The action sport of skateboarding has always been dominated by males. In 1989, the world’s first professional female skateboarder skated onto the scene. Elissa Steamer has been recognized throughout the skateboard community as the best. She has won first place in the World Cup of Skateboarding and the X Games. There are many girls who are interested in action sports, but have never taken a step to try them out. Nationwide tours are held to encourage and introduce girls to action sports such as….skateboarding, snow boarding and surfing. Steamer was the first female skateboarder to be featured in any Tony Hawk video games.
Lauren Perkins began her skating career in 1998, after observing other kids, mostly boys, skateboarding at a new skatepark that was built near her home. At the age of 12….she defeated 45 boys, to take first place in the Gravity Games Amateur Skateboard Contest.
The world of sports has been, extremely, prejudice towards women. The popularity of women’s sports, even today, as we enter the final year ending the first decade of the 21st Century….is no comparison to the popularity of men’s sports. The average sports enthusiast could not begin to name, more than, a couple of professional women athletes. The male dominated world of sports has segregated women in the media, commerce and national support. What will it take for women athletes to get the same hoop-la that male athletes receive? I was once told by a business associate, that there should be a national boycott by women of all products sold by major corporations in the U.S., that do not provide women’s sports with the same advertising support that they give to men’s sports. To most corporations….women are their most important consumer group. Let’s see what happens! In the interim….if your daughter or granddaughter has the gift of athleticism….give her the support that you would give to your son or grandson. Oneday, she just may win the prestigious green blazer in the Masters Golf Tournament.