Unless you refuse to open your eyes and look around you, there has been a movement. A movement of women.
Whether it’d within a corporate environment or sports, the movement is strong.
Progression has always been a pillar of what “action sports” is, so it is natural to see that within the action sports community the balance of male and female is equal. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the World Surf League, where equal pay for winners is given.
Balance. An easy word to say but difficult to achieve. But it is something that we can all strive to have in our own personal lives and for the lives of others. A balanced world is a better world.
This month, another balanced step was taken at the Van’s Stab High in Waco, Texas this month. Stab High, a surf contest held mostly in the air, featured the first ever all female 15 and under surf contest, the “LadyBirds.”
Sierra Kerr, Bella Kenworthy, Sky Brown and Caity Simmers took to the same waves pro waves and they came out elevated.
“It didn’t matter to me who won,” said Sierra Kerr, winner of the LadyBird event. “Surfing is so much more than who wins and loses. It is about the fun you have with friends while riding.”
Mother Nature does not care who you are, where you come from, or what you look like. Waves are waves and if you dedicate enough time to learning how to ride them, you can be a part of the community too.
This is the balance that can be achieved through sports.
Each of these four ladies, all under the age of 15 showed the world their talents. Sky Brown is 10! Read that back. 10!
Being a “pro” is more than just a status level within the sport you participate in. It is how you conduct yourself and inspire confidence within others. One of the event sponsors, GMC, has a phrase as a part of their company that states, “Like a pro.”
At just 10 years old, the answer to what is means to be a professional from Sky Brown is something we can all learn from.
“A professional is able to look at a situation, see what is going on, and understand how it affects everybody involved. For me means being aware of the bigger picture. Being here with my friends, being able to surf and be a part of the sport is great, but I also want to encourage others to get involved as well.”
Once again, she’s 10.
Get up, get involved and find your balance and help others achieve theirs. But remember at the end of the day, it’s still surfing with friends.