Seasonal Depression Sucks but Indoor Skateparks Have the Cure
Filmer: Tom Pickard
As we move into the winter, around 2 million people, in the UK alone, suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (NHS Inform). This makes it harder for all of us to get out of bed in the morning, continue with normal routine and most importantly it affects our ability to function during day to day tasks. What if I told you there was a way to rewire your brain? A way to get back behind the steering wheel of your mind and start cruising through your days with ease again. It might sound far fetched to a lot of people: especially those who stand on a skateboard and think absolutely not, but skateboarding offers an outlet like no other. Your mind does not have the opportunity to run background programmes as it is too invested in staying on your board and making your next move.
The beauty of a clear mind is the most life changing side effect of skating that I have ever experienced. As someone who struggles with depression and SADs, I have not found anything else in the past 21 years that clears the slate of my mind quite like skateboarding does. There is always something new to focus on whether that be a new trick, cleaning up your style or coaching your homies. Jump out of the prision in your head and onto a board for the happiest winter you have ever experienced.
Skateboarding gave me a reason to get out of bed on my days off, jump on the train and hit up new skateparks. The best part for me is that skating is super transformative and can be both such an individual sport as well as a great social outlet where you can meet so many different likeminded people. It gave me a reason to travel to places that I would not have thought about going to otherwise. Just over the past year, I have done many London, Broadstairs, Folkstone, Eastbourne, and Brighton skate trips: the list does not stop there...
Travelling to skate offers the most liberating form of discovery. Whenever I go on a trip- whether it be alone or with my skate mates- it paints the perfect day: a nice oat milk flat white at a local cafe, checking out the street spots and skate shops and a gnarly shred followed by a beautiful walk around a new town/ city. If this sounds like a day for you, keep on reading...
Have you ever considered skateboarding as a cheaper form of therapy? Let me put you on...
Struggling to get yourself out of the house? Feel like you have got nowhere to go/ no sense of belonging? Maybe you have tried the gym... not for you? Nah don't worry, I am not a fan of the tredmil for cardio either. What if there was a venue which offered the same attributes as a gym such as: classes, sense of community and belonging to a group but without the weights, treadmils and contract commitment. Well people I have the solution for you. Find your local indoor skatepark venue. If you are an East Sussex local, the world's biggest underground skatepark- The Source Park- is your place to go. You could even find yourself being coached by the face behind this blog.
Yes, I am aware that skateparks may seem super intimidating for your average beginner but us coaches work around that to make new skaters feel at ease. As an example, The Source Park and offer 1:2:1 lessons with our coaches. A 1:2:1 lesson goes through our till system at £35/hr and is inclusive of all hire equipment/ PPE (pesonal protective equipment), use of the park and a personal trained coach who will guide you through your session. You will be learning hand in hand, step by step starting with your stance and learning how to stand/ push on your board. In just one 1:2:1 lesson, the majority of my clients-all different aged beginners- have learned how to stand on their board, push, go down ramps and come back fakie (backwards).
Once individuals build up their confidence, they tend to have biweekly private lessons and join on to our weekly group coaching sessions on either a Monday or Tuesday night (see the last session of my article for RyeZine for future information).
Many clients, post 1:2:1 session, start coming to our specific sessions such as Girl's Night 5-7PM on every Wednesday night, Over 16s Friday 7-9PM and Under 11s 9-11AM Saturday/ Sunday. The environment down at the park is something you need to stop missing if you are local and something you need to come experience if you're not.
If this sounds like something you might be interested in/ willing to try send me an email: kaitlyn@sourcebmx.com. Please list the name of the person who is seeking coaching, age and ability and I will get you booked in for a lesson.
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