You already know roller skating is fun and good for you, and you’ve mastered the basics of skating. If you’re ready to kick your skating skills up a notch, check out these next-level roller skating tips from Southwest Skate!

• Relax! This is the first tip for a reason–it’s the basis of everything else. The more relaxed you are, the better you’ll skate and the more fun you’ll have. Once you’ve learned to fall safely (check out these videos for tips), and you’re sure your skates are laced properly, take a deep breath and let go of your tension.
• Stay Light. You want to be able to shift your weight easily from foot to foot, which means staying light on your feet. To make this easier, try two things. First, keep your knees loosely bent. You don’t need to squat, but you’ll want to get a little bit of depth. Second, keep your feet moving at all times (even if it’s just a little bit).  
• Muscle Memory. As you get better, you’ll want to stop thinking about what you’re doing and let your muscles take over. Music is a great way to help with this–and fortunately, Southwest Skate provides great music to distract your brain while your body does what it’s best at.

And don’t forget the most important tip: practice. Just like everything else, you’ll never get better at skating if you don’t work at it. Visit Southwest Skate to improve your skills–and maybe try some fun arcade games and make some new friends while you’re here.

Did you know the average person spends almost $140 on Valentine’s Day? Coming so soon after the Christmas holidays, that can be a real blow to your budget goals! If you’re trying to save money this year, check out these ideas for inexpensive ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Visit us at Southwestern Skate Center! You may not have thought of skating as a romantic evening, but that works out in your favor in several ways. First of all, it shows your date that you’re creative and unique. Second, it means you don’t have to fight the crowds at most restaurants. And third, it’s inexpensive! You’ll keep to your New Year’s Resolutions (remember those?) by saving money and getting a little exercise without sacrificing fun and romance. Ask the DJ to play your song, hold hands on the skate floor, and do it all without overworked waitstaff breathing down your neck.

Instead of going out for a crowded, expensive meal, stay in and have a picnic just for you two. If the weather isn’t cooperating, no problem; bring your picnic indoors! Spread a blanket out on the living room floor, light some candles, turn the lights down, and indulge in your favorite romantic treats.

Make gifts for each other rather than buying expensive trinkets. Not only are handmade gifts more meaningful, but you’ll save a ton of money that can be better put towards your future together. Consider a collection of poems, a hand-written love letter, or even a retro mix CD of love songs.

No matter how you choose to celebrate each other, remember: it’s the thought that counts. We can’t wait to see you and your sweetie this Valentine’s Day at Southwestern Skate Center!

The holiday season is all about giving, and at Southwestern Skate Center in Oklahoma City, we want to give you some fun ways to help those in need during the holidays. Our community is the most important thing to us, and we want to do everything we can to make sure everyone has enough during the holidays.

Luckily, finding ways to give back and volunteer as a family is easy. It can even be fun! Teaching your kids the importance of giving is a valuable lesson that they will carry with them the rest of their lives.

Clean Out the Cabinets and Donate

Non-perishables are great for giving. Canned food and dry goods have a long shelf life and can go a long way to feed families who are less fortunate. Need some ideas about what to donate?

• Canned fruits like pears, peaches, etc.
• Whole grain products such as brown rice and oatmeal
• Canned vegetables like green beans, corn, etc.
• Peanut butter
• Canned chicken, beef, or similar low-sodium proteins
• Granola, protein bars, and nuts

Join Our Healthy Lifestyle Skating Program

At Southwestern Skate Center, we take pride in our HLS School program! We work with local schools to provide a ton of fun at our skating center while raising money for a good cause: education! We promote healthy lifestyles and staying active both in school and as a family. Check to see if your kid’s school is participating this year and make sure to sign up and join the fun.

The Family That Volunteers Together…

There are so many great ways to volunteer your time around OKC this year. Senior living homes are a great place to spread some holiday cheer (and maybe even pick up a little wisdom while you’re at it). You can also sign up to help at a local animal shelter to make sure our furry friends get some love during the holiday season.

Want to learn more about giving back to the community? Give us a call or stop by during open skating hours for some rink time and additional information!

From its not-so-humble beginnings at a masquerade ball in 1760 to its peak in popularity during the disco craze of the 1970s, roller skating has had a long, strange journey over the last 250 years. Skating has a long history of innovation and thrills. Over the years, the popularity of skating has waxed and waned, but even 40 years after its peak in 1977, there are still over 39 million skaters in America alone!

Here at Southwest Skate Center, we know quite a few of those folks who love the thrill of gliding around the rink. And with October being National Roller Skating Month, we thought it would be fun to give you some quick facts about our favorite pastime that you might not know!

