Tag Archives: update

When You’re the Only Girl

August 30, 2016 Jordan

When you’re the only girl – it shouldn’t matter we’re all people.

It’s still nice to get a shout out in the paper – congrats Ashley Rose!

When I asked Ashley why she entered the contest:

I did the competition because I went to it last year and it was run very well. The talent was incredible and motivated me to come back this year as a stronger skater! Competition is also good exposure and I’d like to inspire other girl skaters to go out there and have fun! 🙂

Thanks Ashley for inspiring me & others – more girls skate when they see girls skate & get encouragement.

By the way if Ashley looks familiar it’s because of the 9/5/2015 post. Love her style & that she keeps on skating!

adidas Skateboarding – August 21st – Transworld HQ

August 22, 2016 Jordan 1 Comment

#AwayDaysTeamTour came to San Diego August 21st – well a little north they came to the Transworld HQ in Carlsbad. Click all the links & pictures to see tons of rad shots & videos.

Custom obstacles were built by Surf Ride, Sun Diego Board Shops, Pacific Drive Skateboard Shop, Active Ride Shop, & Asylum Skate Shop with the adidas skateboarding team & TransWorldSkate staff.

Huge thanks everyone that built the obstacles & to Cairo who did so much of the organizing and testing.

my favorite obstacle – maybe the gator

As for the team – Tyshawn Jones, Miles Silvas, Pete Eldridge, Daewon Song, and Dennis Busenitz were there. They were all watching, skating & cheering stuff like Ryan from Active Redlands

of course there were product tosses

and free shoes – well you had to work for the shoes – which Isaac from Asylum Skate Shop did – he won a years free supply of adidas shoes for this 100 foot rail slide!

Till next time – the next stop for #AwayDaysTeamTour is east coast – keep it stylish on & off the board – and if you see me land a front shov it’s all thanks to enwhytj – he has a lot of patience.

above moments with @pete_eldridge @miles_silvas @silasbaxterneal from the final West Coast demo of the #AwayDaysTeamTour. The San Diego stop showcased #bringyourbuild features from local skate shops for everyone to skate.

UPDATE 9/8/16

Full recap of the West Coast #AwayDaysTeamTour is live!

Of course I loved this picture in Transworld Away Days Team Tour San Diego

New Mexico Needs Help – Update

August 15, 2016 Jordan 1 Comment

Back in June, I wrote about Cecely505 and her mission to fundraise for the Gallup, New Mexico Skate Park.

She’s been busy since the post so here’s just a few of the awesome things that are helping to make the skate park a reality.

Drawings of what the new skatepark will look like. I’m big into “seeing is believing” so to me drawings are a huge step towards the park opening. And as of August 18th this is updated drawing.

Artists have been creating and donating pieces for #gallupskateparkfundraising. Skate parks are expensive everyone’s donations (big & small) add up to build a park.

Some boards were sold and the 3 above were raffled off.

There’s been more coverage like Navajo Times above and by Too Pretty Brand below. The more people who know the more people that can help out.

Thank you Tony Hawk Foundation for approving a grant for this park.

If you haven’t read about the skate park needed in New Mexico:

In a remote reservation community forgotten by most of the world, the extreme conditions are everywhere apparent. The inspiration for a decent and safe skate park has come from our young. In an environment filled with drugs, abuse, and domestic violence, the young Native Americans in our region are unable to be kids. Many turn to skateboarding for an outlet and comradery.

Unfortunately, due to the unforgiving terrain, the young skaters are forced to skate in unsafe locations such as dry washes and dilapidated parking lots. Skateboarders who live on the reservation may have no surface to skateboard at all and come to Gallup to skate in the same unsafe conditions. The Southwest Indian Foundation has partnered with Gallup locals and the Native American skateboarding community to build a safe quality skate park. This skate park will be used by local Native American skateboarders, as well as the countless skateboarders who live on the surrounding reservations and come to Gallup to skate.

The plan is to break ground in Spring 2017 – for more information on how to help contact Cecely.

Skateboarding isn’t a Crime & stories like this show the good skateboarding does in communities.

