A young talented skateboarder is establishing her mark and inspiring others.
Jessica Ready, 11, started skating two years ago. Her parents noticed her interest in skating and purchased her a skateboard for her ninth birthday.
“Her dad skates so she started out learning from him,” Jessica’s mother Diana says.
Jessica started gymnastics at the Howick Gymnastics Club when she was two. This gave her physical ability, confidence and experience in individual competition.
She has participated in many competitions and has recently celebrated sponsorship by New Zealand’s leading skateboard distributor, says East Skate Club founder Aaron Martin.
Jessica has been involved in East Skate Club since it began last year.
“Lloyd Elsmore Skatepark is so much better now because of the work Aaron and the team have done,” Diana says.
“It is a great community to be part of and has given the locals a place to skate.”
With her talent and unbridled passion, Jessica has won several trophies and taken part in skating competitions in and outside of Auckland, including Mangawhai Bowl Jam, Bayskate Bowl Competition in Napier and Bowzilla in Wellington.
“I enjoy watching the other skaters and supporting them as well as competing,” Jessica says.
Jessica skates daily after school until it gets dark and all weekend. In total, she skates around 30 hours per week, but that has increased during lockdown.
She enjoys skating because she finds it challenging and limitless. Her favourite trick is the nollie kickflip, and the hardest she has tackled is a big flip.
“I’m motivated by my own determination and passion for skateboarding as well as by the awesome people I skate with,” Jessica says.
The NZ skateboarding community has been extremely supportive of Jessica. “They are an incredible group of people,” she says.
“I know she has inspired lots of girls at her school to start skating,” Martin says. “She is an active part of girl skateboarding.”
For the future, Jessica would like to skate in LA and wants to compete in the Street League and the Olympics.
