Skating is no longer a ‘boys only’ sport. As the skateboarding community grows on Grand Cayman, more girls are taking up the sport at the Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park.
 
Ali Amos, manager of the Black Pearl, has been skating since 1986 and has witnessed many changes in the sport.
 
“When I first fell in love with skateboarding it was something that girls just did not do,” she says.
 
She took part in the first major international skating event to feature a women’s division.
 
“At a contest in 1998, called ‘Slam City Jam’, which was the ‘World Cup’ of skateboarding at that time, there were roughly 25-30 girls entered. Girls came from all over the globe, Brazil, the UK, Europe, mainly the USA and I was one of three Canadians. That was the first major skateboarding contest that had a female category,” she recalls.
 
Things have certainly changed since then, with all major contests now featuring female categories broken down by discipline, age and professional or amateur status.
 
“There are many women skateboarding professionally as well as major players in the industry, be it magazine publications, distribution, or filming and photography,” Ali says.
 
The park has many new members and there are many more young skaters taking lessons from the staff at the Black Pearl. The park has a girls skateboard club that meets Fridays after school. Ali and Sara Webster, one of the newest skate coaches at the park, teach this growing group of female athletes everything from the basics to trick development and transition skating.
 
“It is so rewarding to see these young girls excited about skateboarding, pushing themselves, not only gaining skills on a board but gaining self confidence in all things as well,” says Ali.   WH

For more information on Girls Skateboard Club or lessons, call 947-4161 or
email Ali at skate@blackpearl.ky.