Barb Odanaka remembers her struggles as a new mom and how skateboarding helped her push past those tough days with a newborn, a way to mentally and physically have an outlet away from the dirty diapers.
“The reality is, I was having a hard time transitioning to motherhood,” said Odanaka, now 61, who grew up skateboarding in Newport Beach in the ’70s.
Back then, there were not many other female skateboarders rolling around. But more and more, females started showing up at skate parks, finding a community that has kept them connected through their shared passion.
Skateboard Moms and Sisters of Shred held its 20th annual Mother’s Day skate session on Sunday in Laguna Niguel, a gathering that also serves as a fundraiser benefiting Waymakers OC, a nonprofit that helps victims of human trafficking and abuse.
While many participants came from across Southern California, others came from as far as Arizona, Florida and Australia for the gathering – a reunion of sorts for the group.
Odanaka said she had nearly forgotten about her love for skateboarding as a kid, until a therapist helping her through her new mom struggles told her to think of something that made her happy.
Immediately, she thought of skateboarding.
Years had passed since she had ridden a board, but a birthday gift from her husband gave her the push she needed to get back out there skateboarding, she said. After rekindling her love with skating, she wrote the book “Skateboard Mom.”
Instead of having a book launch at a coffee shop or book store, she held a gathering at a local skate park 20 years ago, trying to find other skater moms to join.
“When the day came, we had 19 women, including an 80-year-old who got on her board,” Odanaka recalled. “It was really only going to be a one-time thing. But we got a lot of media coverage; the word started getting out.”
Skateboard Moms was officially born, holding regular skate sessions as the group grew. They’d have skateboarding road trips and slumber…
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