Visit the New YSCA Website

There are hundreds of skate parks established throughout the country. And Church parking lots have the potential to facilitate Portable Skate Parks and the upcoming Young Skaters Christian Association (YSCA). 

This proposal will help us figure out what materials we'll need and what resources we can tap to create our own Skate Club and Skate Parks.

Adequate skate facilities with ramps, rails and half-pipes prevent skaters from plying their unintentionally destructive art on public property, thus decreasing the chances of skate bans. Skate parks are crucial to the growth of the competitive aspect of aggressive skating, which serves to legitimize the sport in the eyes of those who would deny its place. Currently most public skate parks are filled with a large number of skate derelicts that have a negative influence on youth. This negative peer pressure is not conducive to the growth and development of mainstream Christian youth. 


How much will it cost to build?

The specific amount depends upon a number of things: what types of equipment we use and install in the park, insurance, landscapers, and many more conditions. All construction work will be volunteered. So we will just need a small amount wood, sheet metal, screws and wheels to make all structures portable. 


Approaching the City Council

We will need to petition or present our intentions of the YSCA Skate Park in your church parking lot to the appropriate board or committee. Certain requirements might be asked: such as getting a petition signed by a certain number of supporters to our cause or writing a proposal for the park including cost estimations, a blueprint of the proposed features, and a time line for it's completion.

We need to find out all the details before we start the project. Is there an ordinance against skating already established in the area?

One excellent means of getting a head start on the process is by forming a skate club (YSCA). Not only do clubs provide a united front of skaters, but they also go a long way to giving skating a good name through community involvement. It also helps to find a member of local government who is an inline skater--and there's always at least one! 


Insurance

Insurance is usually the first obstacle thrown up by a resistant town council. To better the chances of having our proposal approved, we need to get all the necessary information on insurance coverage and costs beforehand. The coverage is surprisingly affordable, in part because claims by skaters are rare; most skaters know the risks and assume responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Todd Shays of the Aggressive Skaters Association (ASA) recommends Gelfand-Newman-Wasserman, which is proven to provide inexpensive and comprehensive coverage. 

Karen Oxman 
Gelfand-Newman-Wasserman 
11500 W Olympic Boulevard Suite 404 
Los Angeles, CA. Zip 90064 - 
Phone # 310-473-2522 - Fax # 310-478-8392


Work With Local Authorities

Because each municipality has its own rules and regulations, it's important to work closely with local authorities. Classification can be a gray area (for example, is a skate park a playground or an amusement park?), but by working with officials you can make it black and white and stay out of the red. 

Pros and Cons of Various Ramp Materials 

In general, if we build it right the first time it will require less maintenance. (Some ramps could be permanent in certain locations.)


Safety First

Emergency Egress - Emergency access to all areas should be provided to facilitate extrication of injured participants. 

Handicap Access - In keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act, all restrooms, drinking fountains and viewing areas must be fully accessible. 


Design

If we build it, they will come-once. But if it's dull, they won't come back. We need to work with the skaters in our community to design a course that will be challenging yet safe. 

No Cross Patterns - Set up ramp arrays so that runs are roughly parallel. While cross patterns might maximize available space, they are an invitation to disaster. 

Segregation - Set up different areas for different levels of skaters. This helps skaters be less embarrassed and helps prevent injuries.

Many skate park operators have made the mistake of adding costly equipment when attendance started slipping. Start out modestly and expand only when there is a demonstrated need, not on the speculation that more ramps will equal more business.

Here are some basic concepts:

We will achieve the goals of this mission utilizing the following principles: honor, quality equipment and service, sportsmanship, family support, positive behavior and above all else... Jesus Christ!

The Future of YSCA

A key component of YSCA is to promote an awareness of self-improvement, and to provide support for adolescents, and promote a patriotic sense of camaraderie. And the recreation and fun of this rapidly growing sport could be preserved and flourish.

YSCA will be a governing body exclusively for Christian amateur aggressive skateboarding and inline skating. We believe that by forming the YSCA annual: City, County, State, National and International Championship events could be established. 

Some people may comment that YSCA promotes some form of Christian bias and prejudice. What we were doing has nothing but total respect of the cultures and ideologies of other skaters and parents. We just want our own Christian club. 

We will soon be attempting to incorporate the YSCA. Then we will open up the membership base for YSCA. Eventually we want to have categories of membership. We want to promote individual membership of YSCA whereby skaters and supporters can pay an annual fee to receive a t-shirt, cap, stickers and a monthly circular, and thereby support the growth of the YSCA. And corporate and sponsor memberships have incredible potential to provide increased revenues. 

Each year we will hope to see an increase in the number of competitors and regions participating within the YSCA. Top riders from those regions qualify to compete in annual City, County, State, National and International "Age Class" or "Pro/Am" Championships. We also hope to see an ever-enlarging group of balanced and vibrant individuals who are rock solid both in and out of the skate arena.

We perceive much more than that. In the near future we'd like to see team coaches, camera crews, sports motivators, clothing and accessories, and even a magazine so young skaters could read a sound publication to further their education and be a healthy replacement for the typical secular skate trash that is having a negative influence on our youth.

It's not just in what the YSCA can achieve here locally, but what is possible for the aspiring skaters of every nation. The positive effects of YSCA are now becoming acknowledged.

Within a few years we'd like to hope that every adolescent in your church group has an YSCA sticker on his or her board. Why not? Our kids, every one of them, are the base of our Christian pyramid. At the top of the pyramid is Jesus Christ. That's whom we're here for.


Basic Contest Setups:

1. Street Course / 2. Half Pipe 3' and 6'

The efforts of the YSCA and its regions will enable boys, girls, men and women of all ages to participate in organized events. Rules for judging will be established for the two major disciplines street course and half-pipe.


The following are the age divisions: 

1. Ruggie (7 under)
2. Grommet (8-9)
3. Menehune (10-11)
4. Breakers (12-13)
5. Youth (14-15)
6. Juniors (16-17)
7. Jams (18-22)
8. Senior (23-29)
9. Master (30-39)
10. Legend (40-49)
11. Kahuna (50-59)
12. Methuselah (60 & over)
13. Pro/Am Open Division Skateboarding
14. Pro/Am Open Division Inline
15. Pro/Am Open Crossover Skateboard/Inline


Individual Membership: 

$30/year (and $? /per session / non-member guest: $? /day) Corporate and Sponsor Membership? Each contest will be: $? /to enter (Minors will need a parent/guardian's signature.)

YSCA membership requires that school age members to bring a copy of their Report Card and if necessary enroll in a Church tutoring program.

Contest Schedule & Date Event Locations:

7/04/00 Half-Pipe Your Church
7/04/00 Street Course Your Church 
7/11/00 Half-Pipe Your Church 
7/18/00 Street Course Your Church
7/25/00 Half-Pipe Your Church
8/02/00 Street Course Your Church
8/09/00 Half-Pipe Your Church
8/16/00 Street Course Your Church
8/23/00 Half-Pipe Your Church
8/30/00 Street Course Your Church

Participation in the YSCA will help recruit adolescents and introduce them to Christian principles. It will provide structured activities that promote adolescents to have fun/recreation, learn to be a team player, keep out of trouble, make friends, get exercise, build character and reduce negative peer pressure.

We need your help to make this dream a reality.

Glen Caulkins
glenhaven@cox.net