about
My name is Asha Kirkby. I am an expert inline skating instructor and my series of online courses is a result of my 18 years full-time teaching experience.
I found my first pair of skates (rainbow quads) on the street in a rubbish bin aged 10. They fitted perfectly. I skated home, almost falling on the curb descent before quickly discovering that bent knees worked much better. Soon after I went to a roller disco and was “discovered” by my future artistic skating coach and began figure skating on quads. Two years later I won the British under 13 National Championships. I competed throughout my teens, representing Great Britain in several international competitions.
I gave up competitive skating at 18 and went to Brazil on a gap year before starting university in Edinburgh. In my 20s I had a few office jobs in London but was very unhappy. I left work for what I thought was a temporary few months off to rest and regroup. In that time I bought a pair of rollerblades and started skating for fun and fitness. A skating friend suggested we do the ICP (Inline Certification Program) to become instructors.
We started Skatefresh together in 2000 and that's how my teaching career started. I love teaching. I'm fascinated by people's learning process and how I can make that more efficient, practical and satisfying.
I spend most of my time in the UK and Europe during the spring and summer months and the winters in Brazil. I teach group classes and workshops as well as private lessons and online video coaching wherever I am and I frequently travel to other countries for Instructor Certifications. I’ve been certifying Instructors for ICP since 2002 and I’ve certified more than 300 instructors in the UK, Spain and Brazil as I also speak Spanish and Portuguese.
Until June 2019 I am on a “World Teaching Tour” which includes Dubai, Singapore, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Mexico and USA.
I’ve worked for the BBC and Disney as a skate consultant, judge and coach. For Disney I trained the main actors in “Soy Luna”. This included a 2 week intensive boot camp and ongoing video coaching for a year. They went from zero to experts and then started filming.
Why Online courses?
Skatefresh began before I even had a mobile phone and before the internet was readily available. Once online I began to be inundated with questions from skaters all over the world needing help and advice.
I wanted to make a series of video trainings that would be as similar to my class content as possible, providing skaters with the exact progression sequences that I’ve developed over 18 years of teaching. I think it’s my sequences of drills that hold the secrets to learning in a safe and progressive way while reducing the risks and increasing the fun.
I have online students who have told me they overcame depression, back pain, weight issues, Asperger’s, loneliness and other conditions through taking up skating. Others have met their partners or found a whole new circle of friends as a surprise bonus of skating.
Nothing makes me happier than observing and sharing in these successes. When one person heals something, we all benefit.