New Toronto program teaches young women how to skateboard

They're learning to bust kick turns,olliesanddrop starts, andthey're doing it in a space free from judging eyes.

• Skater mom brings 'Skate Like A Girl' event to Toronto park

The city and The Chill Foundation, a non-profit that teaches board sports to young people,joined forces this summerto giveyoung women the opportunity to learn to skateboard in "a safe, judgement-freeatmosphere."

The Girl's Only Summer Skate Sessions began four weeks backat theGrand Ravine Community Centre and the free sessions have proven to be a hit.

"The idea is to create a space where girls can skateboard in a female-only space which makes it easier for them to access the sport," instructor Alix Buck told CBC News.

"It's a male-dominated sport and I think it can be intimidating for a girl, especially a young girl, toenter that space and start skateboarding when she is the only woman in the whole place."

Buck said shefelt welcome in the skate scene when she stepped in it many years back but added, "you can't help but be aware you're the only girl there."

She recalled"struggling to do the simplest things" as a novice and said she can relate to the frustrations of her young charges.

'Definitely worth it'

"It takes a really long time to learn tricks and it's not a sport you get good at super fast, but it's definitely worth it," Buck said, adding that her group is "a ton of fun and that everyone is really encouraging of each other, which is really nice to see."

"I've seen it on TV, it seems really interesting and I just wanted to learn it," she told CBC.

Bree Oda, a volunteer with The Chill Foundation,calledthe group that was working on their moves Tuesday afternoon "fantastic" and describedthe classes as "empowering."

"The girls feel they can grow together and they're doing really well," Oda said. "For me, it's really nice seeing girls pick up a skateboard for the first time. They're super shaky in the first week and three weeks later they're helping out another girl.

"It's nice seeing them teach one another."