Community On Wheels: Bradley’s Skate Club

Every Thursday at 7:00 p.m., students from across campus get on their boards or strap on their rollerblades and glide toward Alumni Quad where the Skate Club meets.

Skateboarding took off in the U.S. in the mid-1950s, starting in the state of California and having its ebbs and flows of popularity until the 1980s came into full swing. But even with skateboarding entering the Olympics and touching households across the world, finding a skating community is harder in small towns like Peoria, but skating is still very much alive on Bradley University’s campus.

“Skate club is a place where people can come to chill, skate and talk,” said Josh Peters, president of the Skate Club and senior Game Design major.

Peters co-founded the Bradley Skate Club when he was a freshman. Initially it floundered as it struggled to gain momentum and members. Now, it’s an active and thriving club on campus. Open to any skill level—from experts to complete newbies—the skate club aims to get people on the board.

“The main goal is to have a good time,” said Peters. If you’re completely new to skating, Bradley Skate Club will teach you the basics: what riding style best suits you, which board matches your riding style and more.

Like others involved in skating, Peters became engrossed with skating by the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games. Learning how to skate was a tough journey, but the people involved in the skate community have poured time and effort into helping him improve. Now, Peters does the same for others.

“We love helping new members have great experiences,” he said.

Shania Jennings, a senior IM major, was hesitant to get involved with skating. They first caught wind of the sport when they were a kid watching Disney XD—the “cool” channel—and truly dove into it when their boyfriend at the time let them practice on his board.

Now, Jennings handles social media, events and promotion for the club, helping to make connections on campus and get more people to join. Their message to potential members is simple: “Just have fun with it.”

The best thing about the club is you don’t need a board to join–the Skate Club has boards members can borrow. 

A lot of people who join have never skateboarded before and they’re afraid of falling. But, as Peters acknowledged, that’s part of the experience. “Falling is the best part of skateboarding. Just like with everything else in life, in order to get better, you need to fail,” he said.

Active members of Skate Club got involved for one reason or another, but all share the same sentiment: it’s a community.

“I didn’t get into skating at first because I didn’t feel like I would fit in,” said Peter Egbuna, a junior psychology major. It wasn’t until he got his own board in April 2023 that he tried his hand at skating. “It makes going around campus less dreadful. You don’t feel pressured to be good here,” he said.

The Skate Club makes skating accessible to everyone on campus. So if you’re considering finding a new and stylish way to get to class, stop by the Skate Club first to learn how to ride.

“Don’t be afraid. You’ll be surprised as to what you can do, especially on a skateboard,” said Peters.

If you’re interested in joining the club, email Josh Peters at bradleyskateclub@gmail.com. It’s never too late to learn how to skate!

—Hermes Falcon, senior journalism and sociology major