Girls on Shred skateboarding clinic comes to Havre

Girls on Shred, a division of The Montana Skatepark Association, hosted a noncompetitive, free skateboarding clinic at the Havre skatepark Thursday evening for girls and nonbinary people to learn to skate.

"We try to create a safe space for anybody that wants to come out that maybe otherwise would be a little intimidated, because the skatepark can be a little scary if you've never skated before, so we'd like to give kids and grownups the opportunity to come out and have a try," Skate Director Kim Petersen said.

Participant Moriah Steinmetz said, although she has skated before, she enjoyed the clinic because she started out longboard skateboarding and through the clinic learned how to use a short board. She also enjoyed having a chance to get out and skate with other girls.

"I think it's really cool because so many boys do a lot of the things and it shows that girls can do it too," Steinmetz said at the event.

Peterson, who has been a skater for about 23 or 24 years, said one of the organization's goals is to keep branching out from Missoula to areas like Havre, trying to cast a wide net, so other girls and nonbianary people can enjoy the experience too.

"I always say learning to skateboard is like finding your power. And so some kids, they don't even realize they're skateboarders, that they have it in them. And then you're there just to sort of let them explore that," Petersen said.

Participant Alexa Tweeten said she comes to the Havre skatepark with her grandmother and Tweeten plans to go to more of these free events.

"It's super fun, I've learned one thing new about riding my skateboard backwards. I'm getting the hang of it," Tweeten said.

Additional clinics will be held in Shelby and Browning Aug. 13 and Whitefish Aug. 14. Girls on Shred Executive Director Samantha Veysey Gibbons said in an email exact times for the clinics have not been announced.

Veysey Gibbons said all volunteers are vaccinated for COVID-19 and masks and hand sanitizer will be provided.

After first holding snowboarding clinics for women in west central Montana in 2010, the Montana Skatepark Association website says Girls on Shred began holding skateboarding clinics as well in 2015.

"We started in 2010 as a carefree non-competitive snowboard event that happened once a year at Montana Snowbowl. Over the years we added on more and more snowboard and skateboard clinics, mostly around Missoula and at Lost Trail Ski Area," Veysey Gibbons said previously.

"We became a non-profit under the Montana Skatepark Association in 2019, where we've been able to flourish into a more official organization and have access to more fundraising, allowing us to host events all around the state and the (Pacific Northwest). Our goal is to empower female and non-binary people through boardsports," she said.

Girls on Shred volunteer Shelby Nall said she feels intimidated sometimes, noting she took up skating late, at age 25 and has now come full circle with Girls on Shred as a volunteer.

"It's fun to see, with the different events it's always a different turnout with like a mix of age ranges. So one of our last events we went to, it was a lot of really young kids. So it's cool to see them, like starting for the first time at a young age," Nall said.

"It makes me happy, because I wish I would have started when I was younger, but I was too intimidated. So I think it's really cool to see the younger kids out there. Kim (Petersen) actually was kind of the person who taught me, like the basics to get started," she added.

People interested in attending the free clinics can keep up with Girls on Shred by visiting the organization Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GirlsonShred or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/girlsonshred/?hl=en .

People not on social media can email [email protected] with any questions.

Veysey Gibbons said in a previous interview that Girls on Shred provides extra skateboards, padding, and helmets to those who don't have their own for the clinics.

She said if people plan on attending clinics, all that's needed are sole-toed shoes and some water to stay hydrated.

"We have volunteers to help give advice to those that want it, however most of our events end up feeling more like a skate jam than an official clinic," she said.