Skateboarder Connor Ruge Warren is set to launch beginner skateboarding sessions at Clitheroe Skatepark from spring.
Connor, 16, who lives in Clitheroe, has been skating for four years and wants to help younger skaters learn the basics in a relaxed and friendly environment.
The sessions will teach how to stand on a board, how to push properly and simple ramp skills.
The first lesson will be free, with the following sessions costing £15 for around 45 minutes.
Lessons will be one-to-one at first, and helmets, pads, and skateboards can be provided.
A waiver will need to be signed before lessons start.
Connor said he first picked up a skateboard on his 12th birthday.
“I started skating on March 28, 2022, which was my 12th birthday,” he said.
He explained that he had been obsessed with tech decks and fingerboards, and that led him to ask his parents for a real skateboard.
“It’s just started from there, and I’ve been doing it for four years now.”
Much of what keeps him skating is the strong community at Clitheroe Skatepark.
He said the group there means everything to him and that without it, skating wouldn’t be as enjoyable.
Their meet-ups can be planned or completely random. Sometimes they organise bigger trips together, including hiring a minibus and travelling all the way to Darlington to skate new parks.
Connor said the local skating community is hoping to bring back their big annual competition, King of the Castle.
READ MORE: Family aiming to take 8-year-old Olly to Mexico for 'potentially life changing' trial
READ MORE: Pendle artist brings childhood dream to life with Little Pendle Peg book
Grand Theatre once managed the Castle Skate Park, but after struggling with insurance, it stopped running.
Connor said several locals are meeting with the council to improve safety and revive the competition, which he described as one of the most important events for skaters in the area. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 13.
He also said another local skater, Callum, from The Skateboard Movement at Junction 4 Skate Park, inspired him to begin teaching.
Seeing someone already running lessons gave him confidence that he could offer something positive to younger children, especially because being closer in age makes him approachable.
"I think it's it'll be easier for the kids to be able to like talk to me and relate to me," he said.
He said offering lessons will give younger skaters something active and creative to do.
Many children come to the skatepark already, and older skaters naturally help them out, but Connor wants to give more structured support.
He spoke about how skateboarding has grown since becoming part of the Olympics and said the increased visibility helps people understand it is a real sport.
For him, skating is also a major support for his mental health, something he relies on heavily.
He said: "Skateboarding is a big thing in that for me, it's like a hyperfixation for me, and it very much helps.
"It's a big part of me, the way I am with mental health too, because skateboarding is like my relief."
Connor knows that beginners often feel nervous stepping into a skatepark for the first time.
He said many worry about people judging them or watching them struggle. He urged younger skaters not to feel scared, because the skating community is far more welcoming than people think.
"All of us, we just want to support the younger skaters"
He finished by saying that the more people skate, the better the community becomes.
For more information, contact Connor at: connorrw09@icloud.com
Share