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The Courier
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Why Newport dad Michal is learning to skate at 40
Michal Winiarski is no stranger to a set of wheels. But the Newport-on-Tay driving instructor, owner of Working Way driving school, is used to being the teacher – not the student. Michal emigrated from Poland in 2006 and lives in Newport-on-Tay with his 'Dundee born and bred' wife Diane, and their sons Jan, 11, and Hubert, 6. Now, thanks to skateboard-mad Jan, Michal has become a 'learner' once again. The pair have been taking skateboarding lessons together at Passion Park, an indoor skatepark in Dundee, since February. At age 40, it's Michal's first ever foray into the skate scene. Michal Winiarski and Jan Winiarski are a father-son skating duo from Newport. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'I am very, very, sore,' laughs Michal when I meet him and Jan at a Passion Park beginners session. 'But I'm trying!' Jan's life 'was taken over by skateboarding' Kitted out in matching black, stickered helmets and black baggy T-shirts, the pair certainly look the part. They stand at the foot of a steep wooden ramp; it seems I've saved Michal from 'dropping in' at the top for a moment. Meanwhile Jan, at his side, is torn by his excitement to share his love of skateboarding with me and his palpable desire to get back to it. This is why Michal is here. When skating took over Jan's world last year, the devoted dad decided to get on board, literally. 'Jan's life was taken over by skateboarding,' Michal smiles. 'Everything in the room, all the video games, the YouTube.' Michal Winiarski, 40, gets some encouragement from son Jan. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. Jan pipes up to tell me all about his 'Tony Hawk Pro Skater' skateboarding game; a moment which catapults me back to a Playstation 2 childhood, and has me marvelling at the fact Tony Hawk remains the most famous professional skater on Earth, 25 years later. But impossible 'vert' tricks and death-defying moves don't come close to Jan's favourite thing about skating. Which is? 'Doing it with my dad.' How did Jan get dad to skate at 40? And while some of the other parents in the room were skaters in their youth, Michal is following his son's lead. Since taking on 1:1 lessons in February, Jan has quickly become a dedicated and fairly fearless skater. 'He was here 10 hours yesterday, for a skate camp during the day and then back after dinner until they closed at 10pm,' Michal grins. Passion Park, an indoor skate park in Dundee, is Michal and Jan's favourite spot. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'We are here every week, sometimes twice a week. 'It's fun, because Jan's learning stuff and then he's challenging me, and I'm following. Like this, he showed me this yesterday,' he continues as Jan takes off up a mini ramp. 'My first three tries? I went flat on the face. But when I manage to do it, it's a lot of fun.' Building confidence ahead of high school For Michal, seeing Jan throwing himself into something so physical – and persevering through skint knees and frustration – is comforting. After summer, Jan will make the transition from Newport Primary to S1 at Madras College, and Michal wants to encourage him to grow his confidence ahead of the move to secondary school. 'Jan, he was very premature,' explains Michal. 'He was born a few weeks early, 1lb 4oz. So he's 11 now but doesn't look it. 'So it's really good he's trying this new thing, and he really, really likes it. His co-ordination and everything has been so improved. Which is relaxing for me.' Jan says he tried other activities before, like football and Scouts, but never found his place in big team environments. Since taking up skating, he's found role models and a community he feels at home in. The Winiarskis get some pointers from park owner Lewis Allan. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'He did not enjoy himself then at those things,' says Michal. 'But here, he is so happy. And the older skaters here, they give him advice. So yeah, he's alone, but he's never really alone.' It's also important to Michal that Jan spends time out in the world, not absorbed in a screen. 'This is what we do all the time, up and out,' he says. 'The amount of computers and everything for the young kids now, it's too much.' Jan doesn't mind that at all. 'I only like being online or using my screens when it's raining,' he says. 'I don't like gaming and stuff that much. I'd rather be skating.' Balancing passion with family life For now, coming to Passion Park is special one-on-one time for Jan and his dad. Younger brother Hubert is 'still at the age where he prefers sliding down the ramp on his bum', but Jan is teaching him how to skate at home in the garden so he can join in next summer. 'We go a lot of walks, and go cycling, play in the garden with the kids,' Michal explains. 'But it's quite a big age difference and we need to make sure they're both satisfied, so every spare moment, we bring Jan to skate.' Michal 'absolutely loves' the quality time with his eldest son, and makes it a priority to 'find the time around work'. Skater Jan is teaching his dad 'how to fall' Whether skating is a flash-in-the-pan obsession or a lifelong hobby for Jan, Michal doesn't mind. He's just happy his pre-teen son is bringing him along for the ride. 'I'm obviously not going to force him to do something I enjoy more than him,' he says. 'He's the youth, he's passionate. This is his time to flourish and develop skills. Skate-mad Jan with his dad Michal. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson 'If you can enjoy it with them, why not try it? I'm not going to become a professional, but at least we get to spend a little time together.' As for Michal's own skate skills, he's holding his own. At 40, the prospect of a bone-breaking fall is a bit more intimidating for him than young Jan, but he's still giving it his all – including learning how to fall without being scared. 'We tried that big ramp yesterday, I got Dad to try it with me,' Jan sidles up to tell me in a conspiratorial whisper. How did they get on? 'We fell,' he giggles. 'But,' adds Michal, 'we fell together.'
