Modern Skate owner hopes to expose sport to as many people as possible

Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press
Updated ·3 min read
Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team member Garold Vallie, 50, of Wyandotte, skates at Monument Park near the Davidson freeway on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Garold has been skate boarding 40 years, "I remember chasing half pipes in people's backyards. It's nice to see the new skateparks being built around the metro area."
Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team member Garold Vallie, 50, of Wyandotte, skates at Monument Park near the Davidson freeway on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Garold has been skate boarding 40 years, "I remember chasing half pipes in people's backyards. It's nice to see the new skateparks being built around the metro area."

George Leichtweis, 68, of Walled Lake, has run skate parks all over Michigan. He started his first skate park in 1979, an outdoor park with a skate shop, at the base of the Detroit Zoo water tower.

He has been skating even longer. Leichtweis wasn't a very good skater, but taught himself how to skate by getting a job giving lessons at a local YMCA. In 1980, he opened a second Modern Skate, in East Lansing, becoming one of the first to introduce rollerblades to Michigan skaters. Leichtweis sold his first pairs to a local high school hockey team contending for a state championship. Because rollerblades meant the team could skate year-round, they were in excellent shape.

Modern Skate owner George Leichtweis has been managing skate parks around Michigan over 45 years and has seen the sport grow from skateboards to rollerblades to scooters. Leichtweis assembles one of the decks he sells in the retail shop located in his venue on Saturday, July 13, 2023.
Modern Skate owner George Leichtweis has been managing skate parks around Michigan over 45 years and has seen the sport grow from skateboards to rollerblades to scooters. Leichtweis assembles one of the decks he sells in the retail shop located in his venue on Saturday, July 13, 2023.

Back in the '80s and early '90s, it was against the law to skateboard on public property in many places, and kids were getting tickets or even getting arrested. So Leichtweis decided to put on exhibitions once a year, building halfpipe ramps to showcase the talents of local skaters, raise money for charity and show the public that kids who skated were good kids.

Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team member Mike Mozola, of Lapeer, skates at Hart Plaza on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team member Mike Mozola, of Lapeer, skates at Hart Plaza on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
LEFT: Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team members Christiana Smith, 26, Ben Persinger, 23, Mike Mozola, 47, Rachel Anderson, 30 and Garold Vallie, 50, pose for a photo on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. RIGHT: Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team member Christiana Smith 26, from Oak Park skates at Monument Park near the Davidson Freeway.
LEFT: Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team members Christiana Smith, 26, Ben Persinger, 23, Mike Mozola, 47, Rachel Anderson, 30 and Garold Vallie, 50, pose for a photo on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. RIGHT: Modern Skate and Surf's Extreme Team member Christiana Smith 26, from Oak Park skates at Monument Park near the Davidson Freeway.

In 2008, Leichtweis bought the building that would become Modern Skate in Royal Oak. A former wine distributor’s warehouse, the 60,000-square-foot space proved to be perfect for ramps, halfpipes and bowls. Repurposing parts from another park he owned, Vans Skate Park in Novi, Leichtweis built the facility in four months, with the help of friends in the skating community.

Modern is currently the third-largest indoor park in the U.S. Leichtweis said the park hosts 5,000 first-time rollerbladers, skateboarders and scooter riders each year, and has hosted X Games tryouts, rollerblade and BMX competitions, and the World Scooter Championships. Attendees come from all over the U.S., and other countries.

Eliot Reavis, 10, of Detroit, left, and Kole Alberts, 8, of Frankenmuth, skate by Danie Laduke, 10, of Ortonville, as he takes a break on his board during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Eliot Reavis, 10, of Detroit, left, and Kole Alberts, 8, of Frankenmuth, skate by Danie Laduke, 10, of Ortonville, as he takes a break on his board during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.
LEFT: Gabby Thompson, 15, of Allen Park, works on a trick during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. CENTER: Lucy Biassa, 12, of Clawson, holds her customized board during on Monday, July 10, 2023. RIGHT: Miles Reavis, 12, goes over a jump on his scooter on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Scooter riders are capable of doing some of the same stunts performed on skateboards.
Noah Juncaj 11, of Royal Oak, uses a skateboard to help Kole Alberts, 8, of Frankenmuth, out of the bowl during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Noah Juncaj 11, of Royal Oak, uses a skateboard to help Kole Alberts, 8, of Frankenmuth, out of the bowl during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Campers pick out a free deck and accessories for their scooters after completing the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Campers pick out a free deck and accessories for their scooters after completing the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.

The Royal Oak location also hosts three-day skate and scooter camps for kids of all ages. Parents drop off participants at 9 a.m., and each class has 20 to 25 kids. Most have their own boards or scooters, but Modern has equipment available for those who don't. Students are taught about skating safety and divided by skill level. Instructors teach everything from basic balancing on a board or scooter to tricks.

The kids navigate the bowls, halfpipes and jumps under the supervision of an instructor. Occasionally, someone will fall, but they all get up, put an ice bag on the bump or bruise and get back into the action.

Craig Alberts, of Frankenmuth, made the drive to bring his son Kole Alberts, 8, to the camp. “I bought him a board six months ago as a gift for him to try out, and he really took to it. I think he’s found his niche."

Henry Foots 11, of Sterling Heights, gets back at it with help from instructor Parker Shay during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Henry Foots 11, of Sterling Heights, gets back at it with help from instructor Parker Shay during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Henry Foots 11, of Sterling Heights, applies ice to his leg after being hit by a stray board during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023. The staff at the camp keep plenty of ice on hand because at some point most of the kids will take a minor spill, thus the reason for emphasizing the use of the proper safety equipment.
John Coleman 10, of Dexter, practices a trick during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.
John Coleman 10, of Dexter, practices a trick during the skate clinic held at Modern Skate Park on Monday, July 10, 2023.

During the camp, you will see kids doing tricks on scooters and skateboards: both are very popular. Modern Skate offers lessons to kids 3 and up. And while the park's oldest student is 65, the average age for lessons is 8-15. Leichtweis said, "Skating of all kinds is a way for kids to get off the couch and playing video games, and develop confidence, social skills and exercise."

It is not uncommon to see skateboarders still enjoying the sport well into their 20s and 30s at a competitive level. As skateboarding has become a popular sport, some have found a way to market themselves, and make a little money competing. A host of famous skateboarders have come through Modern Skate, including Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero and Jimmy Wilkins, to name a few. All have given the park high ratings.

Leichtweis believes in exposing as many people as possible to the sport. His team, T Modern, competes and does exhibitions around the state. But his pride and joy is the Modern Skate float he built for America's Thanksgiving Day Parade, held annually in downtown Detroit. The Modern Skate float, a favorite that has been part of the event for over 20 years, features team members skating a halfpipe as the float moves down Woodward.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Modern Skate in Royal Oak has hosted World Scooter Championship