• Over 2.5 million people play roller hockey in the US.
• Skating is one of the safest recreational sporting activities with studies showing that you’re twice as likely to be injured at the local playground as you are at a skating center.
• On average, there are over 500,000 birthday parties at skate centers across the country every single year!
• Roller Derby’s popularity has been on the rise since the early 2000s, coming close to its peak from the 1970s.
• Skating is a ton of fun! Ok, you probably already knew this one, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

At Southwest Skate, we are happy to keep the long tradition of skating alive. We can’t wait to celebrate our favorite pastime with you here in Oklahoma City during National Roller Skating Month all October long! For more information about booking a birthday party or to learn more about our open skating times, give us a call today.

When you’re looking for thrilling fun in Oklahoma City, all you have to do is put the kids in the car and head over to Southwestern Skate! Roller skating is a classic pastime that is fun for the whole family, and that’s before that games start!

Cruising around the rink is great, but when you’re at Southwestern for a day of skating, you can join in on some of the best skating games around. From new games to the classics, we do it all!

Check out a few of the fun games you can expect when you come for a day of family fun.

4 Corners

This skating game is great! You begin playing with everyone skating until the music stops. When you hear the music cut out you have to skate to the closest corner as fast as you can. A designated skater will call out a number from 1 to 4 and if you’re in that corner, you’re out! The game keeps going until there is only one skater left in the rink.

Limbo

Break out the steel drums and see how low you can go with this skate-oriented adaptation to the classic Caribbean game. Two people hold a stick and skaters go underneath. But the stick gets lower and lower with each pass, so look out!

Shoot the Duck

This game is like a version of duck-duck-goose. When the DJ cuts the music, everyone must drop to the floor as fast as they can. The last person to hit the deck is the duck. The two teams race each other to get to ten points first.

To join in on these games and more, come down to Southwestern Skate anytime we have open skating hours. To find out more about booking a private party, call today.

Summer is coming to an end and the inevitable is right around the corner. It doesn’t matter who you are, the first day of school is scary and can cause a lot of stress for you as well as your kids. We all start worrying about whether our kids will fit in or be bullied. Will they like their teachers? Will they do well and get good grades? The list of things that can start wreaking havoc in your mind can seem endless.

So how can you prepare your child, keep everyone calm and be as supportive as possible during this year’s back-to-school craziness? Here are some tips that could help!

Keep Calm and Communicate!

Communication is at the top of our list for a reason. It is probably the single most effective tool in your back-to-school tool belt. Talking to your kids about any fears or anxiety can help them immensely. Ask questions about how they feel and be careful to listen to them without interrupting. Simply letting them know there is a safe place for them to voice their concerns can be huge.

Provide Encouragement and Lift Confidence

Encourage your children by letting them know that they are amazing little people. Praise your kids for their independence and unique qualities. Let them know that they have something special to offer!

Be Prepared and Then Blow Off Some Steam

One of the best ways to overcome any type of anxiety is to be prepared. This means you should make sure you have everything your child needs for the first day of school, knows where to go, and even who is in his or her class before the first day starts. Chances are, they’ll have a friend from last year and will feel more confident going in.

Once you have supplies bought and your recon is finished, blow off some steam! Hanging out with us at Southwestern Skate Center is a great way to burn off some of that nervous energy. Give us a call today to find out more about our public skating and private party options.

Camp is winding down, the summer leagues are starting to wrap up and a new school year is looming. Like the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. That does not mean the fun has to stop, though! It’s time to roll out of summer with a bang at Southwestern Skate Center in Oklahoma City.

If you’re looking for a place to throw an epic end-of-summer party in Oklahoma City, you’ve found it! At Southwestern Skate, we take the cake when it comes to parties. Whether you’re looking for a place to celebrate after the big game, want to throw a birthday party that the kids will never forget, or simply love to party and want a private space to hang with friends and family, we have you covered.

Summer’s Not Over Until We Say So!

Our party packages are perfect for celebrating an awesome summer of adventure and friendship. We offer specials for team parties, late night parties, birthdays and more.

All of our packages are priced affordably and include roller skate rentals, pizza, drinks and the classic thrill of an age-old American pastime.

Discounts for Roller Skating Parties of 50+

We have tons of room so feel free to invite the entire gang if you want! Private parties of over 50 people even receive additional discounts, which means more fun for less!

Family Fun for All Ages

We are all about having a good time. Roller skating is a blast no matter how old you are, and we do everything we can to make Southwestern Skate a wholesome, family-friendly experience.

Summer’s almost over. Make sure you give our party expert, Lori Crowe, a call today at (405) 632-5484 and get ready to have a last hoorah you’ll never forget.