by Robert Young
Newsletter Editor
The atmosphere was thronging and the hall was very busy ahead of the free Easter skating holiday camps being run and trialled at RollaDome All Skate from April 4th to April 12th 2024. In the main hall, parents were gathering and assistants at RollaDome were helping the children buckle up their kneepads and fasten their helmets.
Parent Minelva Cocks mentioned that she enrolled her children in the Easter skating classes simply because she fancied trying something new. “It was free and it was the right age range”, she mentioned, when she listed the reasons for enrolling, “I hope my children will gain new skills and experience from the topics covered in lessons”. She said that roller-skates were already on her list for herself to purchase for her children, as well as for herself.
The skate club, funded by John Lyon’s charity, offered parents and children to organise recreational sporting activities for themselves over the Easter holidays, offering all of them unforgettable adventures. It featured a 6-hour learn to skate program, split up into three one-hour sessions each week, led by the head coach, Jenni Jemmott-Brown.
Parent Gemma Guar was more focussed on the safety aspects on roller skating. “It’s a safe and conducive environment”, she mentioned, “the staff are doing their best to ensure that the children are safe”.
“My older child has already done it before and has had a wonderful experience. We are very likely to return to the club.”
Sometimes skills in sports are part of a tradition passed down from parent to child, and this Is particularly the case with parent Salomi. “We knew skating”, she explained to me, “and that’s what made our children interested”.
“Our child enjoys the lessons, loves coming here and is showing us what he learnt at home on skates. He’s looking forward to skating next term.”
Her children are at school in West London, and she stressed the importance of gaining confidence in physical exercise.
The holiday clubs are a great opportunity to combine fun with fitness, to make friends and also to receive highly rated instruction from coaching professionals who are absolutely at the peak of their game. The classes are led by qualified, national governing body coaches, and many of them have many years of experience and insurance policies to cover all activities and third party property. All skates and protective gear are usually provided during the sessions, and the classes are usually geared for skaters of every level.
Diana and her daughter were referred to the classes by friends. Her daughter is a total beginner, and has never been to a skate club before. She can just about balance and stand up on skates.
Her mother believed she would gain a range of benefits from taking part in RollaDome. “She will gain confidence and techniques such as how to sit up and how to lift themselves up. Teaching and guidance are important. She enjoys the classes”.
She said that RollaDome could expand its school based offering. “It would be helpful if RollaDome could run some after-school clubs in local educational facilities. The schools have the facilities but just need the equipment. The children makes kids more confident, and it would help if the coaches could go in and run particular classes and projects.”
Mother of two Asma mentioned that her children already enjoy Karate and Taequondo but have always wanted to have a go at different forms of skating. “The children are enjoying it, and are providing positive feedback. They are looking forward to learning how to skate independently”.
“I would like to see more skating classes for children of closer age ranges, such as a class for 7-9 year olds, or a class for 10 year olds.”
Parent Christina said that the coach taught and engaged with all of the students in the class. “She is really pleased with rollerskating. The coach taught and engaged with all of the students in the class.”
“There is a problem coming during the week but they can come in the holidays. The kids are more than happy to put their skates on and go. They find it interesting to skate and to learn to skate.”
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