Skateboarding coach extraordinaire Chiggy came to visit Lockhart River and Coen and share his passion for the sport with some extremely eager locals. Photo: Josh Hamilton.
Lockhart River and Coen kids are ready to practice their new skateboarding skills after a lesson and gifts from a professional coach.
Professional skateboard coach Mat “Chiggy” Chigwidden and his team flew to five communities around the state earlier this month, starting in Longreach and finishing in Lockhart River.
Although Mr Chigwidden said the entire tour was an incredible experience, he could not help but choose Lockhart River as his favourite destination.
“I honestly think the experience we had in Lockhart is going to be a hard one to beat,” he said.
“The warm welcome that we received was like nothing we’ve ever seen before; the kids were quite literally running up to us the moment we got there and wrapping their arms around us.
“They were all just so happy, it was amazing.”
The coach, based on the Sunshine Coast, said the eagerness of kids in remote communities was exciting and rewarding.
“On the coast, there’s so much more opportunities there for everyone, whereas out here, they don’t get as much, so when they do they go all in; it’s really cool to see,” Mr Chigwidden explained.
“We provide a lot of positive reinforcements to these kids throughout the day and they all walk away with a smile from ear to ear.
“The excitement that these kids share and the smiles on their faces, it’s just really rewarding and you want to keep pursuing that.”
Alongside some killer tricks and skills, the kids also went home with a brand new skateboard, JBL speaker, and Yeti water bottle donated by sponsors.
“We [also] had the support of Machjet International … they donated their plane and pilot for two days to help us access these rural communities to be able to deliver the skateboarding workshops,” Mr Chigwidden said.
“It was an amazing experience and it’s something we’ve been working on for quite a few months now, so it was really great to see it all come together and be as successful as it was.”
It was a big week for the coach, who also celebrated the Olympic selection of one of his former skate students.
Haylie Powell will represent Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games later this month.
“She was the first girl I ever coached,” Mr Chigwidden said.
“That’s the message we are sending on these trips; if you put in the work and you are passionate about skating, there’s a pathway to the Olympics if you pursue it.”
There were smiles all round when Lockhart River got skateboarding fever during a visit from a special guest coach. Photo: Josh Hamilton.
