Skateboard Academy

What Skateboard Academy does

Skateboard Academy VZW (SBA) is a Belgian non-profit association founded in 2012 and headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, operating as a collaboration between three regional skateboard associations (Antwerpen, Gent, Wevelgem) with a fourth partner skatepark in Roeselare. It runs four physical skatepark locations — SBA Antwerpen at SPRK-hal in Park Spoor Noord, SBA Gent at the Arsenaal Skatepark on the Arsenaalsite, SBA Rampaffairz in Wevelgem, and SBA Trax in Roeselare — and delivers structured skateboarding education for children (from age 6), youth, and adults through certified coaches. Core offerings include 10-lesson course series (lessenreeksen), weekly training sessions, half-day and full-day skate camps during school holidays, customizable workshops for schools, companies, and associations, and a mobile skatepark rental service (SBA Op Locatie) for on-location events. SBA also co-organizes the recognized Initiatorcursus skateboard instructor certification with Vlaamse Trainersschool and Sport Vlaanderen.

The organization generates revenue through a mix of skatepark entry fees (€6 on Wednesdays, €8 on other days, €5 for SBA members), recurring annual memberships that bundle insurance and discounts, 10-lesson subscription course series, seasonal skate camps, professional workshops, mobile skatepark rental, and WooCommerce webshop merchandise sales. Pricing is primarily unit-based (pay-as-you-go) with subscription tiers for memberships and lesson series; subsidies are layered on through Sport Vlaanderen VT tariff cards, health insurance reimbursements, and fiscal deductions for sport camp participation. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on a monthly newsletter, social media, events (Corridor pop-up, Hall of Skate, Nokia Antwerp Skate Contest, Youth Park Series), and referral partnerships with Sport Vlaanderen, Vlaamse Trainersschool, Stad Antwerpen, Stad Gent, and educational institutions.

The technology platform is a commodity SMB web stack — WordPress with WooCommerce webshop, Webhero Bookings for online registration, Stripe payment processing, Zendesk CRM, CloudFlare CDN, and Google Analytics — with no proprietary software, app, or AI capabilities. Distribution is regional across Flanders, combining four physical skatepark storefronts, a self-serve online booking channel, an e-commerce storefront, and a direct field sales motion for mobile and enterprise workshops. Customer segments split between primary long-tail consumers (children/youth, adults) and secondary institutional buyers (schools, companies, event organizers, sports associations).

Name

Skateboard Academy

Legal name

Skateboard Academy VZW

Website

https://skateboardacademy.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Skateboard Academy is a Belgian non-profit operating four skateparks across Flanders, delivering certified skateboard lessons, training, camps, workshops, and instructor certification for children, adults, schools, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Skateboarding Instruction & Training

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Multi-Sport Camps & Skills Academies (THAAAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Referee, Umpire & Coach Education/Certification Academies (MPAKAJAN), Instructor-Led Skills Academies (Climbing, Paddling, Mountaineering Schools) (THAAAOAI)

Keywords

• Skateboarding lessons
• Skate camps
• Skatepark training
• Skateboard instruction
• Youth sports coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Merelbeke

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Skatepark Entry Fees: Daily entry fees for open skatepark access, with discounted rates for SBA members and VT tariff cardholders
2. Lesson Series: 10-lesson course series for children and adults learning to skateboard or developing skills under certified coaches
3. Skate Camps: Half-day skate camps during school holidays (summer, Easter, etc.) for children aged 6+, with certified coaches teaching beginners and advanced skaters
4. Workshops: Custom workshops for schools, associations, companies, and individuals on skateboard initiation and training
5. Membership Fees: Individual membership providing insurance coverage and discounts on entry fees and lesson packages
6. Mobile Skatepark Rental: Rental of mobile skatepark including certified trainers, supervision and equipment for events and activities at external locations
7. Webshop Sales: Online sales of skateboard-related products through WooCommerce platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Skateboard Academy is a Belgian non-profit sports club that delivers structured skateboarding instruction through four physical skatepark locations in Flanders (Antwerp, Gent, Wevelgem, Roeselare). It sells lesson series, weekly training, skate camps, corporate and school workshops, mobile skatepark rentals, and an officially recognized skateboard trainer certification course. All services are delivered by certified coaches under the SBA brand, with online booking and a small merchandise webshop.

