Clinics for dayz

So many clinics, for Day’z, thousands of k’s… I’ll let the pictures do the talking…

Northampton Show

….and what a show it was. The crew descended upon the Northampton Showgrounds taking over the tennis courts for another edition of the MidWests only pop-up skatepark. Raf, Harry and Gus were on hand to demo their skills and show what can be done off the cuff. As well as the demo we also ran clinics for anybody keen to get involved and rolling around. Awesome initiative Northampton, youth skateboarding is certainly diversifying within the MidWest -let’s keep this up!

Shred the Bay

This! the inaugural Shred the Bay; Dongara’s first big skate day! To crack things off me and Josh ran some beginner and intermediate Skate-Skills clinics with the local crew before warming up the microphone to host the all ages competition. Some seasoned talent came down from Geraldton to pepper up the mix which eventuated in bags of prizes flowing out into waiting hands! Thanks to The Shire of Irwin for hosting and for digging deep into the pockets of the local community to source the winnings!

Fair Game

I caught up with a few of the Fair-Game crew whilst I was in Yalgoo this April. This is not the first time I might add, previously we’ve bumped into each other in Mount Magnet and it’s always been a pleasure seeing such positive youth work in action. Fair Game have been sending me up boxes and boxes of skateboard equipment for the past 6 months to which I am eternally grateful. Without such a program Skate-Donate would be held back from fully supporting young people with safety equipment and helmets. Thanks Fair Game, love your values, people and what you do!

Beyond Skate-Donate

Whilst down in the City me and Felix swung past Beyond skate in North-Perth. We picked up some fresh decks for ourselves as well as a stack of donations for the Skate-Donate program. Thanks so much Beyond skate for helping to bring skateboarding to those without! P.S Check out where some of the boards ended up!

Australia Day awards

WOW! what a surprise. Never did I believe that Infinity would be recognised on such a public stage. Today I received the Community Citizen of the Year award for the work done through the MidWest skate movement. Thanks to all who put me up for the nomination, such an accolade pushes the movement onwards like you wouldn’t believe! x

2023 Summer Clinics

What a hot start to the year! Even so, we managed to squeeze in a few clinics before it sizzled. I am so impressed with how fast everybody learns together and pushes the envelope of their ability in these group settings. Props to you all for being respectful and having fun together. As always thanks to the City of Greater Geraldton for including Skate-Skills in the school holiday program.

Revolve Skate Series 2022

Phew, what an epic close to 2022, we stacked three Revolve events into two months drawing riders from as far as Margret river - all making the trip to compete in the states largest community run skate series. The Revolve Skate Series has three stages: Jurien Bay, Geraldton and Kalbarri each hosted by the community from that region. Jurien Bay is sponsored by Ray and Bard at Jurien Ink Tattoo who organise, host and foster community spirit in the bay. Geraldton, by the City who make the series a home coming affair putting on bands, food trucks and local legend Shah Jackey who graphs up the kids decks! Finally, Kalbarri closes the series thanks to Ash and Dom from Kalbarri Jetty surf who work tirelessly to put on the best show -safe to say it absolutely goes off on the banks of the mighty Murchison despite the late season rain! Being a series there had to be a champion - Zen Evans from Mandurah cleared the field of points taking home the inaugural trophy at the Kalbarri finale.

Pop-up Skate Park

Back by popular demand, the pop-up skatepark returned to the foreshore for a full days shred. Unbeknown to us their was a wedding on at midday so we had a bigger crowd than expected, safe to say the crew put on an epic lunchtime session knowing the importance of commiting to ones vows and sticking your tricks! All the ramps were built in house and add to the skate-able ledges at the Stow Gardens spot called, blocks, ledges, or Sail inn depending on who you talk to. Geraldton needs a permanent foreshore skatepark if we are to keep with with Jurien Bay! (hint hint, nudge nudge CGG)

Skate Donate

The program that started it all. Donations began this skate movement and keep it expanding and growing. Thanks to a partnership with FairGame I received 2 huge boxes of skate gear to get out there to kids without access to equipment. In the photo below the Yalgoo crew are all repping their new boards, helmets and knee pads. I can’t wait to see how the donations have enabled their skate journey!

Winter clinics

This winter was full on! I headed inland again and on the way held clinics in Yalgoo, Mt Magnet, Meekatharra before burning back along the same old road for some Geraldton sessions. The crew are getting so much better on each trip, it’s such a pleasure to see you all develop and grow with skateboarding, most of all I love the little yarns off on the side, hearing from community members about respect for country, and of course introducing you to crisp sandwiches! (lazy lunch!)

Video comp

In spite of the Revolve Skate Series being postponed I decided we should still be having a competition and so armed with cameras the would be competitors took to the park to film their competition lines. Without the pressure of an intense event the video comp allowed the skaters to really hone in on their timing, runs and trick selection, it was such a fun process to be involved in watching the skaters push their limits in a different approach to the competition standard. Kia took the 1st prize with his street line, a technical, fast and well put together 45 seconds- on ya Kai!

Morawa Skate Clinics

It seems like we’ve been having a scorching summer so far, no less the case out at Morawa! I caught up with the young people inland thanks to Christine from the local Shire there who was keen to get a skate program happening. For four weeks we worked on all the basics including a few extras - everybody loves a boneless or chocolate milkshake as the sun glistens through the gum trees. The weekly clinics fast-tracked progress so that by week four we had covered, Ollies, transition, pumping, bowl riding, manuals, tic-tags, and, of course, the boneless. Most of all I enjoyed the riddle games we played at the end of the sessions, so cool too hear young people actively reinvigorating these awesome words on plays…..

