Poppy Olsen - Encouraging The Next Generation.

 Photos Ian Logan

There is nothing better than a positive story to share. This one comes out of Exposure Skate.

XS Helmets was the sponsor of the girls skate clinic put on by GRO at last Saturday's skate event and it was awesome because it was absolutely free & girls could sign up to learn skateboarding basics, or sharpen their skills with one of the many volunteers.

A young girl named Callia showed up, and while she had had a few lessons at the Santa Clarita skatepark where she lives, she had never been around so many girls who did what she loved to do. Callia had been talking about the event to her mom and dad for weeks but when it came time for her skate lesson she was a little nervous being out of her own environment. Volunteer Angela Strong (who is not much older than Callia and a great little role model) stepped in, as did Courtney from GRO, to reassure her and make her feel comfortable. She was still a tiny bit nervous, so I decided to introduce her to Poppy Starr Olsen.

Poppy's event was already under way and her division was up next, but she smiled and said to Callia "come on let's skate" and took Callia down into the flat area with a small roll in and started teaching her to roll down it.

Poppy had flown half way across the world from her home in Australia, to compete in a very important women's event and yet she never hesitated to help another young girl out & encourage her - even if it was literally minutes before her heat. She could have easily said  "I'm so sorry my heat is next but how about after?" and that would have been completely OK and understandable, but no, she jumped right in and made this little girls day.

Callia went back to her hotel near the skatepark that night and asked her dad to pull up every single video he could find on the internet with Poppy in it and watched them until she fell asleep. She will remember Poppy's kindness forever, has become Poppy's #1 fan and now feels that she is part of girls skateboarding in a bigger way thanks to Poppy. That is what skateboarding is all about.

* Poppy went on that day to win both the under 14 years of age bowl and vert competitions.

Yeah Poppy!