also in his dedication to athletic education .
“ We started an instructional skateboarding program here in Manchester last year , and the results have been truly incredible ,” says Strecker . “ Even during the pandemic , we managed to coach over 130 skateboarders , both in-person and over Zoom coaching sessions . The program has continued to grow , and we ’ re excited for the summer season !”
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Local North Bennington-based skateboarder Floyd Robinson is one of the coaches who works for Strecker ’ s program . As a lifelong skateboarder , Robinson is proud to be able to teach the next generation of up-and-coming skaters . He says that one of the most fulfilling things about being a skateboarding coach is watching the progression of his students over time . “ Every time I go out to teach a skateboarding clinic , it brings me an incredible amount of happiness to know that I ’ m helping kids discover the joy of skating . When I was growing up , I would have loved to work with a skateboarding coach , but no such programs existed . Some of the kids I work with are locals who live in Vermont , and some come to clinics during the summer when they ’ re visiting Manchester from out of town . Every time they come back , they just get better and better . It ’ s amazing to see how stoked they are about the sport and how quickly they improve .”
As his efforts to raise funds for the next two phases of the Manchester Skatepark continue to take shape , Strecker has made the decision to help further the cause of Vermont skateboarding by opening a second Arson store in Rutland . Strecker says that due to his initial networking efforts up in Rutland , several skateboarders in the Rutland region have already reached out to him to ask for his advice about fundraising for a local skatepark . “ One of the most amazing things about opening a skateboard shop in any community is that it opens up so many possibilities for the local skateboarding scene ,” Strecker notes . “ I can ’ t tell you how motivating it is for me to know that the success of the Manchester Skatepark Project has inspired other people across the state of Vermont to become actively involved in planning skateparks in their own towns . I ’ m a firm believer in the fact that every cent spent on a skatepark project pays off in terms of the positive effect that it has on the community . That ’ s why I ’ m also continuing to locally campaign for the next two phases of fundraising for the
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