of proper skate shoes. When Audio footwear, Airwalk, and other long standing brands were bought out before going out of business, skaters could treasure hunt Ross and Tj Maxx for the last overstocks of these brands. Today you can sometimes get lucky on the shelves of a discount or sports retailer but often these shoes won’t be pro model shoes and you get what you pay for.

The post What’s The Best Skateboarding Shoes For Your Child? appeared first on Goskate.com.

My Kid Got A Skateboard As A Gift – What’s Next?

Tony Hawk famously said, “ I was nine years old when my brother gave me my first skateboard.” By age 12 he was winning amateur contests throughout California. At 14 he turned pro, and at 16 he was widely regarded as the world’s best competitive skateboarder.

First and foremost, congratulations! Your child just received one of the healthiest and most productive gifts a child can receive. Skateboarding truly nurtures a child’s development in many ways: creatively, physically, mentally, socially, and even spiritually. All while exposing your child to a diverse ecosystem of people, places, artworks and ways of life.

That being said, skateboarding is not the easiest activity to learn and parents often do not possess the skill themselves to get their child rolling in the right direction. Luckily for you, GOSKATE has the most comprehensive skateboarding guides to mastering the foundations of skateboarding so parents and their loved ones can get their kids skating in the safest and most fun ways possible.

In this article we’re going to go over the possible roots of how skaters are gifted a skateboard, where they come from and where you might look to in the near future to help improve your skate setup.

We will also go over some self-learning tips, like the time it takes and the amount of dedication needed to master the foundations of skating and to start learning harder tricks. We will also address some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) that many parents ask our instructors after receiving their first skateboards.

Last but certainly not least, we will also provide you with the pros of enrolling your child as a skateboard school student, the group class versus private lessons platforms and the pros and cons of all of the above.

It is our goal by the end of this article, you will have mapped out a positive and fun trajectory for your child to foster their love for skateboarding and maximize the benefits of this truly revolutionary gift.

Where do skateboards come from?

The skateboarding industry is a multi billion dollar industry that is constantly in flux with new brands, skate shops, skate parks and even skate media outlets. There is always constant change and new skaters and companies entering the fold, so it can be hard for first time skaters to know where their skateboard even came from.

That being said, skateboards generally come from 1 of 3 places:

Your Local Skate Shop

Online Skateboard Order

Local Sports Retail Store
So let’s go over them.

Your Local Skate Shop

Supporting your local skate shop is always going to be the best option for buying a skateboard. Many skate shops are struggling to make ends meet and as cornerstones of the community, we should always strive to support them. It’s also a great place to make friends and meet other skaters in your community. There will also be dozens of skateboards for you to inspect and choose from right there in front of you. You can literally hold and touch the skateboards and check out the different shapes and sizes. Many skate shops will even let you stand on the blank deck or hold a board for a few days. That being said, not everyone has access to skate shops, so that brings us to our next point.

Online Skateboard Order

Ordering your skateboard online is a great way to get exactly what you want at an affordable price. The main con is you don’t get to inspect the skateboard prior. However once you love a brand and their skateboards, you can rest assured consistency. That being said, over the years it has been difficult to find online retailers who match that consistency or have skateboards tailored to beginners who might not know what they need. That is precisely why GOSKATE created the beginner skateboard package. Sourced from the highest quality 7-layer ply maple skateboards and polyurethane wheels. Check us out.

Local Sports Retail Store

For many skaters throughout the 90’s and 00’s –it wasn’t uncommon for parents to have no idea where they were going to get their skateboards from. They often would go to the local sports retails store like a Target or a Walmart. You hear countless stories from pro skaters admitting their first skateboard was a “Walmart Board.” That being said, local sports retail stores have really upped their game. You can see in our article here on the 10 Best Complete Skateboards to Buy Online, how brands like Red Bull and Element skateboards now offer affordable alternatives to more expensive high end boards. This is a great option for young kids who might not be fully in love with skating but if your child does show a real interest in skating, these boards generally fall short in longevity and will need to be replaced quickly.

How to Improve Your Skateboard?

Building a skateboard from scratch can seem like a jigsaw puzzle at first but shortly after, you come to realize it’s a unique way to customize your skateboarding experience and skater expression.

Also, the different parts of a skateboard have different life spans. A skateboard deck might last you only a few weeks or months, whereas a good pair of skateboard trucks and wheels can last years.

Here are some lifespans for some skateboard supplies and how you can improve them:

Wheels: Your skateboard wheels can last up to several years but generally have a lifespan from 3 months to two years. However, lower quality wheels will be slow, groggy and slippery. If that is the case you need to upgrade to a reputable brand.

