The upper parking lot next to the bleachers at D.C. Canegata Ballpark in Christiansted became a Boys and Girls Club inline skate park Saturday as more than 40 children put wheels under their feet for the Family Skate for Fitness Afternoon.
There were pileups of little ones who bumped into each other. Big boys showed off as they skated skillfully down the little knoll at the top of the lot. Older girls concentrated on getting the right foot movement and not falling. Youngsters could be heard yelling gleefully, "I did it, I did it!"
Shanah Ramos, 16, said the new inline skating experience was a lot of fun.
"When you fall you just get right back up and try again, using what you learned," Ramos said.
She cautiously worked on standing upright.
"Don’t let your feet think for you," staff member Kirk Rojas said as he helped Ramos. "Just put your weight forward and push."
Staff members from Frederiksted and Christiansted had training this past week on teaching skating and served as volunteers for the day.
Safety came first, with each participant required to sign a liability waiver. The club provided helmets, knee and elbow pads, and skates, all for $10 for the hour-long session. Skaters just had to bring a baseball hat to wear under the helmet, and a pair of socks.
Emily Graci, media representative for the club, said an anonymous donation covered the fee for the first 25 children.
"We are pleased to introduce this new activity to the community and our club members," said Julie Landreneau, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Virgin Islands. "It’s the perfect addition to our growing list of activities to keep our kids active and motivated."
In the past, Landreneau had worked with Lesley McGinnis, an educator, who developed Skating for Fitness as a creative way to get children outside and engaged in physical activity. A grant from the Department of Human Services made it possible for the club to get McGinnis to St. Croix to help get the program up and running and purchase 100 sets of new and good used equipment.
The program will be incorporated as a mainstay program within the St. Croix Boys and Girls Club’s health and life skills core programming for all club members, ages 6 to 18. The goal of Skating for Fitness is to use inline skating to advance health and wellness, provide a new recreational fitness opportunity and educate children about the importance of proper nutrition.
The mission of the Boys and Girls Clubs is to enable young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Known as "the Positive Place for Kids," the Boys and Girls Clubs offer children guidance-oriented character-development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. The clubs are located in Christiansted, Frederiksted and Oswald Harris Court Housing Community on St. Thomas.
For more information on the club and programs, call 778-8990.