Product overview

Skateboard Academy (SBA) is a collaboration between three skateboard associations operating skateparks in Antwerp, Gent, and Wevelgem. The organization offers a comprehensive skateboard education ecosystem consisting of four physical skatepark locations (SBA Antwerpen, SBA Gent, SBA Rampaffairz, and SBA Trax Roeselare), supplemented by mobile services. Core offerings include regular training sessions, structured lesson series (lessenreeksen), seasonal camps (SBA Camps and Progression Skatecamps), and customized workshops for schools and organizations. The academy also provides official trainer certification courses (Initiatorcursus) in partnership with Flemish sports authorities, and operates a mobile skatepark rental service (SBA Op Locatie) for events. All services are delivered by certified coaches through a network of dedicated skatepark facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SBA Antwerpen: Skatepark and skate school in Antwerp, located at SPRK-hall, Parkloods Park Spoor Noord, Damplein 35
• SBA Gent
• SBA Rampaffairz
• SBA Trax

Products and services

• SBA Antwerpen Skatepark

Quantifiable outcome

• Training for skaters from age 6 to adult across multiple skill levels
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vlaamse TrainersschoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Vlaamse Trainersschool to organize recognized initiator skateboard training courses. SBA provides qualitative content and expertise within the training structure.
• Sport VlaanderencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Sport Vlaanderen for organizing recognized skateboard instructor training programs and supporting skateboard sport development in Flanders.
• RampaffairzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRampaffairz skatepark has been an important partner since the founding of Skateboard Academy. The SBA community originated and grew through the first skateboard training sessions at this location in Wevelgem.
• Arsenaal SkateparkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBA Gent relocated to the new Arsenaal Skatepark on the Arsenaalsite in Gentbrugge. This indoor skatepark serves as the home base for SBA's skate school, camps, and workshops.
• Sporting A / Antwerpse SportwekenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSBA Antwerpen participates in Antwerpse Sportweken program, organizing skate camps accessible through the Sporting A registration system.
• Stad AntwerpenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with City of Antwerp for skatepark facilities at SPRK-hal, Park Spoor Noord location.
• Stad GentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Gent supports SBA operations and the Corridor temporary space initiative through the Fonds Tijdelijke Invullingen.
• SportaroundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Corridor leerecosysteem project developing a sports meeting place under the viaduct in Gentbrugge.
• FROSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Corridor leerecosysteem and broader sports community development initiatives.
• Ghent BasketballminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Corridor leerecosysteem collaborative project for youth sports development.
• Artevelde HogeschoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting the Corridor leerecosysteem project with expertise from Artevelde University of Applied Sciences.
• Meneer de LeeuwminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting the Corridor leerecosysteem initiative.
• CorridorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBA is a partner in developing a sports meeting place under the viaduct in Gentbrugge - a temporary activation with a learning ecosystem supported by the European WSE program. Includes a pop-up skatepark and activities for children and youth.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Skatopia (Belgium): Belgian indoor skatepark and instruction provider with similar camps, lessons, and birthday/event services; direct regional competitor in the same Belgian market as SBA.
• Skatepark Amsterdam (Stichting Skatepark): Dutch non-profit indoor skatepark that offers lessons, camps, and youth programs — a neighboring-country peer with a near-identical community-instruction model.

Direct peers

• Woodward Camp: Multi-sport action sports camp network in the US offering skateboard instruction, camps, and coaching certifications — the closest commercial analogue to SBA's skills-academy-plus-camp offering.
• Skateistan: Global non-profit using skateboarding as a tool for youth education; operates in multiple countries with a similar mission-driven, instruction-led model and a comparable mix of camps, lessons, and trainer development.
• Camp of Champions (Europe): Long-running European skateboard camp that delivers multi-day, coach-led training programs for youth and adults — directly comparable to SBA's Progression and holiday skate camps.

Others

• FROS (Flemish Sports Federation): Umbrella federation for Flemish recreational sports organizations, of which SBA-affiliated clubs are members; an ecosystem partner and policy/funder counterparty rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• NHS / Santa Cruz Skateboards: Established skateboard and scooter brand with community programs, skatepark partnerships, and youth initiatives; comparable as a wider action-sports ecosystem player rather than a school operator.
• Tony Hawk Foundation: Major US-based skateboarding non-profit focused on public skatepark development and youth programs; broader in scope than SBA but operates in the same youth-skateboarding-education space.
• Vans (Off The Wall programs): Global skateboarding brand that runs skate camps, contests (e.g., Vans Park Series), and youth skate programs; a broad incumbent in action-sports education and events, overlapping SBA's workshop and contest activities.
• Etnies Skatepark (Lake Forest): Brand-owned public skatepark offering lessons, camps, and community programs; comparable as a combined skatepark-and-instruction operation tied to a major skate brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Skateboard Academy