Your child sees their friends roller skating through the neighborhood and decides they want you to teach them how to skate. But it’s been years since you’ve glided around the rink to your favorite 90’s jams. Now what?

Have no fear! We’ve put together a simple guide to teach your kids the basics of roller skating.

1. Equipment. Technically, all you need are rollers skates, but we highly recommend a helmet, wrist pads, knee pads, and elbow pads, especially for new skaters.
2. Teach your kids the proper skate posture. Knees should remain barely bent, feet should be shoulder width apart, and a slight squat will give your kids a good center of gravity.
3. For their first time on skates, tell kids to walk like a duck with the their feet pointed slightly outwards. It may feel silly, but practicing this until they’re comfortable will help them get their footing on skates.

Other things kids need to learn when beginning to skate include gliding and stopping. From there, they can start learning more complicated moves like skating backwards, turns, and hops. Unsure of how to help or teach? There are tons of YouTube videos teaching these skating moves and countless others.

If you don’t want to worry about teaching your kids how to skate during one of our open skates, don’t worry. You can enroll your kids (and join them if you want!) in one of our skating classes. Our classes are from 6-7 p.m. every Thursday. We teach students how to skate forward and backward, safety techniques, as well as different games we play during our open skate sessions.

We are happy to have skaters of all skating types and styles, so come down to South Skate to master your family’s next favorite hobby!

On schedule, every January First, we decide to eat healthier, travel more, get in shape, lose weight, and many other life decisions. Also on schedule come February and March, running and lifting weight becomes boring. Well, that is where we come in. Believe it or not, roller skating is a great exercise for your body and for your soul.

There are plenty of health benefits from roller skating, but here are our top ten.

Top Ten Health Benefits from Roller Skating:

1. Roller skating burns calories. On average, you burn about 250 calories while skating for 30 minutes.
2. Build muscle definition from roller skating.
3. Improves your balance.
4. Will improve your heart health.
5. Will help combat Diabetes.
6. Strength building benefits from roller skating- get more body power.
7. Go harder for longer. Increases endurance.
8. Helps against injuries. Roller skating is much easier on the joints than running/jogging because there is not as many jerky movements.
9. Roller skating makes you happy (Endorphins).
10. Helps cut down on stress.

If you have never tried roller skating as a form of fitness, we have our healthy lifestyle skating nights. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights during the school year we sponsor various elementary schools throughout OKC district. Admission is discounted to $3.00 and $1.00 of each admission is given back to the school. Contact us to find out what school is being sponsored on what night. So bring your kids or your friends and come try it out.

If your New Year’s resolutions included trying something new, getting healthier, getting in shape or just having more fun, come down to SW Skate this 2019!

The holiday season is here, which means it’s time for family, presents, and cookies! But while you’re enjoying everything the holidays has to offer, remember that this time of year is also about giving back. At South Skate Center in Oklahoma City, giving back to our community is something we love. Luckily, it’s never been easier to volunteer or donate during the holidays. Check out some of our favorite ways to give this year.

Donate Clothes and Gifts

Giving away old clothes is a start, but making an effort to donate a Christmas gift or a new pair of shoes is taking it to the next level. ServeMoore and Luggage with Love are two great organizations that take new and used clothing, shoes, luggage, supplies and more. They help people suffering from storm damage as well as foster children and members of our community who are less fortunate.

Give Your Time

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your neighborhood and it feels great, too! Places like food pantries and the Salvation Army are always in need of a few extra hands during the holidays. Giving your time is one of the best things you can do during the holidays.

Give Yourself a Reward!

Now that you have your good deeds all lined up for the holiday season, why not think about how to reward your selflessness with a little fun at Southwestern! Our pro shop has everything you need to gear up and get skating with friends and family this year. Come check it out after you’ve helped out in Oklahoma City this December.

Fun fact: October has officially been National Roller Skating Month since 1983 and we’ve been celebrating every fall since we opened our doors in 1991! Over the years, we’ve had some great Octobers here at the South Skate Center in Oklahoma City, and we’re gearing up for another one as we speak!

Here’s How to Celebrate this October on Skates!

We love skating because it’s good, clean fun for all ages and it’s good for you too. When it comes down to it, the only wrong way to celebrate National Roller Skating Month is by not skating! The weather is perfect for a roll down the local bike path on your inline skates and it’s always a good time at our indoor skating rink. The important thing is to have fun.

Gathering a big group of friends and family makes the fun even better, too. We have lots of open skating time but if you have a big group or a birthday coming up, our private parties can’t be beat.

Cap it Off With A Halloween on Skates

Another great reason to celebrate National Roller Skating Month in October is taking your costume to the next level! Just think about the fun ways you can incorporate skates into your costume this year. Creativity can go a long way and we love to see our guests go all out at the end of the month.

Want to find out more about what to do during national roller skating month in Oklahoma City? Give us a call or roll by during an open skate!

South Skate Center has helped schools throughout the Oklahoma School District raise over $4,000 over the last two school years. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to get in on some great fundraising for your school, too!

Signing Your School Up is Easy

So you want to help your school gain a little extra money this year? All you have to do is call us and let us know you are interested in getting your school involved in a night of skating, games, and fundraising. We’ll take care of the rest!

Simply let us know how many students will be participating and we’ll give you the details for your school’s PTA fundraiser event. Each event runs from 6 pm to 9 pm and only costs $3 per person.

Once everyone has signed up, each school will receive their scheduled night. There is no responsibility and no charge for your school and the day after your skate night we will send out your school’s money in the mail!

Make Money for Your School!

Fundraising at Southwest Skate Center is fun and easy. All you have to do is get as many of your students out to the rink and make sure they bring all of their friends and family. For every admission we receive during your school’s PTA night, $1.00 goes directly to the school. That could end up being hundreds of dollars that can be used toward field trips, school supplies, and more!

And don’t forget that promotion is the best way to get a great turnout. And a great turnout means more money for your school!

Our mamas always told us to be polite. Next time you’re visiting Southwest Skate Center, whether for open skating or a party, make sure you’re following these rules of skating etiquette!

• Go the Right Way! Make sure you follow the flow of traffic on the skate floor. Generally speaking, that means counter-clockwise, but sometimes that will change. The DJ will announce if everyone should be going the other way. Whichever direction other people are skating, make sure to follow that even if you’re going backwards. Dance and practice tricks in the center. Slower skaters should stay towards the wall.
• Listen Up. Always pay attention to what the SW Skate staff tell you and follow their instructions. We’re here to make sure everyone has a good time in a safe environment, so we need everyone to agree to follow the rules.
• Just Be Nice. Ultimately, good etiquette is about making everyone comfortable. Don’t cut the line at the concession stand or the bathroom, take someone else’s table, or steal items from people. Watch your language, and watch out for others, especially younger kids and skaters who aren’t as good as you.
• Wear Socks! This may not seem like a question of etiquette, but think about it–would you want to wear a skate that someone’s bare, sweaty foot has been in? We don’t think so!

If you have questions or concerns, remember that our friendly staff are here to help. We love to roller skate and we want everyone to have a great time doing, so join us at Southwest Skate Center!