Trucks: Your skateboard trucks have the longest life-span of any part of your skateboard and if your kingpin breaks they can be replaced for under $10. That being said, some skateboards will opt for low quality trucks. You should always strive for high quality trucks that fit your skateboard size correctly. This is why shopping in person is great or using our free skateboard size calculator.

Bearings: Bearings are probably the hardest thing to shop for and to determine lifespan. Much of this will depend on budget and how well you take care of your skateboard and how mindful you are of what you skate through. A good rule of thumb is to replace your bearings once you notice your wheels are no longer spinning well or make a dramatic squeaking sound. This usually happens once or twice a year but in reality, bearings can be replaced as frequently as decks.

Deck: A skateboard deck is the most common thing to be replaced as the wood and the proximity to obstacles that wear and tear your skateboard. That being said, there are other factors that go into it as well. You might have left your board in the car and the laminate might start to warp. You could have rode through water and water-logged your board or maybe a runaway skateboard ran into a wall and chipped its nose. Whatever the case may be, a skateboard deck is replaced as frequently as your leisure. Pro skaters might replace their skateboard every session, whereas someone like the author of this article will replace their skateboard deck every 2-3 months or so.

Grip Tape: Your griptape is an ambiguous one, since it can be quite difficult to replace grip tape and there are not many reasons why one would want to. But if you left your board out in the sun and it got sun spots, or maybe you spray painted your board so much there’s no more grip, or even if you spilled something on your grip that is affecting your slide, you can replace your grip as soon as the accident happens.

Hardware: When skating, you might lose a piece of hardware. This is not uncommon especially if you didn’t get your board set up by a professional. That being said, many skaters at the skatepark will have an extra or you can pop into your local shop to grab a spare as well. Otherwise, you generally won’t be buying hardware unless you get a new complete or pair of trucks.

The Best Self-Learning Tips Sourced from GOSKATE Instructors

The term self-learning is an ambiguous one, since you will always be drawing inspiration as a skater from those around you and the places you skate. But how you learn tricks and how you have fun is entirely up to the skater and their determination. This is why skateboarding helps hone a do-it-yourself attitude in young people and teaches them how to persevere in the face of physical and mental obstacles.

Have fun!

This might seem like a no brainer but the truth of the matter is, skateboarding can be quite scary, frustrating or intimidating for new skaters. The best way around this is to always remember it’s about having fun. It’s not about scoring points, beating records, or anything stressful other sports might add to the mix. It’s about being outside with your friends and learning a new skill at your own pace and comfort.
“The number one rule for getting better at skating in my opinion, is having fun,” says Jacob Wielder, a skate instructor from Connecticut. “If you’re having fun, you’ll want to skate. The more you skate the more tricks you will want to learn.”

Skate with friends

“What really helped me get better at skating was skating with my friends. They motivate me when they learn new tricks and we play S.K.A.T.E. everyday,” Riley tells us, a student from New Jersey.
Skateboarding with others is a great way to get better at skating. Sometimes it takes someone at your level to help you unlock new tricks and being at the skatepark with friends will also make you more confident. If you don’t have many skaters in your area, book a lesson with one of our instructors or better yet one of our group classes to meet other kids your age.

Don’t compare yourself to others

The level at which you get better at skating is different for all people. Some people might naturally have more confidence or less fear when first learning how to skate. Others might need to take their time. What matters is you understand skateboarding is more like an artform in this respect, comparing yourself to others is pointless because everyone skaters differently. Many skaters will quit at some point, so take your time and be yourself. The skaters who stick with it have learned not to compare themselves and to find the joy in every skater’s abilities no matter their skill level.

“I love how each skater has their own set of skills and strengths,” says Matthew Pillet, our instructor from the Maryland area. “It’s really cool to see the kids conquer their fears as well. It’s like they had no idea they could do something but once they try it unlocks this whole new confidence to try other tricks.”

Follow Skate Media & Watch Skate Tutorials

One of the best ways to get better at skateboarding is to digest skate media and watch skateboarding tutorials. Many experts have YouTube channels or online tutorials on how to learn new tricks specifically tailored to new skaters.

The Most Common FAQs from New Skaters and their Parents

Oftentimes our parents will stay for the duration of the classes and just like their kids who grow in interest, they ask our instructors specific questions to help foster their child’s passion and growth as a skater.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions so you can hear from what our instructors have to say about new skaters.

My kid got a skateboard as a gift, what’s next?

