Skateboarders, Bikers 'Ollie Up to It' in School as Well as After

Members of the new Endless Skate Club at Longfellow Middle School are practicing their skills, while Tosa Skateboarders United continues working to raise money to build a skate park at Hart Park.

Judy Doyle, an active member and secretary of TSU, is now also the new Endless Skate Club’s volunteer advisor and founder. 

Doyle lost her son Jack in 2006 at age 13.  Jack was an avid inline skater and involved in the early days of TSU, an organization formed in 2005.  The organization is working towards building a skate park in Hart Park for skateboarders, inline skaters and BMX riders. 

In Jack’s memory, Doyle and her husband Mike have been active members of TSU and committed to supporting the youth of Wauwatosa who are interested in skateboarding, inline skating and BMX bike riding.

Since 2005 TSU has raised about $35,000 of the estimated $600,000 needed to complete the park.  They have hired Site Design Group to draw designs for their “hybrid park concept,” which can be seen here on their website. 

“A lot of that money was raised in the last two years through our T-shirt sales and letters sent to local businesses,” said Peter Sternkopf, high school senior and vice president of TSU, an adult-driven fundraising organization.

TSU is looking for donors and would like to sell the naming rights for the skate park, or have a corporation sponsor the bowl, which is the most expensive part of the park.  They also will consider phasing the park in parts as they are able to raise the money.

While TSU is still actively raising money and awareness about skating, Doyle wanted to find a way to also support the kids who are young and skating now.

The Longfellow Endless Skate Club

The Endless Skate Club started meeting after school every other week in January.  The club has 15 boys from grades 6-8, including two from Whitman Middle School.

They have been a very active club. Already in the first semester they have chosen a name and designed their own logo, had three field trips to indoor skating parks (Four Seasons in Menomonee Valley and Cream City Skate Park in Butler), learned about maintenance (how to replace wheel bearings, apply grip tape and keep their skateboard in good working order), built a Tech Dek (finger skateboard) miniature park, learned how to silkscreen their own club T-shirts, learned about skating safety, and have done two volunteer projects (Hart Park Weed Out and a cleanup in the Longfellow courtyard.)

On Thursday they held a demo at Longfellow to show other students and parents what they’ve been up to this semester. 

The club members demonstrated their skills on the skatebox they built as a club. 

“A skater will approach the box, ollie up to it, grind it and come off the other end,” said Doyle.

The club set up small obstacles in the school parking lot using homemade ramps, rails, and boxes. The students also taught others about skateboard maintenance.

Doyle teaches the boys that they are athletes and they need to treat their bodies as such. At club meetings they only eat healthy snacks, and they learn how to skate safely and use safety equipment. Helmets are required.

Doyle was honored on April 19 by the Wauwatosa Education Association for her work with the Endless Skate Club for supporting education.

“Because the club requires its members to have passing grades and acceptable behavior the teachers have told me that they see the students having extra motivation to make good choices so they can stay in the club,” said Doyle.

This club provides a sports alternative to students who aren’t involved in basketball, football, track or swimming.

“Not every kid is a team sport player, and we want to give them an appropriate place to practice their sport without causing damage to business, church and school properties,” said Doyle.

The TSU website states that the proposed skate park would be an “alternative sports arena” to encourage physical fitness among tomorrow’s youth.

Upcoming TSU Events

TSU will be involved in more community events this summer than ever before.  They will have an info booth, and/or demos or ramp jams at many Wauwatosa events including:  Hart Fest, Tosa Farmers Market, the 4^th of July Parade, Tosa’s Night Out and Tosa Fest. 

Skaters and bikers will show off what they can do. Ramp jams will be open to all, but skaters and bikers must submit waivers in advance. Waivers will be available on the website for each activity. Helmets are required. To participate, look for upcoming info on TSU’s website or call 414-475-6510.

TSU is also selling new “Wauwatosa” T-shirts available on their website or at Phase II Skateboard Supply in Brookfield, with proceeds going to building the Hart Park skate park.