Everyone changes the world it’s up to the individual if it’s a big or small, positive or negative impact – wishing you all go big & positive this Monday & every day.

UPDATE September 2016 – 3rd rendering of the skate park

ground breaking is scheduled for Spring 2017 when it’s warm enough to lay down concrete – the bowl will be added once more funds are raised

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The Tactics Family Just Got Bigger

August 12, 2016 Jordan

My first big blog post on Tactics support of skatergirls was back in October 2015.

I’ve continued to work with them and was grateful when they answered my request to help with EXPOSURE Skate 2015 with a super generous donation for the athlete bags.

Now I’m super excited to help them announce the addition of Alana & Nora to the family.

To me as a blogger it’s a huge honor when someone gives me a “scoop” – yes keeping a secret is hard, but knowing someone trusts you and wants you to help them share a story- huge!

Below are the questions I asked Jeremy Conant, Tactics Marketing Director. I’ve known Jeremy since 2014 when we talked about trends & I told him I don’t read graphs I follow my passion & create trends. I know and he continues to help me – he’s a good guy.

SF: How long has Tactics had a skate team – how did it start and has it increased in size over the years?

Jeremy: Tactics has had a skate team for many years. Until recently, we’ve helped some local skaters with gear and shoes, maybe some travel money or entry fees for competitions.

In 2015 we added Dalton Dern after he impressed us by winning our first Northwest Jam event. Dalton was from Florida and had just moved to SoCal. He is a fast-rising am and was our first expansion beyond local skaters. From there the team has evolved quickly.

We added Cody Lockwood from Portland as an am and he turned pro for Lifeblood just last month. We connected with Silas Baxter-Neal and Josh Matthews, two established pros with Eugene roots. And today we welcomed our first female pro skaters in Nora Vasconcellos and Alana Smith.

Tactics Press Release on addition of Alana & Nora

Tactics Welcome to Alana & Nora

It’s all happened really fast. Less than two years ago we were local-focused. Now we’re working with men and women, pro and am, from Portland, Seattle, Oceanside and Laguna Niguel, CA, and Mesa, AZ.

One thing I’m proud of is that through all that expansion, we continue to back our local skaters. Our pros and regional ams are excellent high-profile ambassadors for Tactics, but our local team skaters also remain very important to our business.

SF: What type of skaters -just those who compete, street, bowl, longboard – etc. ???

Jeremy: We have all types, which is exactly what we’re aiming for. Everyone has their own thing and we celebrate that diversity.

Alana and Nora compete regularly. I don’t think Silas or Josh ever compete. We have a lot of bowl skaters, but many on the team excel in the streets.

As a sponsor, our expectations are only for each person to do what works for them and have a good time doing it.

We have a downhill team, and that includes Ross Druckrey who is on the Sector 9 national downhill team and is part of our marketing staff. We also have a snowboard team.

Speaking of diversity, Jake Selover and Beau Cummins are actually on both our skate and snow teams.

SF: What does it mean to be on the team? What’s your expectations/responsibilities for them?

Jeremy: Go skate. Go out and do what you like to do.

I told Silas when we first met, it wasn’t my place to tell someone like him what he could do for Tactics. Instead I wanted to know what he wanted to do for skateboarding and how we could help him achieve that. That holds true for every person on our team. It’s a diverse crew, with many different goals and many different paths in skateboarding.

SF: Why add girls now? ***

Jeremy: When I met Mimi Knoop earlier this year, I was impressed by the women’s participation numbers she shared. Many more young ladies are discovering skateboarding.

We were moving that direction and I think Mimi and WSA helped us get there a little quicker.

I see the foolish comments online, on Instagram or YouTube, about a low bar for women or how they aren’t that impressive. That’s obviously short-sighted. There are highly skilled women out there doing rad stuff on skateboards.

With more support and increased exposure, pros like Nora and Alana will continue to raise the bar and encourage new skaters to give the sport a try.

Skateboarding is for everyone. We wanted our team to reflect that.

Thank you so much Jeremy. And thank you WSA for all you do.

For me skateboarding is sport/art/transportation/exercise/rolling yoga & confidence building and that’s why I love sharing stories about girls already skateboarding and the organizations/people supporting them – more girls do skate as they see girls skating & get encouragement!

