That's how they roll

One year after it was started, a club dedicated to promoting the positive aspects of skateboarding and in-line skating is on a roll at Longfellow Middle School.

"I have been very happy with the way the club has come along," said Judy Doyle, who along with husband Mike started the organization as an outlet for middle school students from throughout the district who may not have any or many other interests. "We have some members who are into other sports, such as basketball, but we also have members who really aren't involved with other activities. We would definitely like to see it grow, but we have already seen an increase."

The group, officially named Endless Skate Club, has grown from eight to more than 30 members.

Members meet from 3:30 to 5 p.m. every other Tuesday at Longfellow. Meetings are a mixture of discussing safety information and equipment, making club T-shirts and hands-on projects such as building miniature skate courses they can design in the colder weather and full-scale ramps they can use when the weather gets warmer. The meetings also help keep the students engaged between trips to skate parks such as Cream City in Butler and Four Seasons in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley.

Responsible fun

Membership in the club, Doyle said, is about more than following an interest.

"Like the district's other clubs and activities, we require that students keep up passing grades," she said. "We also require that they get involved in a community service project."

Projects have included cleaning up indoor areas such as Longfellow's center courtyard in the lower level and outdoor cleanup of Hart Park.

"We think it's important to not only provide an opportunity for them to pursue their interest in skateboarding and skating, but also teach them that they are part of the community," Doyle said. "We want them to appreciate the full commitment."

School support

The district agreed to host the club after Judy Doyle approached Longfellow Principal Jason Galien.

"There was some concern at first because I think people thought they would be skating throughout the building, but when we heard all the details and what was required to be in the club, we all got more comfortable with it," Galien said.

The skaters do some skating in the recreation area when they can't go outside, but only within the club times.

"As long as we have parents who want to supervise and students who want to be members, the club can grow," Galien said.

Participant views

Skate club members and their parents are enthusiastic about the outlet.

"I like it because it provides an organized way to get involved with skateboarding," said Jay Arpin, whose son Charlie was a member last year before moving on to Wauwatosa East. Another son, sixth-grader Simon, just joined.

"There's been a lot of not-so-nice stuff said about kids who skateboard," Arpin said. "People see these kids out skating on sidewalks and streets because they don't have a regular place to go and they think they are outsiders."

Arpin said he saw the same kind of attitude toward kids who rode dirt bikes when he was young.

"Really, the club promotes safety and that's what makes it so positive," he said.

Seventh-grader Jake Schultz became interested in skateboarding at age 6 and his parents let him explore his interest.

"It's so much fun," Jake said. "We get to build stuff and everyone is so welcoming. Even the older kids help you. I'm definitely going to keep doing this."

The club welcomes girls, but has only one female member so far. Guy Schrubbe said the club is one of the things that helped his daughter Sara, 11, overcome her mom's death three years ago.

"Can she take being the only girl? Oh yeah, she's tough," Schrubbe said.

Sara said the attraction was simple.

"I saw other people doing it and I just wanted to try," she said.

Mike and Judy Doyle also are involved in Tosa Skateboarders United, helping the organization raise funds to build a permanent skate park in Hart Park. Their motivation is to preserve the memory of their son, Jack, who skated and was associated with TSU. He died in 2006 at the age of 13.