WEST BANK-: Palestinian kids get "stoked" as charity opens skate parks in West Bank

Record ID: 565542

  • Title: WEST BANK-: Palestinian kids get "stoked" as charity opens skate parks in West Bank
  • Date: 7th September 2014
  • Summary: ZABABDEH, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) CHILDREN PLAYING AT THE FIRST SKATE PARK IN WEST BANK CHILDREN WEARING THEIR HELMETS TRAINER, CHARLIE DAVIS, SHOWING CHILDREN HOW TO SKATE CHILD ON SKATEBOARD (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRAINER, CHARLIE DAVIS, SAYING: "I am very happy as you can see with the skate park that we have built. It is quite a big, concrete skate park. You can see how enthusiastic all the kids are coming down practising. They are taking skateboarding in their own way and we have arranged classes so kids at school can come and practise as part of PE (physical exercise) curriculum, then in the afternoon, they can come and practise on their own." SIGN READING IN ARABIC AND ENGLISH: "SKATE PAL" VARIOUS OF CHILDREN SKATEBOARDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRAINEE, KHATAB SHARQAWI, SAYING: "We come here to train to skate with the foreigners. This is the first time we hear about this game so when we heard the foreigners are coming here to do this project we came and they showed us the game and it is a nice game." VARIOUS OF CHILDREN TRAINING ON SKATE BOARDS RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) TRAINERS PUTTING UP WOODEN SKATE PARK VARIOUS OF DAVIS HELPING TO PUT UP THE WOODEN SKATE PARK (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRAINER, CHARLIE DAVIS, SAYING: "Skateboarding makes you focus your energy and concentrate on something constructive and we just have seen such good things everywhere with skateboarding." DAVIS HELPING TO PUT UP WOODEN SKATE PARK SKATES (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRAINER, CHARLIE DAVIS, SAYING: "And we want to bring kids from everywhere who do not have many things to do in Palestine to focus their energy on something positive and creative such as skateboarding." VARIOUS OF CHILDREN SKATEBOARDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRAINEE, MAI AL ALAM, SAYING: "Last year I joined my friends to come here, I knew about skateboarding, and when I saw them doing it, I met Charlie and all the others. We became friends. I am training with them." VARIOUS OF CHILDREN SKATEBOARDING
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Politics,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA41XBPTZQ2OXWKW5RS5OC1HYB
  • Story Text: Palestinian children find two new parks to skateboard in, responding with enthusiasm - or "getting stoked" in skaters' jargon - thanks to a charity founded by a Scottish skater.


    Dozens of Palestinian school children in the West Bank have a new place to hang out -- two parks where they gather each day, and hone their skills on the skateboard.
    The parks opened this summer in Zababdeh village and Ramallah. Another one is planned in Nabi Saleh.
    The skate parks have been set up by a voluntary body called SkatePal, which was founded by a Scottish teacher Charlie Davis. After school, Davis would go skateboarding around the area, and was impressed with the enthusiasm among local children. That's when he decided to set up a voluntary body to promote the sport.
    "I am very happy as you can see with the skate park that have built. It is a quite a big, concrete park. You can see how enthusiastic all the kids are coming down practising. They are taking skateboarding in their own way and we have arranged classes so kids at school can come and practise as part of PE (physical exercise) curriculum, then in the afternoon, they can come and practise on their own," he said.
    Children from Zababdeh town in northern West Bank were taken through the thrill of balancing on four small wheels.
    Local children have taken a liking to the sport.
    "We come here to train to skate with the foreigners. This is the first time we hear about this game so when we heard the foreigners are coming here to do this project we came and they showed us the game and it is a nice game," said Khatab Sharqawi.
    SkatePal volunteers have set up wooden ramps at Ramallah club, which belongs to the community centre, to train children.
    Davis said skateboarding offered Palestinian children an opportunity to do something interesting and took their minds off the conflict in the occupied territory.
    "Skateboarding makes you focus your energy and concentrate on something constructive and we just have seen such good things everywhere with skateboarding," he said.
    "And we want to bring kids from everywhere who do not have many things to do in Palestine to focus their energy on something positive and creative such as skateboarding."
    Davis and his team of volunteers provide classes for children aged between eight and 12, and are training the local youth to maintain the skate parks.
    Skate culture is heavy with jargon: among the words English-speaking skaters use are "stoked", meaning to like something or be excited, and "sick", meaning cool.
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