How cool is this?  Courtney from GRO is quoted in this months LUCKY MAGAZINE about girls in skateboarding and is encouraging Lucky's  beauty editor, Megan O'Neill  to get on a board, take a lesson & for for it! Go Courtney!!

As you may know the Dusters x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word skateboard gives a portion of it's profits to GRO. We continue to be big supporters of Courtney & her non-profit GRO and what she id doing out there to get girls skating.

Congrats Courtney!

Good advice to start your week...

Wishing you all a happy Valentines Day!

Thinking this is kind of cool....

 Photo Sergei Grits / AP

Congrats to all the girls who competed today during the women's half pipe event in Sochi!  After hearing about the adverse conditions of the pipe, I'd say you are all troopers and winners for bringing your best and competing anyway.

Double congrats to Gold Medalist Kaitlyn Farington (USA), Silver Medalist,  Torah Bright (Aus) and Bronze Medalist Kelly Clark (USA) for winning those Olympic medals!

 Photos: Megan Black

I decided to let Megan Black write this intro for Annie - this is a letter I received from Megan about why Annie should be our next Who's Rad...

This is Annie Shaw and she’s nine years old. Annie’s love for skating, charming personality, and determined attitude make her one cool human being. I met Annie and her family during one of my morning skate sessions at Pecos Skatepark. I immediately noticed her natural talent on a skateboard. Since then, I have gotten to know Annie through teaching skate lessons and let me tell you, she is one of the raddest nine year olds that I know. Not only is Annie passionate about skating, but her exuberant and unique personality make her one awesome kid. She’s not afraid to be silly, outspoken, and different than other kids. She does her own thing and does it with style.

Annie’s love for skating was very clear during our skate lessons. She would always let me know what tricks she wanted to learn and would practice them over and over again. Her mom told me that she had practiced 100 pop shuv-its in a row when they were on vacation. Now that is rad.

Although Annie loves skating, one of her best qualities is how well she engages in conversation so much that I sometimes forget that I’m talking to a nine year old! She enjoys interacting and getting to know other people through conversation. Annie also loves her local skate shop, Sidewalk Surfer. She has made friends with almost all of the employees at the shop and even wrote a great letter (see letter) to the shop asking if she could do an internship there. With her positive, independent and outspoken attitude Annie is going to be doing big things in the future. Who is rad you say? Annie Shaw.


Annie's letter to her fav skate shop...

Dear Sidewalk Surfer,

I would love to help you guys out. I’m only nine years old so you don’t have to pay me or anything. I’m good with people. I love skating and you are my favorite shop. I can do whatever you need me to do. I can put together boards but it takes me a while. I can grip a board too. I am home schooled so I can be there any time when normal schools are not out yet. My mom could drop me off or pick me up pretty much any time. Tim knows my dad Gary Shaw. I know all the employees. I would love you guys 10,000 times more if you could let me do this. Just kidding- I would still like you guys if you would not let me do it. I called yesterday but then my mom wanted me to email for an assignment. I don’t want to put you on the spot or anything like that so by the way this is Annie Shaw skater girl. I got a short hair cut and bleached it so you might not recognize me if I come in soon. I’m tall and that’s a good thing for a lot of reasons. Please write me back. Even one hour a week would be great.



 I'd say Annie Shaw is our kind of rad!   xx


Who's Rad?  Annie Shaw

Age: 9

Home is:   Arizona

How Long Have You Been Skating: 3 years

Girls Who Skate that inspire YOU:   Megan Black, Alana Smith

 Favorite Place to Skate:   Pecos skatepark

Favorite Trick:     olly to fakie

Three Things You Don't Know About Me

1. I played tackle foot ball on a league
2. I play the drums
3. my favorite band is Nirvana

Best skate memory?    When I got the nickname English muffin

Check this out!  We are adding these rad little Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word buttons to our on line shop.  And the best thing about them is they are FREE!  Yep, that's right, until February 28, 2014 all you have to do is place any order and we will add a some GN4LW buttons to it.  It's that easy.

Check out all the rad GN4LW apparel, hats & beanies & get your free buttons HERE.

Congratulations to USA's Jamie Anderson for winning GOLD in Women's Slopestyle today! She was throwing down huge tricks and her runs we're amazing!!

Posted with Blogsy

 

Pictured above 2014 Olympic Women's snowboard team / halfpipe

Arielle Gold,  Hannah Teter, Kelly Clark, Kaitylyn Farr

I can not wait to see the opening ceremonies tonight - I have been watching the instagram feeds and Facebook posts of some of my athlete friends who are there competing and/or announcing. With every passing day I get more excited for this Olympics to start. And tonight's the night!

So many people & I events  I want to see. Did you know that this will be the 4th Olympics for snowboarder Kelly Clark?  And that the women competing in ski jump will be making history in Sochi? Yep, this is the very first time this event has been part of the games. These girls have fought long and hard to have it included and I can't wait to see them compete.

