On a roll: Skateboard leaders share their skills with learners at Saskatoon's skate parks

On a sunny Wednesday afternoon at Lions Skate Park in Victoria Park, Brielle stands on her skateboard, pushing off with one foot to do laps around the ramps.

Standing atop one of the biggest ramps, the eight-year-old puts her weight forward on the board.

"I can't go down all by myself," she says. "I just have somebody holding my hand."

Theperson holding her hand, wearing a bright yellow pinny, is a skateboard leader hired by the City of Saskatoon to be on hand at the skatepark to give tips and instructions to new riders.

The summer skateboard program is free and has been going on for more than 10 years. Instructors, or skateboard leaders, visit different skate parks throughout the week to provide instruction to skateboarders looking to improve their skills.

Jody Hauta, recreation facilities and programs manager for the city, says the program was launched in response to the popularity of skateboarding.

"As we started to get more and more outdoor sites," Hautasaid, "there was more demand and more usage in the facilities, and a chance to kind of grow the sport by getting more youth involved by bringing the equipment out and having some of the leaders show some of the skills."

Bailey Fawcett, who worked as a leader for a summer, says people were amazed when she told them about herjob.

"When I tell people about it, they're like, 'You just skateboard with kids all day?' And yeah. It's real. It's a job," Fawcett said.

Busy days would bring 50 or more riders to the parks where Fawcettworked. She says she would focus on making sure new riders had the basic skills they needed.

"And thenwhen they get through those beginner stages of just learning how to ride the board, navigate itthen maybe learning, like, a trick, some obstacles, stuff like that."

The leaders not onlyoffer instruction, they also can provide boards, helmetspads and even Band-Aids for any scrapes thanmight happen along the way.

Hautasays the program continues to be an important investment in youth in the city.

"If they're here, skateboarding and participating in positive activities, that means they're going to move on to other positive activities in our community."

The program rotates among five different skateparks throughout the week:

• Lions Skate Park, Monday and Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. CST to 6 p.m.
• Charlottetown Park, Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Forest Park, Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Umea Park, Thursday, 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• W.W. Ashley Park, Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The city will also hosta free freestyle event on Saturday, Sept. 11, offering music, pizza, prizes and skateboarding demonstrations.