What happens if the skatepark is wet?

If the session is being run at an outdoor skatepark and the floor is wet, we will have to cancel the session. Skateboarding on wet skateparks is highly dangerous and can damage skateboards. We do have contingencies for wet weather and run our sessions at indoor skateparks and town halls using mobile ramps so please look out for contingency announcements.

Can I still do a lesson if I don’t have a skateboard or safety gear?

We offer a range of skateboards and safety gear on our booking system that you can hire out when you book your session. There are all sizes in skateboards and safety gear but we do have limited equipment so you must be sure to book this in advance so you can secure the correct sizes.

In the group sessions, do I need to be at the same level as the other skaters?

Skateboarder’s ability levels will never be exactly the same. We use a beginner, intimidate and advanced ability level to measure each skateboarder's ability when booking a session. The criteria for this can be found on our booking system under the ticket type.

Can I come to a group session with my friends and/or siblings?

Yes, you are more than welcome to invite any friends and/or siblings that may be interested in the session. As long as they fit into the ability criteria and age range appropriately, you are more than welcome to invite anyone.

If I’m sharing a private lesson with someone, do I need to be at the same ability level?

The short answer is no. Our coaches can provide challenging scenarios for any skateboarder in a provide session, no matter what ability bracket you fit into. Although, if you are at a similar ability level to the other skateboarders in the session you may get more consistent support from the coach running the session.

What if I can’t find a suitable group session?

We are expanding our group session opportunities as we aim to be a highly inclusive business. If you do feel like the booking system is missing a type of group session then we are more than open to suggestions. Please email your suggestions to
frankie@coachfrankskateschool.co.uk.

What size skateboard board should I ride?

Board size usually ends up being something that is entirely a person's own personal preference. However, they do make junior boards for especially small children which are shorter in length as well as narrower in width and are far easier to manage.

I would definitely recommend one of these for a child who finds an adult board leaves them standing with their feet especially far apart.
Adult boards are usually available in widths between 7.5’ and 8.5’ although they do offer far larger boards which work well for bowl riding or cruising around.

They also come in all different shapes. Bigger boards offer more stability and surface for landing on whilst smaller boards are lighter and can be easier to execute technical tricks on. I wouldn't usually recommend a board smaller than 8’ to an adult so anything smaller than 8’ would be good for a pre-teens/young teenager.

With all of this taken into account, as a beginner you want to feel as comfortable on your board as possible. Please reference the picture for a rough idea of how your feet should measure up against a skateboard.

Will the skatepark be busy during the session?

For Mount Hawke skatepark & town hall sessions, this will not be a problem as we privately hire the venue. At all other skateparks, this is unfortunately something we cannot determine. Here are some of the strategies we have to minimise the risk of a busy skatepark:

• We try to organise our sessions at times that the skatepark will more likely be quiet for group sessions.
• We aim to use the larger skateparks for these sessions i.e. St Ives skatepark as this gives us much more space to work with and prevents the likelihood of learning in crowded spaces.
• Our coaches are adaptive experts and can find efficient areas in the skatepark where we can make the most out of the lessons.
• Based on our experience and feedback from sessions, we have shortened the maximum headcount per coach to ensure the session has a maintainable number of skateboarders. This is a key factor at public skateparks, especially when the skatepark is busier.