Obviously, this is the title of our article and there are plenty of answers via its content. But in reality, many parents don’t know what to do next. We suggest first and foremost to take your kids to an empty flat space, where they can stand on a skateboard for the first time and get familiar with rolling on wheels. From there, booking a private lesson with one of our skate instructors in the safest and most fun way possible for your child to master the foundations of skateboarding and get rolling in the right direction – literally.

How do I know if my child has a good skateboard?

This frequently asked question is arguably the most important one. It is next to impossible to know if your child has a good skateboard if you never skated yourself. A few sure signs are however: counting the plys of your deck and making sure it has seven layers. Making sure the wheels spin for at least 25 seconds on their own ensures good bearings and wheels. Your trucks should have a logo on them and not just be stock trucks. In general, it is really about the brand you choose and where you sourced the skateboard from which we provided the proper tips above.

Is my child’s skateboard the right size?

Thankfully, we have a Free Skateboard Size Calculator for you to answer this question with ease. However, many skate moms and dads will buy their child a mini board or a penny board. We advise to avoid penny boards and longboards and go with either a mini skateboard from a reputable brand or our GOSKATE Beginner Skateboard Package.

Where can I buy a used skateboard?

Many parents think skateboards are like a surfboard or a snowboard and generally can be bought and used. This is not the case. However, you can go into a skate shop or ask your friends if they have a used deck or wheels. They generally hold onto them for times like these and to pay it forward.

Do they sell skateboards at skate parks?

This is another one of those questions that depends on where you are in the skate world. If you go to a big commercial indoor skatepark, many of them will have skate shops inside where you can buy and rent skate supplies. To see if there is one in your area, check out our GOSKATE Skatepark Directory. In general however, most public skateparks do not have a skate shop on site.

Does my child’s height affect skateboard size?

In very rare cases, a child’s height will affect the size of the skateboard. But again, it is only between two choices: a mini skateboard or a standard size skateboard. All children will eventually graduate to a standard size skateboard either way. Shoe size and preference affect the size of a skateboard more than anything.

What is the best way for my child to learn to skateboard?

The best way for your child to learn how to skateboard is by having fun! And of course but doing it safely. That is why we recommend booking with one of our skate school programs either via private lesson or group lesson. Check out our next section of our article for all the details.

Enrolling Your Child in Skate Schools

Enrolling your child in a skate class or skate school is the surest way to accelerate their passion and skill for skateboarding. In enrolling your child, you essentially compliment every factor that leads to your child learning faster, having more fun and being safer while riding a skateboard. However, it can be hard to know if you should book a group class or a private lesson. So let’s take a deeper look into both and their pros and cons.

Group Classes Vs Private Lessons

A group class usually consists of 2-10 students all skating at a skatepark with either one instructor or two instructors. Obviously, a private lesson is one on one with an instructor. Both have pros and cons and we’re going to break them down to see which one better fits your child.

Pros and Cons of Group Classes

Let’s start with the pros:

The pros of group classes are naturally the social aspect your child will benefit from. Being with other kids, generally at the same skill level and age, will be much like an after school program where your child can make peers and friends. This will also be naturally diverse, as skateboarding attracts all types of people no matter their age, gender or ethnic background.

Competition is also a pro of learning how to skate in a group setting. Some kids are naturally competitive or at the very least want to do what their friends are doing. “If they can do it, I can do it.” Students will naturally encourage one another to do tricks and even teach one another how to skate.

Group classes are a great way to meet other parents who have kids passionate about skateboarding. You can share your knowledge with each other and learn about other skateparks and ways in which your child can foster their love for skateboarding.

Let’s take a look at some cons:

Some of the cons of skating in a group class setting mainly center around the fact your child doesn’t get the special one on one instruction they might need to learn tricks. Not every child does well in social situations when trying something new and might need a more hands on approach and special instruction.

Another con is some kids might begin to compare themselves to others or feel intimidated. While this is natural for some kids, it is also natural for them to conquer these fears and really grow from accomplishing riding a skateboard. As long as they don’t quit and have fun, they will certainly outgrow these cons and become confident skaters.

Pros and Cons of Private Lessons

Let’s start with the pros:

Booking a one-on-one private lesson is the surest way your child will receive the attention they need to master the foundations of skating in a tailored curriculum. It’s much like learning in a classroom. Some students might benefit from one-on-one tutoring versus a classroom environment where a teacher has to spread the lesson laterally.

The safest your child can be while riding a skateboard is under the supervision of our GOSKATE instructors. No attention to detail goes unnoticed and they are specifically trained to always keep your child’s safety as the top priority while teaching. This doesn’t just mean on their skateboard but their interactions at the skatepark in totality.

