How to Choose a Skate Camp

A good skate camp turns a nervous kid into a rider with a habit. A bad one is a week of loosely supervised free skating at $400. The difference is almost never visible on the website, so here's what to ask.

1. What's the coach-to-rider ratio?

Anything above one coach to eight riders means your child is being supervised, not coached. One to four is where genuine instruction happens. Ask for the actual number, not the maximum enrolment.

2. Are riders grouped by ability or by age?

Ability grouping is the single strongest signal of a serious programme. A confident nine-year-old and a nervous thirteen-year-old need the same lesson, and putting them in different groups because of a birthday helps nobody.

3. What's the safety gear policy?

Helmets should be mandatory and non-negotiable, with wrist guards strongly encouraged for beginners. If gear is described as "recommended," ask what actually happens when a kid shows up without it.

4. Are coaches background-checked and first-aid certified?

This should be a fast, confident yes. Any hesitation is your answer. Ask specifically about current first-aid and CPR certification, not "someone on site is certified."

5. Is there a progression structure?

Ask what a rider should be able to do on day five that they couldn't on day one. A good programme answers instantly with specific skills. A weak one talks about fun and confidence — both real, but not a curriculum.

6. What happens if it rains?

In Colorado this matters. Afternoon storms are near-daily in July. Ask whether there's a covered backup location, a rescheduling policy, or simply a refund — all are acceptable answers, silence isn't.

What camps should cost

In the Denver metro, expect $300–$450 for a full week of day camp with gear support. Meaningfully cheaper usually means larger groups. Meaningfully more expensive should come with something specific — travel, a private facility, or one-to-one coaching time.

Our seasonal camps run at $350 a week with a four-rider maximum per coach, board tune-ups and sizing advice built in, and ability-based grouping from day one. Plan to bring your own board and gear; extras are sometimes available.

Written by Evan

Head coach at Rocky Mountain Shred School. Thirty years on a board and more than 1,200 students coached across the Denver metro.