Revolve Skate Series Kalbarri

The Revolve Skate Series added another stop to the tour thanks to the diligent work of Ash and Dom at Kalbarri Jetty Surf. Without local people pushing local events we would never have been able to expand on the series, local knowledge pays big! Almost as big as the $1000 best trick drawcard, which was, no doubt the, coolest, thing, Kalbarri has seen for years. I mean how could it not be? RATSALAD throwing down riff after riff whilst the MidWests best are punching airs out the deep end of the bowl?! Callum Miragiotta took home the crown for that one with a huge frontside 180 closely followed by Alistair Drummond’s boneless to flat which had the crowd going wild. The day was quite legitimately the hottest and windiest day of the month but all involved knuckled on to demonstrate the resilience of mad keen skateboarders. There’s so much too say, I’d best leave the video above do the talking, just wait until you see the skate off between Tom & Digby…….yew, pure stoke!

Spring Clinics

This year I was as busy as the bees travelling from spot to spot heading from Geraldton to Mullewa, Yalgoo to Mount Magnet, and back again. The flourishing scene in the Midwest is wonderful to be part of, if all I can do is be a pollinator for skating then I feel my work is done…….well almost. Infinity doesn’t rest so neither must I! with that in mind, I once again hit the road to Magnet, this time met by the FairGame mob from Perth who brought a whole bag full of donated shoes for the young people. It makes such a difference to be skating safely even though the hardened feet from the community are well versed to grip-tape underfoot. I also met three cool brothers out there who diverted their parents holiday to Magnet especially to skate the park, right on guys, this just shows how a good skate facility can encourage tourism to regional towns and centres.

Jurien Bay Weekender

What is it about Jurien Bay and the rain? The past few trips we’ve been chasing the cold fronts whether before, during or after, nonetheless, this trip we had a whole weekend planned so there was plenty of time for it to all blow over! As part of the weekend I took a bus full of the Geraldton crew packed to the rafters will swags! GSAC supported this effort so big shout out to Adrian for making it all happen. Over the course of the weekend I had the privilege of coaching some of the new and up and coming riders from the Bay, you are all rocking the new park and I’m most proud of the community skate behaviour I saw continually, great effort. We held a mini comp thanks to Tiges surf shop, safe to say the Jurien kids battled it out against the Geraldton riders and came up in podium positions. The Shire of Dandaragan made all this happen, thanks for the support you’ve got a great team pitching in frying sausages, or organising events such as this, kudos to you all.

Skating in the Winter break

Wow what a wet Winter! The country was looking lush on the drive out to Meekatharra, stopping off at Yalgoo I unluckily arrived just in time to see the rain come through. Not too worry, there was plenty of time to kick a footy and play games whilst waiting for it to pass over. Second stop was Mt Magnet for another two days of skating with the crew out there, the kids sure don’t forget the lessons from past trips and only get better on each session. Finally! I made it to Meekatharra, a first for Infinity Skate, the park is a nice size with plenty of features to keep us all busy learning. Following this trip there was a stopover in Mullewa and then Geraldton. Thanks so much to the local Shires for keeping the movement alive, it really makes a difference being able to support young people in the bush, it’s what I love doing most!

Skate Outreach - Kalbarri

As we drove through the national park a rain squall was passing parallel to the coast, luckily it abated and we made it to town dry as a bone. Ali, Felix, and Elija got to work cleaning the bowl, followed by the help of parents actively keeping the scene clean. Following the events of cyclone Seroja, we knew that our outreach program’s next destination was ultimately Kalbarri. So whilst we are not adept at climbing on roofs (well, some at least!) these clinics were our means of offering something restorative to the community. Such a turnout, it was a pleasure to give you all a few pointers, there were a couple of courageous girls who mastered the drop in and many left with a little learning. Stoked to see the community on road to amends, look out for future developments as we work on bringing the Revolve Skate Series to town! For now,
Nick @ Infinity

Jurien Bay skatepark opening event

So the big day came at last but not before me and Nick squeezed a session in with the locals on Friday evening. There was something quite special about skating in a new park with the community, a real wholesome vibe carried over the course of the weekend. It was great to see a melding of the city and country, Geraldton PCYC bussed a load of skaters down whilst many from Perth drove up for the weekend, a great example of what we believe possible through skate-driven tourism. This park is a real testament to the people involved, there are many thanks but not enough words, words which were best said as part of the opening ceremony. Soggy Bones put on an awesome demonstration showing what’s possible when well-hardenened skaters meet new turf. There was a casual competition and of course, we were on hand to deliver the skate clinics just in time before the rain chased us all back north! Great park, great people, great vibes. For now,
Nick @ Infinity

Skate Outreach Mt Magnet & Yalgoo

It had been a while since our October trip, the hotter months make skateboarding a real challenge, even more so for the inland towns. But, not to worry Skate Outreach is back in full swing for the cooler months! It was so nourishing seeing the familiar faces from previous trips take back to the board as if it had been yesterday. With little encouragement needed the young people went to work pushing their limits on the ramps and banks. The girls were the star of the show, every session they become bolder, more confident, naturally limitless. Good on you all, for now,
Nick