Let’s talk about some cons:

The biggest con about a private lesson is skaters will miss out on the group activity factor and socialization. While this might be true at the beginning, eventually just being at the skatepark will lead to your child making friends. But sometimes showing up with an instructor might deter those kids if they are intimidated by an older skate instructor. This is rare but it does happen sometimes.

Every kid remembers their first skateboard, where it came from, who gave it to them, what brand it was, the graphic and everything perfectly imperfect about it.

You hear countless recounted tales from Pro skaters of how their first skateboard was gifted to them (usually by an older brother). But nonetheless, this life-altering moment is a moment in time a skater never forgets. The best part is you don’t have to be a pro skater to experience this exact feeling. Go out, get your skateboard, get your friends and GOSKATE!

The post My Kid Got A Skateboard As A Gift – What’s Next? appeared first on Goskate.com.

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Warenkorb

Warenkorb

1. München – Olympiapark Skatepark: Der Klassiker

2. Berlin – Mellowpark: Der King of the Bowl

3. Hamburg – Skatepark Bahrenfeld: Street & Bowl in einem

4. Köln – Skatepark Rheinpark: Am Wasser skaten

5. Frankfurt – Skatepark Eschersheimer Landstraße: Für Street-Skater und Bowl-Fans

6. Stuttgart – Skatepark Cannstatter Wasen: Der Space für Profis

7. Leipzig – Skatepark Lindenau: Der Hidden Gem

Fazit: Dein Perfekter Spot zum Skaten

1. Mission Valley Skatepark: The Big Kahuna

3. North Park Skatepark: For the Street Skater in You

4. La Jolla Shores Skatepark: Small But Mighty

6. Clairemont Skatepark: Classic California Style

7. Skateworld San Diego: A True Vert Spot

Final Thoughts: Ready to Shred?

The Mental Aspects of Skateboarding

Operating in the Face of Fear

Figuring Out Tricks and Avoiding Frustration

Staying Positive and Mental Health

Confidence and Avoiding Comparison

Your Relationship with Your Skateboard

The Physical Aspects of Skateboarding

Know When Not To Skate:

Stretch and Stay Hydrated:

Activities Outside of Skating:

Skate Enhancing Workouts:

Proper Skate Attire and Equipment:

Book a Free One-On-One Skate Lesson with a GO SKATE Instructor

The Youngest Olympian and largest Olympian Age Gap in Olympics History

Teenage Podium Sweep in Women’s Skateboard Park Final

We have decades of skateboarding tricks and obstacle evolution boiled down into just two formats.

We have less than .05% of skaters being represented on the world stage.

Olympic Skateboarding is Gaining A Ton of Respect But Certainly Deserves More

The U.S., home to skateboarding’s birthplace, does not dominate the podium like other major sports

Skateboarding Will Return to its Birthplace in 2028

Your Kid Could Be An Olympic Skateboarder

What is a Skate Coach?

14 Best Reasons To Hire A Skate Instructor

Selecting the Best Skate Instructor for Your Kid

GOSKATE’s Pro Skate Instructors & New Review System

Best Skate Spots in Seattle and Washington State

Garfield High School

Jimmy Hendrix 3 Flat 3 Out Ledge and Double Set

University of Washington Manny Pads

What makes a Skatepark Kid Friendly?

Sacramento Honorable Mentions

An Ode to San Francisco Skate Spots

Proper Skate Shoes Make All The Difference

Your Child’s Progression:

Your Child’s First Experience:

Proper Safety:

It’s All About Feel:

Shoe Characteristics to Avoid:

Made from Canvas Material

Velcro or No Shoelaces

Lack of Board Feel

Safety Concerns from Poor Quality

Bought from an Unreputable Source

Some of the best skate shoe companies

Where to get Proper Skate Shoes for Your Child:

Where do skateboards come from?

Your Local Skate Shop

Online Skateboard Order

Local Sports Retail Store

How to Improve Your Skateboard?

The Best Self-Learning Tips Sourced from GOSKATE Instructors

Have fun!

Skate with friends

Don’t compare yourself to others

Follow Skate Media & Watch Skate Tutorials

The Most Common FAQs from New Skaters and their Parents

Enrolling Your Child in Skate Schools

Group Classes Vs Private Lessons

Pros and Cons of Group Classes

Let’s start with the pros:

Let’s take a look at some cons:

Pros and Cons of Private Lessons

Let’s start with the pros:

Let’s talk about some cons: