‘If we can get people out of cars, that’s a plus’

Suwat Piper skates to school every day. ‘‘My uncle is the best skateboarder, he taught me to skate about three years ago,’’ the 9-yearold says.

‘‘I live just down the road so it’s not too far away, but I always wear my helmet and walk my skateboard across roads to be safe.’’

In the push to get more kids footing it to and from school, schools are getting on board with skateboarding.

Over the past four years OnBoard Skate school, the largest provider of in-school skateboard and scooter lessons in Auckland, has taught tens of thousands of Kiwi kids skating fundamentals, by taking over their traditional physical education classes.

Suwat’s classmates at Grey Lynn School were treated to their first skateboarding lessons this week.

Steve Hodges, OnBoard Skate’s chief executive, says the training sessions provide an introduction, ‘‘so those who want to pursue it have got the basics down’’.

After a safety briefing, kids were wrapped up in helmets and elbow, knee and wrist protectors, before being taught how to how to push and ride, turn and finally, stop.

‘‘It’s something that kids can learn at their own pace. It provides greater opportunity to develop greater resilience and self-esteem than traditional organised sports,’’ Hodges says. ‘‘Our main goal is to give kids the confidence to become independently active.’’

That is an outcome that Courtney Yukich, a Grey Lynn School team leader, couldn’t endorse more.

She says as a Travelwise school, they are always looking for new ways to encourage families out of the car and onto the footpath for school pick ups and drop offs.

‘‘Most of our kids live locally so if we can get more people out of cars, that’s a big plus for us.’’

‘‘Sometimes the kids will do little skits in assemblies promoting ways to actively get to school, and other times we’ll have spot prizes awarded out by the front gate for kids who haven’t come in their car.’’