Boipelo Awuah says her passion for skateboarding has given her the endurance to make it thus far, and added, with determination, that her journey is far from ending.
KIMBERLEY’S rising skateboarding star, Boipelo Awuah has indicated that her next and greatest goal is to make an international name for herself; this after she walked away as the overall winner of the recent Street Lines Skate Tournament in Pretoria.
Awuah had to battle 15 female opponents of different ages before walking away as the winner in the female division.
She said her passion for skateboarding has given her the endurance to make it thus far, and added, with determination, that her journey is far from ending.
“If I could skate each day and not do anything else, that would be awesome,” she told the DFA. “I absolutely love skateboarding. I, however, do not like doing challenging styles,” she added.
“I am self-taught and do not have a coach. I teach myself from watching skateboarding videos online in an attempt to improve my craft. The challenging styles at times makes me feel disheartened, because once you have mastered one, you have to improve on that.
“I will keep pushing as I do to one day see myself doing the flips that I admire when watching other skateboarders,” she said.
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She said the local skatepark has had a tremendous impact on her growth.
“I started skating when I was five-year-old. I spend a lot of time at the skatepark as I work on my skills.The skatepark has put skateboarding on the map locally and the sport has grown more popular in the city,” she said.
As far as the popularity of the sp[ort is concerned, Awuah said the Kimberley Diamond Cup (KDC) is one of the most sought-after competitions in the skating industry.
“The winnings in the local skateboarding competitions are not huge amounts of money. The KDC thus far has the highest amount in prize money when comparing local tournaments. Hence there are so many international skaters who flood to Kimberley to compete in the KDC.
“The prize money in international tournaments is much higher due to the higher currency (exchange rate). It is very tough to break internationally, but I see myself competing in an international tournament.
“Also, competing internationally is expensive. For now, I will continue competing locally as I work my way towards international competitions and recognition,” she smiled.
Room for improvement
She added that though much has been done to get skateboarding recognised as a major sport, there is still some room for improvement.
“We need more female skateboarders in the country and more events where we can develop our skill. There needs to be more funding and investors in the sport in order for it to grow bigger.
“Like any other major sport, skateboarding also requires focus, perseverance and discipline. If you are passionate about the sport, you will get up again after you fall from the board. No matter how hard the impact of the fall was.
“Skateboarding builds your character.
“We need more people who are willing to put their finances into the sport to support athletes. I am fortunate as I am now sponsored by Adidas and some of my trips are funded by government.
“There are other skateboarders who have to dig deep into their pockets to compete in these tournaments. The sport has to get the same privileges as any other major sport,” she said.
Awuah added that although she is climbing the ladder to stardom, she still has a normal life like any other child her age.
“I am currently home-schooled. I was attending a mainstream school last year, but due to my schedule I was unable to juggle both school and my skateboarding.
“My mother, who is a teacher, saw my school marks dropping and threatened that I would have to quit skateboarding should I continue on that route. We then looked at home-schooling as I wanted to still do what I love while also excelling academically.”
She said that the transition was far from easy though. “It has been hectic, but my mother manages my schedule and I have been able to keep everything in synergy. Although I go on trips around the country, I still have to do homework and write school tests.
“The fact that it is online has eased the burden and stress of missing a class. I just need to keep the balance as I strive to make a name for myself around the world,” Awuah smiled.