Nearly two-thirds of young girls have had a go at skateboarding since 2020

01 December 2023 , 14:56

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Nearly two-thirds of young girls see Olympic skateboarder Sky Brown as a role model for their generation (Image: PinPep)

Over three-quarters of youngsters (76%) like to try new things – with 64% of 10-16-year-old girls having tried their hand at skateboarding in the last three years, a study has found.

Exactly half of those who have had a go at the action sport said they were inspired to do so by Sky Brown – who became the youngest ever British Olympian when she clinched the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games for her ramp skills, at the age of just 13.

Since then, the number of young girls in the UK taking up skateboarding has soared by 20% – and 21% would now describe themselves as fully-fledged "Skater Girls".

And 65%, of the 500 girls polled, aged between 10 and 16, view Sky Brown as a role model for their generation, according to the research, commissioned by Samsung. And the teenager has now partnered with Samsung as part of a campaign to encourage the nation to try something new.

She said: "One thing I love even more than skateboarding, is seeing others try it and love it for themselves.

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"You have to have the right attitude, and never give up – it’s all about having guts. I can feel people in the UK getting behind our sport, and I can't wait to see where we can take it together."

But over half of adults are still not confident about getting on a board for the first time (PinPep)

Data from Skateboard GB shows there are an estimated 750,000 amateur and professional skaters in the UK.

And the OnePoll.com research found that one in 10 youngsters who have picked up a board love the idea of being part of a scene or community – although 14% of those who haven’t tried skating yet simply don’t know where to do it.

It also emerged over half of kids who like to try new things are eager to give something a go because they like challenging themselves – and a quarter of those who have tried skateboarding have also shared a photo or video of themselves doing so, online.

Meanwhile, a separate study, of 500 adults, aged 18-34, found 78% admire the confidence displayed by skaters – but 52% wouldn’t feel confident about trying skateboarding for the first time.

More than four in 10 nervous adults (43%) would be scared of embarrassing themselves, while 32% have a fear of failure.

And 37% of those who lack confidence say it’s simply because they don’t know where to start, while 36% put it down to general low self-esteem.

But regardless of faith in their abilities, 50% of the adults polled would want to capture evidence of their efforts through taking pictures or videos on their smartphones.

People can book a spot at one of the "Drop in with Samsung Flip Park" experiences from today [December 1].

Spokeswoman Annika Bizon added: "Sport is incredible for many reasons – it teaches you so much about yourself. We’re guided by the "guts to try" and strive to break down barriers against all odds – something people would never get on a skateboard without having.

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"We’re so excited to bring our partnership with Skateboard GB to life through the Samsung Flip Park, empowering the next generation to embody this fearless attitude."

Andrew Young