Skateboarding clinic teaches Tony Hawks in training how to ride right

As the owner of Killer Peaks Surf & Skate Shop in Port Royal, Jon Bekemeyer knows a thing or two about skateboarding. Bekemeyer, 30, just finished directing the second annual Port Royal skate clinic at Port Royal Skate Park, which taught children basic and intermediate skateboarding skills, as well as safety and skate park etiquette. The clinic ran Monday through Wednesday.

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Skateboarding clinic teaches Tony Hawks in training how to ride right

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"The single most important thing is staying within your comfort level," said Bekemeyer. "A lot of times, especially kids will get out of their comfort level to try to keep up with their friends, and that's the single most cause of injuries. The next thing, with it being so humid here, is definitely the hydration. A lot of kids end up feeling sick like they're going to throw up, and they don't know why. It's because they're dehydrated."

A native of the Orlando, Fla., area, it was Bekemeyer's idea to launch the skate clinic last year. He said he skated from ages 6 to 16 but stopped after he joined the Marines, and he didn't pick it up again until he was 28, around the time he opened Killer Peaks Surf & Skate. He's been surfing since he was 15.

Bekemeyer said that sometimes children do not know what to expect at skate parks and are worried that they'll be interfering with more experienced skaters. Part of his clinic was devoted to changing this perception.

"It's a good familiarization tool to bring the kids out here and kind of break the ice," said Bekemeyer. "The skate park is a real asset to the town as far as it's something where a lot of kids can have fun, but sometimes they're intimidated, to be frank. So we bring them down here and show them that there's nothing to be intimidated about."

ETIQUETTE

A sign bearing the Port Royal seal is posted at the skate park and reads: "If littering graffiti and vandalism continue at this facility, access will be limited and a fee schedule will be established."

Chantelle Gancerez, of Port Royal, said that even though she was worried about broken bones when her children took up skateboarding, she especially liked the clinic teaching children about proper skate park etiquette. Two of her sons and her daughter participated in the clinic.

"It's like teaching your kids manners growing up," said Gancerez. "If you have the skater's etiquette, you're not really going to have too many problems out there. You've got people who are out there and don't know nothing about nothing causing problems. Here, they're teaching them so that there's not really any problems, and they can have their fun."

Gancerez's son, Malcolm Brooks, 12, joked that he likes skateboarding because it's "dangerous," before adding that he learned how to do kick turns at the clinic. He's been skating for about a year.

"I learned how to go down the wave," said Malcolm, "and when your board slips from under you and it's going at somebody, your supposed to yell, 'Board!' "

Gancerez feels better about letting her children ride skateboards since their participation in the clinic.

"It gives me the satisfaction of knowing that at least my child is going to know what to do in different situations when it comes to skateboarding," she said.

Jean Pulaski, of St. Helena Island, who watched her son Bennie skate, agreed. She said that Bennie, 7, had been riding four-wheelers, dirt bikes and surfing "since he could walk," so she was used to her son being involved in extreme sports, but it's nice to know that he has access to an organized outlet.

"I think it's great," said Pulaski. "It gets them out of the house and (away) from the TV and the video games. They're having a blast. It gives them something to do and keeps them out of trouble. It gets them exercise and fresh air, and they're having a good time and learning and not even realizing it. It also gives them hand-eye coordination, and they're not in my hair for a couple of hours."

Brendon Davis, of Lady's Island, has been skating for about six months. He said he learned how to ollie during the clinic.

"It's not about how good you are," he said. "It's about having fun."

SAFETY

In terms of safety, Bekemeyer said that the clinic "strongly encouraged" the use of helmets and knee pads but added that, unfortunately, equipment costs money. Only a handful of children wore helmets Tuesday. Marlon Williams, 11, was one of the children wearing a helmet but said that he only did so at the insistence of his father.

By contrast, John Kurkul, of Hilton Head Island, was wearing a helmet. He and Marlin Clark, 13, both skate at a skate park on Hilton Head, but they recently discovered the Port Royal Skate Park, which they like best.

"I learned a lot of stuff here," said Kurkul, 11. "You can do way more tricks with a helmet on. You're not scared."

Clark said he learned how to wall ride and to always establish eye contact when there is someone on the other side of the ramp before descending. When asked why he chose to wear a helmet, he replied simply, "Because I really don't want to crack my head open."

Sporting a Pink Floyd T-shirt and long black hair, Guadalupe Villegas, 13, has been skating for about a year. He lives in Beaufort and admitted that he only skates for fun and doesn't think much about safety. He was among those not wearing a helmet.

"I like the flip tricks," he said.

Even though many children were not wearing the proper equipment, Bekemeyer still was able to teach participants skateboarding skills and etiquette that will lessen their chances of being injured. The response to this year's clinic was overwhelming, and he said that as long as there is an interest, he will continue to put it on.

"The kids are really excited when they come out in the morning, and they're still excited even when the clinic's over for the day," said Bekemeyer. "A lot of them are tired and worn out, and they still hang out and practice what they learned."