Club wants skateboard park in SCP

Will ask parish council to pony up $50,000 to build one at the East Bank Bridge Park

Brian and Julie Schmalz want St. Charles Parish Council members to put a skateboard park in Destrehan to give kids who participate in the sport a safe place to enjoy it.

“We sponsor a skateboarding  team consisting of seven boys ranging in ages from 11 through 13 to learn the latest tricks so they can prepare to travel and compete in various skateboarding competitions,” said Brian Schmalz.

“But the kids have no safe place to practice locally,” he continued.

Julie said the boys practice in places they shouldn’t because there is no where for them to skateboard.

“Our skateboarders practice on different ramps in my back yard, or they skate in places they shouldn’t like CVS Pharmacy parking lot, Taco Bell’s parking lot and any place they can find,” she continued.

“The managers of these places don’t allow them to do it,” she said.

Brian and Julie agree that isn’t a good idea for the boys to skateboard in these areas, but they are limited on places to practice.

“We take the boys all the way to New Orleans, Hammond and sometimes Waveland, Mississippi to really keep up with and improve their skateboarding  skills, because there is no park locally,” Brian said.

“I heard a rumor that they were considering placing a skateboarding park, at the East Bank Bridge Park in Destrehan,” Julie said.

“But I can’t say if it’s true or not,” she continued.

As sponsors of the team the  Schmalz’s  supply the boys with their skateboards, T-shirts, pay their entry fees into various skateboarding competitions, summer camp tuition,  food and lodging.”

“The boys go to skateboarding camp every summer in Waveland, Mississippi, and last year they won first place in a competition against another skateboarding club,” Brian said.

The couple advises children interested in participating in the sport to be careful.

“The kids sometimes get 15 bruises a day, even with wearing protective gear,” Julie said.“Most of the cuts and bruises are on their chins or palms, but thankfully no one has suffered any broken bones or had any real serious injuries,” she continued.

Julie adds that kids are required to wear helmets and safety gear at the skateboarding parks and during competition.