Till next time keep it stylish on & off the board – I’ll be trying to catch up with Alana & Nora so they can share what Tactics Family Life is really like.

*** It’s never my intention to make anyone feel bad or less than by calling them a girl. I don’t give meaning to age it’s just a number. I don’t believe there’s some magical age when you quit being a girl. And Girl is not a 4 Letter Word – Cindy told me so!

UPDATE 10/1/16

@alanasmithskate’s pro decks and completes from @hooplaskate now available.

Cruising in Wyoming

June 8, 2016 Jordan

Wyoming the last state alphabetically but not the last state on our #girlscanskate USA. Above allisonmccuskey cruising in Jackson Hole.

Wyoming is now on my list to skate – so beautiful. Many more posts on states to come – this is turning in to the funnest collage yet!

UPDATE 6/8/16

from Allison

I began longboarding when my dad bought me my first longboard as a high school graduation gift. There weren’t many hills in my neighborhood so I had my yellow labrador retreiver pull me around so I could go really fast. Now days I just like to cruise on it. I love carving down smooth steady declines. I’m not much for speed but mostly just to feel the wind in my hair 🙂

I really appreciate what you’re doing. As an aspiring professional skier and mountain biker in a male dominated community I totally understand the importance of shining light on women 🙂

thanks Allison for sharing & I love to see and hear that skating is just one of the things #girlscando

How to Watch Girls at the X-Games Austin – Saturday June 4th

June 3, 2016 Jordan

STREET

Watch @XGames Women’s Street Finals LIVE this Saturday 9am PST on TV: ABC on WEB: www.watchespn.com @mahfia_tv @thealliance_wsa @girlsskatenetwork #xgwstreet

PARK

Watch @XGames Women’s Park Finals LIVE WEBCAST this Saturday 1pm PST at www.watchespn.com @mahfia_tv @thealliance_wsa @girlsskatenetwork #xgwpark

Thank you Kim Woozy for sharing this info

Womens Skateboarding Alliance (WSA)

UPDATE 6/4/16 Results

Alex Road Skate Park – Oceanside California – CLOSED ???

June 1, 2016 Jordan 4 Comments

Yes that’s me a few years back with Anika & Klara at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Alex Road Skatepark in Oceanside California.

While Alex Road Skate Park is not my “home” skatepark. I was sad when friends like Orion told me it was closed due to vandalism.

So I could go cry about it, or maybe complain about it, or find out what’s next. I went with find out what’s next and contacted Eileen Turk Neighborhood Services Division Manager Parks & Recreation Division for Oceanside.

Below are my questions – her answers & some important information on what you can do to keep this park open.

SF: I’m bothered that anyone thinks it’s ok to take a spot used & enjoyed by many and just trash it. Is that what happened? What was the extent of the vandalism?

ET: Our restroom was destroyed with graffiti and the toilet was ripped out. The Park is tired of painting over graffiti and now they had to order a new toilet. It was a terrible mess.

I’m sorry Orion went and found the park closed – I truly want it to be open to everyone.

SF: Is there or will there be a Watch Program like Neighbor Watch – the park is not staffed so what should someone do if they see “suspicious/bad” behavior?

ET: I’m having a Community Meeting on Thursday June 9th at 3pm all are welcome.

SF: Is the closing temporary?

ET: Yes the park is reopened upon completion of repairs.

SF: What are the next steps? What can people who want the park opened do to help?

ET: They can call me at 760-435-5529 or email me at [email protected] I know they want the park open – but they need to police it. Alex Road Skate Park cost $800,000 to build. We are so lucky to have it, we do need people to protect it.

Thanks Eileen for your time & I hope lots of people do go on Thursday June 9th at 3pm to the park.

Bullies vandalized the park – it doesn’t matter why – what matters is the bullies are winning we are on a path to close the park and have another example where skateboarding is “bad”. Vandalism doesn’t just happen here, in LA Sheldon Park where Girls Skate LA was going to have their monthly meet up was also closed for vandalism.

