Chairperson | Skateboard Jersey

What does a typical day look like for you? 

There are some general office duties, of course, but the fun begins when we have a session booked in! Depending on weather, we’d meet the learners at the skatepark, sign in and pad up, then skate! The structure of a session can be freeform, directed or elected; it changes to match the needs of those in the session. Beginners need some guidance to get going, and the more experienced riders may need some help with a particular trick or obstacle.

How did you get your job? / What training, degree, education do you need? 

As part of the campaign to get a new skatepark built, Jersey Sport enabled interested people to qualify as a skateboarding coach. In 2023, Skateboard Jersey used a ConnectMe Government grant to sponsor the training of more coaches, and we now have 14 more people newly qualified on the island. The Get Rolling qualification, administered by SkateboardGB, enables coaches to teach and supervise sessions. We’ve taken that forward to provide a ‘skate school’ model, which is still taking shape!

What are the most important skills needed for your role/job? 

A passion for skateboarding, and the ability to instil patience – skateboarding is hard! It can only be mastered with commitment and resilience, but the reward for sticking at it is immense. 

Are there any future skills you will need to learn for your role? 

Skateboarding is not like many other ‘sports’, and the relevant authorities have decided that increasing levels of coaching are not appropriate. There are further learning programmes, to include more sports psychology and the range of learning and teaching methods, although this is more of an added bonus than a ‘need’.

What is the best part of your job? / What motivates you in this role?

Seeing the joyous moment when the confidence level teeters past the fear level and allows a learner to conquer a new manoeuvre is priceless! 

What advice would you give someone interested in a career in your profession? 

Get in touch; we can help to make it happen! We’re affiliated with SkateboardGB – the national governing body – and they help us to provide all the steps required.

What would you tell your younger self? 

Follow your heart and smile through the hard parts – the other parts will keep you smiling anyway 🙂