EXP/G #1: What inspired you to pick up a board and start skating?

Holly: Back in the early 90's my sister's friend was dating a pro skater named Wade Speyer. He had a mini ramp in his garage, so all of us girls would go over there and watch the boys skate. I loved it so much that I wanted to learn so Wade and another guy Alan hooked me up with skateboards and t-shirts.

EXP/G #2: How many days a week do you skate?

Holly: I'm getting over an injury, but usually about 6 days a week.

EXP/G #3: Did you ever think you could make a career out of skateboarding?

Holly: No way, I just loved to skate and skateboarding has loved me back. I feel really lucky!

EXP/G #4: You recently launched Sk8Grl, a skate clothing company for girls. What was the inspiration for that?

Holly: Well, being a girl skater since the early 90's I was always given guys t-shirts, or youth boys clothes at contests, events, or from companies. I then rode for Roxy for 6 years, which was really cool, yet they are still surf based with a surf image.

I have been answering questions from girls' all over the world on my 'Ask A Pro' page for Cool Girl Decks and I realized that all the girls that are currently getting into skateboarding ask about tricks, etiquette, boys and they ask about what they should wear. It's really fun to connect with the young girls' and since I feel like skateboarding has given me a lot, I wanted to give back by creating a
place (through the clothing company) where all girls' can have a voice, be seen on our 'Sk8Grl's around the World' page, make a
difference in their world, and have an identity brand to connect to. It is truly a labor of love! www.sk8grl.com

EXP/G #5: What is the coolest thing about Sk8Grl?

Holly: The coolest thing about Sk8Grl is that we are the only clothing company in the world created by a pro female skater for all girls' that love skateboarding. We have our 'Sk8Grl's around the World' page that every girl can be a part of. We will post and link any girls' skateboard events, contests, etc. We have a blog about the movers and shakers in skateboarding. And, we want it to always be a place that any and all girls' can be a
part of and have a voice in.

We are all one family in our love for skating, and with the help and
support of each other we can let the world know how great it is to
have girls' in skateboarding!

EXP/G #6: What has been the hardest thing about launching a clothing company?

Holly: Making a decision of every single thing and then hoping people respond well to it.

EXP/G #7: Sk8Grl has an official team made up of young, up-and-coming riders. Where do you find such hot young talent?

Holly: Being a skater myself makes it easy for me to see who is ripping in the pro skate scene.

EXP/G #8: You are passionate about inspiring and encouraging young, female skaters. Who inspired and encouraged you when you were a young skater?

Holly: I think the greatest gift in life is to inspire and encourage others to believe in them self and follow their dreams. When I was first starting out, I dated a pro skater who thought it was cool I get into skating but then didn't want his girlfriend to skate so much. I was really hurt and that drove me to prove to him and myself that I could be good at skating. That was hugely inspirational for me.

Honestly, most people did not encourage me which was my driving force because I loved it so much. That's why I always encourage everybody to believe in them self.

EXP/G #9: After starting your sporting career as a snowboarder why did you switch to skating?

Holly: I had been a pro snowboarder and traveled to compete a lot for years, and I simply got burnt out. I always loved skating, so I moved to Encinitas to skate and I figured it was time to grow up and get a real job, but luckily fate had a different plan for me.

EXP/G #10: What is the best thing about being a pro skater?

Holly: Freedom and being able to be creative and express myself any way I want in the world.

EXP/G #11: What song is on high rotation in your iPod right now?

Holly: I don't have any song on high rotation, I have been too busy working on Sk8Grl for that right now. :-)

EXP/G #12: What are your top three favorite places in the world to skate?

Holly: Encinitas YMCA, the Truckee skatepark, Vans in Orange

EXP/G #13: Who is your favorite person to skate with?

Holly: I have fun skating with so many different people, I don't have just one person.

EXP/G #14: When you were younger, you organized skate comps and raised money to build a skate park in your local town. How difficult was that? Is it an achievable goal for other young riders?

Holly: It is achievable for anybody. It was a lot of fun to do it too. Everybody was complaining in Tahoe about not having a permanent skate park so I decided to do something about it.

I contacted Parks & Rec. because we had a make shift wooden park, and they were happy to work with me. Then I made a mock flyer for the event with the purpose of why we are having the contest - to raise money for a permanent park. I then faxed it to a ton of companies from the Parks & Rec. office. The companies were happy to help and sent so much product for prizes and for the raffle along with banners and a million stickers. I organized the whole contest, got judges, I was the announcer, Parks & Rec. collected the money which was $5 to enter and $3 for spectators.

We also had separate divisions for the skaters. There were 48 competitors and 3 girls! We only raised about $1,000, but the city council saw what a great turn out it was and gave Truckee $150,000 to build a permanent skateboard park. It was a very satisfying experience.

Anybody can do anything in life, it can be easy or it can be hard that is up the individual, you just have to do it. Action is the key to anything in life!

EXP/G #15: What advice would you give to girls who want to start riding competitively?

Holly: Get out there and skate all the time and start entering contests whenever you can. It's not an easy sport, so the more you practice the better you will be. I also think it is really important to love what you do, otherwise you may be doing it for the wrong reasons.

Believe in yourself and never listen to other people, they have no idea what's going on in your mind. It is your dream reality not theirs. Again, action is the key. You can ask a million questions about what tricks to learn, etc., but once you simply start doing things in life the answers will come. Don't ask just do!

EXP/G #16: Do you have a favorite male skateboarder who rips?

Holly: I think Chris Miller and Rune Glifberg are really fun to watch skate. They are both amazing.

EXP/G #17: What is the best skateboarding movie/DVD you have seen?

Holly: There are so many great skate videos I can't say just one. I like watching Danny Way and Bob Burnquist skate too.

EXP/G #18: How do you overcome fear when riding vert ramps?

Holly: Trick you mind and tell it it's easy...over and over and over again.

EXP/G #19: How can everyone help girls skateboarding grow bigger world-wide?

Holly: From interviews like this, girls getting more coverage in magazines, TV, contests, etc. Also, locally by being a good role model on your board, having fun, and just keep on keeping on.

EXP/G #20: Vanilla or Chocolate?

Holly: Chocolate for sure!!

www.ExplorerGirls.com / Gemma Considine and Courtney Crow