Bridgewater, Va. – A new skateboarding club founded by junior Kollin Sharpes joins the Bridgewater College community by offering lessons and fellowship to beginner and advanced skateboarders and longboarders alike. 

Brand new to campus, the club currently has eight members and welcomes anyone to join regardless of prior skateboarding experience. 

According to Jenkem Magazine, the COVID-19 shutdown is contributing to the comeback in skateboarding because of its socially distanced nature. Sharpes agrees that there has been a boom in skateboarding recently.

 “I feel like skating is making a return with the COVID-19 situation,” said Sharpes. “I also started skating again as a way to relax during quarantine. I wanted to make a club so that more people can experience the hobby and hopefully find a new passion or friends along the way,”

Sharpes began skateboarding at the age of eight and stopped around 13. However, when quarantine hit, Sharpes got invested in longboarding and has since gained more experience. 

An average meeting for the club will offer a skateboarding-related lesson such as how to properly clean and maintain your board or even how to choose parts to build your own board. 

Other club meetings will include getting together with fellow club members and going skateboarding.

“I think it’s a great way to start expanding and diversifying our programs and clubs on campus,” said junior Margarita Villacorta.

The club has yet to have their first official meeting, and when it does happen, it will take place via Zoom.

Sharpes is excited for the outlook of the new skateboarding club and expressed that there are several exciting things coming up to celebrate the club’s commencement. 

“Our official club creation is coming up within the next few weeks,” said Sharpes. “We will have our first ever meeting soon too. We also hope to raffle off a skateboard once the club gets up and running,”

According to Braille Skateboarding, having access to top notch equipment is not what makes a good skateboarder, but rather it is practice. 

“The first side is you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a new complete [skateboard] and expect that you’re going to Ollie easier,” said Braille Skateboarding. “That’s where practice comes in! Chances are, it’s not the deck, grip or shoes that’s holding you back.”

The club shares this skater mindset because having access to a skateboard is not an obligation to be a part of the action. They hope to obtain some “club loaner boards” so that everyone has the ability to take part in skateboarding.  

“I love seeing Bridgewater continue to expand opportunities for students to engage with each other and making these opportunities open for all,” said senior Kylee Eaton. 

Not only do new members not have to have access to a board of their own, but skateboarding experience is not a requirement either. Sharpes encourages anyone interested in skateboarding or longboarding to join the club regardless of skill level, because experienced skateboarders in the club can teach beginners how to skate.

“We also want the club to be a place for beginners to get more comfortable with the hobby,” said Sharpes. “In the end, anyone who loves skateboarding or wants to pick up a new hobby should join!”

Anyone who is interested in joining the club can contact Kollin Sharpes at [email protected]