On this blog we have covered more than 20 sports in our 3 years now, but today we introduce another one to the site. When I was 14, in amongst the cricket, hockey, soccer and tennis I played, I also got involved in skateboarding. I would spend hours outside practising to perfect a pop-shovit or an ollie. Of course, I was never any good at this and my talent for skate boarding was limited to the minitaure version of the sport, the finger boards known as tech decks.
Of course my interest in the sport did not wain and through the years I have kept in touch with the sport and the likes of Tony Hawk, Ryan Sheckler and Jamie Thomas. I have obviously also enjoyed movies with the skateboarding element in like Lords of Dogtown and Grind. So it was to my utter enjoyment when I heard about the Skateboarding for Hope.
The Skateboarding for Hope initiative was launched by the Northern Cape provincial government to offer South African youth the opportunity to challenge themselves mentally and physically. The programme aims to introduce youth to skateboarding as a healthy, affordable and accessible lifestyle alternative, while creating a strong youth culture centred around mutual respect and intercultural cohesiveness. Skateboarding for Hope presents road shows with skateboarding clinics and life skills training to raise awareness of the fastest growing sport in the world.
With the support of Anglo American’s Kumba Iron Ore, the skateboarding for hope roadshow has been able to travel around the country and take the sport of skateboarding to more people than ever before. This is also given amateur skateboarders the opportunity to be noticed, better than ever before and the support of retail partner Boogaloos has been instrumental as the roadshow travels to 7 of the 9 provinces in 2013.
On an Saturday they are taking the tour to Kimberley. Skateboarding enthusiasts in the land of the Big Hole will be able descend on the state-of-the-art skate park, the Kimberley Skate Plaza. One talented skateboarder will also win a wild card entry into the world skateboarding championships, which will be taking place in Kimberley in September. The day’s action will include skateboarding clinics, demos, best trick competitions with cash prizes and skateboarding merchandise up for grabs.
Of course if you are not able to get to Kimberley this weekend, there are other opportunities to see the tour through the rest of 2013.
Saturday, 15 June: Maloof Skate Plaza, Kimberley
Saturday, 6 July: Loch Logan Mall, Bloemfontein
Saturday, 13 July: Skatelab, George
Saturday, 27 July: Riverside Mall, Nelspruit
Saturday, 24 August: Kings Beach Skatepark, Port Elizabeth
Saturday, 31 August: Boogaloos Stoneridge Skate park, Edenvale
Saturday, 8 Sept: Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Cape Town