I may even watch some pairs ice skating after getting to know Davis & White a bit last night from the NBC special on "How to Raise an Olympic Athlete". With his floppy blonde hair he looks just like one of our snowboard guys.

This is the point, getting to know these athletes and learn about them personally keeps interest in the events and their sport. They have worked long & hard to get here so I'd like to know who YOU are excited to see!

Watch, listen... be in awe.

These girls competing in women's ski jump in Sochi are true pioneers. Love this Visa commercial featuring women's ski jumper Sarah Hendrickson.  Get em' Girls!!

There is still a little time left to order your favorite Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word tee or beanie for Valentines Day! Jump on over to our online shop and place your order - we will ship it out via Priority mail and you will be set for Valentines Day!

Because really, what girl doesn't love a rad beanie for this cold weather we are having? 

You can see it all & place an order HERE

photo: Dan Bourqui

Photo Keith Rutherford

Photo Dan Bourqui

I had the pleasure of watching Minna skate in person at the Vans Girls Combi Pool classic last month and I was blown away by how tiny she is and yet how high she is able to get out of the pool on those airs! She's skated up and down the California coast including legendary skate spots that most people never get to skate at like Tony Hawks ramp and Bob Bunquist's Dreamland - (are you jealous yet?) .  At 7 years old I think she has a big future ahead of her in skateboarding. Go Minna!


Who's Rad?  Minna Stess

Age: 7 & in 2nd grade

Home is: Petaluma, CA

How Long Have You Been Skating?   5 years

Girls Who Skate that inspire YOU:  Lizzie Armanto, Allysha Bergado, Julz Lynn, Alana Smith, Lacey Baker, Alexis Sablone, Leticia Bufoni, Amelia Brodka, Nora Vasconcellos, Mimi Knoop, Cara Beth Burnside and Arianna Carmona!!

Favorite place you've ever skated: I can only pick one? Hmmmmm, OK! It's Bob Burnquist's Dreamland -- Lasek Land -- Tony Hawks Vert Ramp!!!

Favorite Trick: Switch Blunt, Backside Air

Sponsors: Silly Girl Skateboards, Sonoma Old School SkateShop, BrokinBonz Clothing

Three Things You Don't Know About Me:

1. I can touch the tip of my nose with my tongue
2. I am very very bendy and Nora is very jealous of that ;)
3. I am one quarter Portuguese and my middle name is Moniz which is my mom's first name and a Portuguese last name!


What's Next?

I love to skate everything!! street, Vert, mini ramp and bowl. I just competed in the  Girls Combi Pool Classic!! I was so excited to be skating with all the girls. I was the youngest girl in the contest and I was really excited.  I just got my video done! It's is the past year of me skating all over the place and I am really happy about it! I love the song!

In 2013 I was the first GIRL in the over 30 year history of the California Amateur Skateboard League (CASL) to win 1st overall for the year in the series ever. I won First place in the Nor Cal 8 and under street. I was so proud to do that. I got 2nd place in the CASL State Championships in street.

Last year I was the youngest GIRL in the whole 10 year history of the King Of The Groms contest series (I was 6) to make the finals in street & qualify for the King Of The Groms championships at 3rd Lair in Minnesota.

I also like to play little league baseball and soccer. My parents and my brother are the best, I love them. My big brother Finnley Stess is an awesome 10 year old skater and he teaches and helps me all the time. My mom and dad built a really cool concrete skatepark in our back yard so we can skate together every day!


Make sure you follow Minna on Instagram  & twitter @minnask8 & on Facebook

Check out Minna's Vimeo video HERE and her YouTube video HERE

 via The Longboard Girls Crew - see the entire article  ----> HERE

So stoked to be interviewed by the rad Daisy Johannes for the  Longboard Girls Crew website. These girls are doing such amazing things all over the world, it really is an honor to be involved with them!

You can check out the rest of the interview HERE.

 Images via Sports Illustrated / Photographer Simon Bruty

My fav quote  of all time is from the movie BLUE CRUSH.  When someone asks aspiring pro surfer Ann Marie what she wants, she replies " What do I want? . I want a girl to be on the cover of a  surfing magazine. It would be great if that girl were me, but any girl would do"

I agree I want to see more female athletes in all types of sports featured on magazine covers.

Well, it looks like my wish has come true!  Sports Illustrated produced 4 different covers for this weeks issue, all about the Olympics. And guess what? THREE of those covers feature some of our raddest female athletes who will competing in Sochi.

Yep, Snowboarders Arielle Gold & Jamie Anderson looking stoked to be going to Sochi are on one cover, Skier Mikaela Shiffrin looks amazing on another cover and last but not least, Gracie Gold leaps across the third cover.

This has made my week!  How about you?

Congratulations to Kendra @seekendrask8te for winning the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word beanie give-a-way contest! And I have to deviate for a second - don't you just LOVE her rad style when she skates?!  So frigging COOL!

Thanks to everyone who left such nice comments and chose to follow us on Facebook & Instagram - you guys are the best!!