The girls made the best of it – actually ended up at the Berrics

but is this what we want – to have to skate only at private facilities because we can’t protect public skate parks? That’s not what I want – I want more freedom to skate everywhere.

Looking forward to June 9th at Alex Road 3pm to find out who and how I report vandals to – if I see something I’m going to say something because every public skate park is my park.

UPDATE 6/9/16 – after the Community Meeting

Maine Musician Skating in New Hampshire

May 24, 2016 Jordan

allivialorusson is from Maine skating in New Hampshire.

She’s a musician who skates for fun and loves the great memories and amazing friends she makes through skating. Below she’s skating in Maine.

Having always lived in California – it’s just amazing to me how other states are so close to each other.

I found Allivia through Stephanie aka drlipschits who founded New England’s Female Skateboarding.

And I found Stephanie through a skate shop in Boston. I love when skaters work together. Save the date if you’re in New England for their first event – the final flyer will be available June 1st.

And here’s a picture of Stephanie from Massachusetts skating in Seattle, Washington at Wheels of Fortune.

As of today the only New England state left for the collage is Vermont. I appreciate all the help I’m getting finding #girlscanskate USA!

UPDATE 6/1/16 the final flyer

Roll for Rob Skate Camp is Open in Rhode Island

May 21, 2016 Jordan

The latest collage #girlscanskate everywhere in the US is probably the most intense one. When I did the collages of girls skateboarding around the world and girls skating in Canada – it was open.

However many girls from wherever. This time it’s 50 some girls – 1 from each state. There will be more than 50 because I have a girl skating in District of Columbia which is our countries capital and I’m hoping to get a picture from Puerto Rico and as geography is not my strength there’s probably other US territories.

Day one I received this picture from Rhode Island from amyliterock105. Right off I’m happy because Rhode Island was a state I didn’t have. Then I found out more about this picture. What’s @rollforrob Skate Camp?

There isn’t a camp – the picture is Rob & his daughters. But, Roll for Rob is very real. I want to share what Roll for Rob is because I’m constantly impressed by how generous skateboarders are and how you’re a skateboarder for life not just when you’re riding your board.

Rob Pontes is a loving husband and father of two young daughters, Avery and Oliva. On any given day he could be found skateboarding with his friends or putting on events for work. Other days would consist of 7am wakeup calls from the girls ready to run around outside to create beautiful family memories. Now, things are a little different. About two years ago Rob began feeling lethargic and developed other symptoms that doctors initially thought to be Lyme Disease… As these symptoms progressed Lyme Disease was ruled out, and doctors are now leaning towards the early stages of ALS. A once active guy, Rob now needs a wheel chair to get around on those family outings and the wheels on his skateboard have not rolled in two years. Simple chores around the house like laundry and dishes(yes he used to do them both!)can’t be done due to weakness throughout his entire body. Even kissing the girls goodnight before they go to sleep is physically draining.

Rob’s friends have raised over $40k in 19 months. I find over and over again skateboarders give back. There’s stereotypes about everything – the three I hope this blog shatters is

Girls can’t skate
Skateboarding is a crime
Skateboarders are delinquent

Yes there are lemons in skateboarding – ask Beyonce there are lemons everywhere and sometimes good people do lemony things. We all have a choice to make lemonade.

I like to think I make lemonade by sharing inspiration. I certainly was inspired by this picture of Roll for Rob Skate Camp – Rob with his daughters Avery & Olivia.

And if you’re in Rhode Island on Sunday July 24th check this out & please share pictures with the blog.

Tell Avery I said Hi 🙂

UPDATE 6/8/16

The new #rollforrob decks are available for pre-order. Please tag your local shop. Any shop looking to pre order the boards please contact [email protected]. They will be for sale at the next event July 24th @civilprovidence and your local shop.

Catching up with Art Panthers

May 16, 2016 Jordan

On January 25th I wrote about Artpanthers – how skateboards were being made in school. Here’s an update on where some of those skateboards went.

They went on exhibit at Six Ave Nashville. In their coffee bar.

Skateboarding is sport & art – show us how you keep it stylish on & off the board. And if your skatepark has a coffee bar – that’s way stylish – be sure to share where it is!

Skating Fashionista