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'We do boss fights for a living' - Gamers, brothers, champions
For as long as brothers George and Harry Hardwick can remember, they have enjoyed boss this interview takes place, the camera is balanced on an old pile of Playstation 2 games at the brothers' home in the games are Killer 7, the Thing and Half-Life, but it is the fighting game Tekken which has fuelled the Hardwick's rivalry over the is a healthy rivalry which has spread from gaming to mixed martial arts, with the pair now flourishing in reaching the pinnacle of UK-based MMA promotion, Cage the oldest of the two siblings at 30, is the featherweight champion while George, 28, holds the lightweight title."There's always been something geared in our brains towards games and actually for a job now, we do boss fights," Harry tells BBC Sport."That's essentially what we do for a living - we have boss fights."George, meanwhile, credits video games with having a positive effect on the brothers' fighting will defend his title against Lucas Clay in Manchester on 14 March, with Harry putting his belt on the line against Javier Garcia a week later in London on 21 March."Don't underestimate video games - they are so good on the brain," adds George."Anyone who does mixed martial arts or any sport give this a try - don't go on social media when you're chilling, play some video games. "Play some Ninja Gaiden, Tekken, Dark Souls, whatever it is. And when you train, your mind is so much sharper. "There's a reason why [former UFC champions] Demetrius Johnson, Sean O'Malley and Max Holloway clock so many hours in video games."American Holloway has said he learned some striking combinations from playing the UFC video game early in his career, which he later implemented in his fights - something which the Hardwicks can relate to."There's times we'll say Demon's Wrath on pads - it's a move from the command list on Tekken. It's left high kick to jab, to right low kick to left body shot," says George. 'Around 9000 calories - my real talent is eating' The Hardwicks grew up on Teesside, where they were introduced to mixed martial arts as teenagers after initially training in Muay started the sport on exactly the same day and before long were hooked, with both deciding they wanted to pursue it as a brothers' enjoy a competitive but constructive relationship, but this only blossomed after they started training together."Training was what actually fixed us, we'd be in the house scrapping, constantly having fights," said George. "When we actually started going to the gym and doing it in a controlled environment and a productive way, this channelled it into something useful rather than just breaking the furniture."The pair's bond has played a big part in their success, with both admitting one has inspired the other to stay committed to the sport during difficult moments over the years."I remember when I was going to start university, I got an elbow dislocation and then a problem with my scalp and it put me off martial arts for a while, said George."If Harry wasn't doing it I probably wouldn't have got back into it."Inside the cage they have been compared to former UFC stars Nick and Nate Diaz, because of the pressure and body shots they inflict on their jokes they both similar in ways, joking about their "neanderthal eyebrows" and stubbornness, especially when they biggest difference between the pair, however, is their says that his "real talent would have been competitive eating", referencing a time he ate two "Teesside Parmos, two bags of chips and a salted caramel cheesecake" - a haul totalling "around 9000 calories"."That's the reason he's in the heavier weight class than me," Harry quips. Much of Cage Warriors' talent over the years have progressed to the UFC, and Harry and George have similar missed out on a UFC contract in 2023, losing to Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady in Dana White's Contender Series, but is eyeing another shot in the near future."I'm fighting soon then I want to fight in Newcastle and then towards the back end of the year my dream is to go back through the Contender Series and get redemption," says George."There are so many mistakes I made, and I just can't wait to right them."Harry echoes the sentiment."UFC is the ideal but I'm a very content individual with the life I live now," he says. "The UFC would be good because I'd be getting more money for the life I live, more exposure, the gym would be busier, but we've got really good students and training partners here."
