Spend the summer learning to skate -- and fall

TAMPA (FOX 13) - At Skatepark of Tampa, school has been in session all summer long.

"You can just skate, and it's really fun," said one camper, Sebastian Valenzula. "There's no rules in skateboarding, and that's what I like about it." 

That's the beauty of it. At camp, all skill levels are welcome. Skatepark of Tampa has three different courses, ranging from beginner to a professional course. 

"So if they want to roll around in the kiddie course or skate in the bowl or learn flip tricks or grinds or skate in the concrete, they're open to do all of that," said program director Tim Gasiorski. 

Instructors are there to teach the kids the basics of skateboarding. But, they have free range of how far they want to go and how many tricks they want to learn. 

"Even though we're instructing the kids, they still really learn everything on their own," said Gasiorski. "Just because you show a kid how to do something, it doesn't mean they're going to do it without putting hard work and practice into it."

Crashing and falling off the skateboard is part of the sport. It's also part of the fun. 

"This builds character and confidence in all of these kids," continued Gasiorski. "Every single one of these kids are different and have a different type of style and goal set for them when it comes to camp." 

"It's not just about learning new tricks. It's about having fun," added Valenzula. "Some people think it's just about learning new tricks, sometimes it's just about having fun even if you don't land the trick that you want." 

Camp at Skatepark of Tampa runs through next week. It's $50 a day and $200 for the week. For members, it's $45 a day and $180 for the week. It’s for ages 5-15 and all skill levels are welcome to attend.