Rowan Skate Park Summer Camp is a weekly opportunity for the youth to enhance their skills in action sports like skateboarding, scooter riding, inline skating and BMX starting July 29.
Terry Grimble, owner of Daville Skate Shop and instructor for Rowan Skate Camp, said the camp is for kids who want to learn how to skateboard, scooter ride, inline skate or BMX ride. Participants must be between the ages of 5 and 15.
Grimble said campers must bring their own skateboards, scooters, skates or bikes and safety gear.
Scooters specially made for skate parks will be for purchase. Grimble said this is important because not all store-bought ones are safe for a skate park.
The camp dates are: July 29 through August 2, August 5 through 9, August 12 through 16 and August 19 through 23. The cost is $149 for the week. Campers can do one week or all four weeks.
Payment for camp can be done in person via cash, check or card at Rowan Skate Park or online at https://www.rowanskatepark.com/.
Grimble discussed the purpose of the skate camp.
“Riding skate parks can be intimidating and this camp will help overcome those fears, and get those basics down for their sport,” he said.
For the more advanced students, he wants campers to advance to their next personal skill level.
Grimble said campers will learn how to ride the skateboard, scooter, inline skates or bikes correctly. He said he and his instructor, Mavrick Pitman, will work with individuals on their personal level.
“We both have a passion for action sports,” he said.
On rainy days, video learning will be applied. Campers will watch videos on top professionals in the industry, instructional videos and competition videos.
For the teenagers who are interested in a career in this, Grimble will teach about starting a business, how to host skate events and gain sponsorships.
Rowan Skate Park is a part of Rowan Park in Haymount in Fayetteville. The Daville Skate Shop, located next to the park, has a lounge and snack bar where campers start their day.
Campers will not be traveling for this camp.
Grimble said this skate camp is important because it gets kids started in action sports the right way. He said this allows them to advance their experience.
“Skateboarding is hard, but the rewards are great,” he said. “A lot of students will get on a skateboard and think they’re not meant to be on a skateboard. But once they master a kickflip . . ., it makes you feel like you can accomplish anything after being consistent. It helps them set goals and earn those goals.”
Not New To This, But True to This
Grimble grew up in Fayetteville and has been integral in the skate community over the last 30+ years. He started his first skate park project in 1989, which officially opened in 1993. He’s been a skate instructor since 1993 in Fayetteville. He opened his first store in the area in 1995. Grimble even had a privately owned skate park from 1999 to 2007.
He opened Daville Skate Shop in 2009 and it has expanded into South Carolina as well.
Friends of the Skateparks Foundation is a nonprofit he started in 2013 to help cities establish a skate park for their communities in the Carolinas.
The skate park at Rowan Park opened in 2020, and has seen heavy use since its opening. For more information about the Rowan Skate Park Summer Camp or Daville Skate Shop, visit https://davilleskateshop.com/, www.rowanskatepark.com, or call 910-491-3502.

(Photo: Justin Fox on the scooter at Rowan Skate Park. Fox is a scooter instructor at Rowan. Photo courtesy of Terry Grimble)