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Manufacturers, non-profit push students to opportunities in trade industries
Dan Yousett is trying to engineer a way to get more Niagara County high schoolers into the trades. As a manager at Voss Manufacturing in Sanborn, and advisor to committees for skilled trade and workforce organizations, Yousett has been spreading the word that many career opportunities in manufacturing don't require a college education and these jobs are often not presented to students. This includes presenting skilled trades as career options for girls. Yousett has teamed up with the non-profit Dream It Do It to spread the word about the need for workers in machining, tool and die making, mechanical assembly, electrical assembly, welding, and building trades. Their educational efforts include a Girls In Manufacturing half-day workshop on March 22 on the SUNY Niagara campus, that will teach participants the stages of the manufacturing process, and let them use welding tools to create a take-home project. Students can also meet women who are leaders in manufacturing. 'Women excel at welding because they have the artistic touch,' Yousett said. 'Welding is like using a paintbrush and the paint is metal.' Voss Manufacturing employs three women in welding who have made presentations to local students. 'One of them is quick to say, 'I'm a welder because someone said a girl couldn't do it,' ' Yousett said. Decades of schools focusing on college readiness, a stigma that manufacturing is 'dark and dirty,' combined with large numbers of skilled tradespeople retiring, has created a void in the manufacturing workforce, Yousett said. The shortage is nationwide. For every five workers leaving manufacturing, there's only one worker entering the industry. Students can not only avoid college loan debt, Yousett said, but they can quickly progress to earning $75,000 to 85,000 a year. 'The highest need right now is for CNC machining. It's subtractive manufacturing, where you start with a block of steel and cut away from it with a cutting tool. That trade is good for young people because they grew up with Playstation 2,' Yousett said. 'That's the same mechanism that drives these machines. Lots of students are naturals at programming these machines.' Learning CNC machining and other skilled trades can position the next round of high school graduates for a hiring boom, according to Yousett. 'There's going to be a dramatic uptick and demand for that with all the semi-conductor industry coming to New York state,' Yousett said Voss Manufacturing is already gearing up with a recent purchase of a property for expansion space. The solution is for more students to enroll in BOCES. 'If kids are thinking they don't want to spend their time in college, they should pursue BOCES and other trade school opportunities. Dream It Do It, a non-profit funded in part by the Niagara Economic Development Center, launched last month in Niagara County after years of success in Chautauqua, Alleghany, and Cattaraugus counties. The organization collaborates with BOCES programs and enrolls students in free skills camps, employer tours, and technology build-and-battle programs. 'There was a growing need in bridging the connection between schools and manufacturing,' said Allison Sharpe, Dream It Do It's director for Niagara County. The organization offers enrolled students access to a tool called Tallo, which is similar to LinkedIn, allowing them to upload resumes that are seen by hiring manufacturers. Dream It Do It is also planning an event for teachers and counselors in May. 'They get to talk to different manufacturers in the area to understand manufacturing and embed it in curriculum,' Sharpe said. For more information on Girls In Manufacturing, go to .
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Monster Hunter' on prowl for new audiences as latest game drops
With "Monster Hunter Wilds" pitting intrepid players against a menagerie of rampaging beasts on PC and consoles from Friday, the game's creators tell AFP they hope the 20-year-old franchise can still find new audiences. It has been seven years since the last major instalment saw fans draw oversized swords and bows together, in a series whose success is built on cooperative play to take down dragons and other spectacularly-rendered creatures. Co-op is "really the heart of the series and at the core of its DNA," said the game's director Yuya Tokuda. Long queues to test the new instalment at conventions and mass participation in an online open test weekend in October have underscored the anticipation in recent months. "Rather than feeling pressure... it's actually more of a useful chance for us to see the players' reactions and also get data about what it is we should be working on," Ryozo Tsujimoto, the series' 50-something longtime producer said during a trip to Europe weeks ahead of the release. "Wilds" is the first "Monster Hunter" instalment built for latest-generation consoles. Tsujimoto says this will allow for "even more seamless" play, highlighting that there will be no loading screens between players' base camp and the monster-haunted open world beyond. Such changes "make you feel like you really are part of the ecosystem from start to finish every time you play the game," he said. But even on more powerful machines, it was "really quite difficult" to populate the environment with the huge numbers of monsters and other creatures that the developers wanted, Tsujimoto added. There were "lots of programming challenges and also hardware challenges," he said. - Stoking the hype - The "Monster Hunter" series has shipped more than 108 million units since the first release on Playstation 2, making it a second tentpole franchise for Japanese publisher Capcom alongside the "Resident Evil" zombie saga. It took time and several instalments for "Monster Hunter" to win popularity outside Japan itself. Back then, "we didn't really have a development schedule... set up for simultaneous localised release around the world," Tsujimoto remembers. That meant delays of up to a year for different language versions to be adapted, undermining the hype around new releases beyond the home market. "All the news about what was going to be in the game, which monsters and features, had already come out globally, players felt like they'd seen it all from looking online," Tsujimoto said. These days releases are synchronised around the world to strike while the anticipation is at its peak. - Broadening reach - "Monster Hunter" has also benefited from vastly more players able to join in online with high-quality connections. "Breaking down each of those barriers... is what finally brought us out of niche status in the West and into a global blockbuster," Tsujimoto said. Nevertheless, "there are still people out there who don't know about 'Monster Hunter'," he added. It was up to the studio to "try and find new ways to make sure that the 'Monster Hunter' name spreads among as large an audience around the world as possible". A first film set in the universe of the games, released in 2020, was a relative flop. That hasn't put off Tsujimoto, who says "image licensing" is "something we're aways considering as being on the table". Although naming no plans for the immediate future, the producer is "always thinking of ways to expand the series around the world", including to "people who don't play games", he said. Tsujimoto and Tokuda did not comment on whether "Wilds" would be available for Nintendo's hotly-anticipated Switch 2 console, set for release later this year. But looking to the future, "we do still have plenty of monster ideas up our sleeves," Tokuda said. kf/tgb/rl