We will be doing another give-a-way soon - stay tuned!  xx

Photo: Steve Caballero

Photo: Michael Martinez

Photo: Megan Gomez

Photo: Steve Caballero

Photo: Faydra Huff

Photo: Megan Gomez

Photo: Zack Constantine

I've been watching Kayla's progression in skateboarding  for a few years now. Her dad Stevie and I used to skate together back in the day and he has always been a huge supporter of us girls so I crossed my fingers that his daughter Kayla would end up loving to skate. She does more than just love it. She RIPS!  It was a pleasure seeing her skate the combi this past week and I have to say that she handled the fall she took and the intense pain like a champ. The girl has guts and is absolutely fearless. Can't wait to see what she does next!  xx



Who's Rad?   Kayla Caballero

Age:   16 years young

Home is:    Campbell, California

How Long Have You Been Skating?    I've been skating since I was around 5 years old, but I really started getting into it around age 11.

Girls Who Skate that inspire YOU: There are two girls who inspire me in skateboarding. They are Katherine Folsom & Julz Lynn.

Favorite place you have ever skated?  My home park, Lake Cunningham Regional Skatepark!

Favorite Trick: a half cab rock n roll

Sponsors:     My sponsors are, TLB brand, Circle A Skate Shop, and Gnarcal girls.

Three Things You Don't Know About Me:

1. I'm very sensitive with skating, it may be the reason I progress very slowly. It takes me awhile to skate a new place and to learn a new trick!

2. I can't pronounce the "R" sound, instead I make a "W" sound. Such as the word "Ramp", I say "Wamp".

3. I'm extremely blind. I wear glasses and most people don't know this about me because I skate without them. I have skated without glasses my entire life until about a couple months ago. I continue to take them off before I skate because i'm used to not being able to see the bowl clearly. With my glasses, I see how HUGE the bowls are and get scared. Therefore, I skate seeing blurs!

Whats Next?

I just did Girls Combi Pool Classic and won 5th place in the 15 and over division. I was actually pretty stoked that I had made finals and got 5th. I injured my back while skating in the finals and totally cried in the hospital because I was so mad at myself and worried that I had stalled the contest for a bit but ended up feeling better that everyone gave me love and support and it meant a lot. Anyways, I'm also going to try and hit all the world cup girls contests this year! I love skating with all the girls and meeting new girls as well. I skate the Tim Brauch memorial contest in San Jose at Lake Cunningham Skate Park every year and its sort of become a for sure thing that I do every year since it's at my home park and it's in my favorite bowl! That's pretty much it! Other than that I'm either at my home park filming silly skate videos with my friends or up in my room painting!

Editors note:  ** See previous post for info on the art show Kayla is in this weekend!!**

Make sure you follow Kayla on Instagram  @thekaylacab

And check out her youtube video page HERE

16 year old skater Kayla Caballero is in a rad art show with her dad Steve Caballero, Christine Benjamin & Ricardo Gonzales - reception is on Saturday night and show runs through March 1st. If you are near Santa Cruz you better check it out!

Congrats Kayla - this is huge!!

Time is running out to win a GN4LW beanie!

We're doing a GIVEAWAY!

You asked, and we are finally doing it. To celebrate the new year & the new beanies we have added to the GN4LW line, we are doing a Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word beanie give-a-way!

Yep, one lucky person will win their choice of either a GIRL IS NOT A 4 LETTER WORD beanie in black OR the new $KATE COUTURE design in gray - winners choice.  As seen above. Valued at $29.95 ea.

You can see all of the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter word line HERE.

Here's how to enter to win:

1. Follow Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word on Facebook
2. Follow Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word on instagram
3. Leave a comment here telling us what you love best about the GN4LW site & don't forget your email so we can contact you if you are the winner!

Deadline for entering is Tuesday, January 28, 2012 at midnight. 

* It's kinda obvious, but we have to say it...*

All other products (except beanies) in photos above are not part of the give-a-way.  One winner will be chosen at random to win either a GN4LW black beanie OR a charcoal gray $kate Couture beanie. We will announce the winner on January 29 here on the GN4LW site so stay tuned & good luck!

 images & info via The LA Times

Check out Kate Hansen a local So Cal skater girl who is competing on the U.S. Olympic Luge team in Sochi! She just became the FIRST American in 17 years to win a World Cup Gold Medal and has an awesome chance of being the first American to win gold in women's luge. That is HUGE!

Los Angeles Times sports writer, Bill Plaschke and I have had disagreements over his coverage of female athletes in the past (yes, I have been one of those people who has written him a letter or two..) but this time he nails it! 

His coverage of Kate and how she used to bomb the streets on her skateboard day & night near his home is priceless and it's a must read.  Check it out HERE

Another skater girl making us proud!

Go KATE!


** And don't forget to enter to win a GN4LW or $kate Couture Beanie right HERE**

 image via Olympics.org

12 days and 3 hours until the start of the Winter Olympics in Sochi!  Who are you guys excited to see compete?



** And don't forget to enter to win a GN4LW or $kate Couture Beanie right HERE**