San Diego County honored three skateboarders Monday for their impact on the sport and the progress they have made for women.
Bryce Wettstein of Encinitas was 15 years old when she competed in the Olympics' newest sport at the 2022 Summer Games. She is currently ranked 9th in the world in the women's park skateboarding event.
Encinitas native Jordan Barrett is also a member of the USA Olympic skateboarding team and has been competing on the world stage for more than a decade. Barrett volunteers with Exposure Skate, an empowerment organization that empowers women, trans and non-binary people through skateboarding.
Amelia Brodka, co-founder of Exposure Skate, represented her country at the Tokyo Olympics as Poland's first Olympic skateboarder. While studying at the University of Southern California, Brodka made a documentary that focused on the glaring lack of opportunities for women in skateboarding.
All three were celebrated this Women's History Month by San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer at the Encinitas Skate Park. An overwhelmed Lawson-Remer highlighted the progress that has been made in a sport that has been overwhelmingly male-dominated thanks to women like Wettstein, Barrett and Brodka.
“I wanted to honor all of you as women of influence because you truly inspire me,” Lawson-Remer said at a news conference marking Women's Impact Day March 18 in San Diego County. “I'm going to start crying because when I was growing up here, girls didn't skate. We surfed but no girl went skating – Sorry, I'm totally crying – So I think you're so great.”
Brodka said she could share in Lawson-Remer's experience, but said it was her motivation to create a foundation that inspires young women, trans and non-binary people to join the sport.
“Honestly, no matter what tricks I learned, they always mocked me and basically made me feel unwelcome. That’s what we want to achieve through publicity, to provide opportunities for the next generation,” Brodka said.
Her work seems to have an impact on the younger generation. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, all of the medalists in the women's park and women's road events were teenagers, some as young as 13.
Barrett said she doesn't believe women's skateboarding would be where it is today without the pioneering work of women like Brodka and groups like Exposure Skate.
“It’s definitely a great honor to be here and be with these women,” Barrett said. “It’s been an incredible journey growing up and skating with them and what Amelia has done for women’s skateboarding.”
What's next: All three women have their sights set on the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Barrett and Wettstein are taking part in trials to qualify for the Olympics, while Brodka will be there in a different capacity this year – as a commentator for the women's skating competitions.
In addition to opening up the world of skateboarding, Exposure Skate aims to give back to the community by raising money for survivors of domestic violence and encouraging girls to participate in other charitable activities.
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