Photos by Cleo Coney, Heidi Lemmon, and Julie Westfall
First off Julie, how are you?
I am doing a lot better, thank you for asking! I had surgery a
few weeks ago to remove my tonsils and it’s been a long and
painful recovery. I am now starting to feel back to my old self!
Oh, and just a side note, the myth that you get to eat a lot of ice
cream when you have your tonsils removed is just a lie…a mean, mean
lie!!
There has been a growing number of women skateboard-
ing, and skateboarding well in the past ten years, why do you
think that is?
First off, Hell Yah!! I am so stoked that women skateboarding
is growing at an all time record rate! I think the reason there is
a revolution happening in the world of female skateboarding
is due to the exposure from online media, all female team
sponsors, contests having designated female heats, the society
growing as a whole with all female sports and support from
legendary male skateboard figures such as Tony Hawk, Steve
Caballero, Christian Hosoi and Dave Duncan (to name a few).
The society as a whole is really looking at all male dominated
sports and commending the few women who get out there and
show them that women can do it too! There are a lot of women
and girls out there that see the fun, free spirited lifestyle we
live and want to join in. And the more the merrier in my book!
What was your single most inspirational justification for get-
ting on a skateboard and when did you start?
Well, I first started skating when I was fourteen. For Christmas one
year, I begged my grandparents for a "Bam" Element skateboard
that had pink and blue bats all over it. (I had a HUGE crush
on Bam Margera at the time…shhhh, please don’t tell any-
one ). They looked at me kind of sideways and then realized
I was serious. That year was the best Christmas ever!!! And
I think my single most inspirational justification for getting
on a skateboard was sensing the freedom and pure happiness
from other skaters. I would watch a lot of skateboard videos
and each skater just had this look and aura about them that
screamed, “I am free, I am alive!” And having played team
sports my whole young life, I longed for something that was
just mine. I decided then that I wanted to skateboard and I
wanted that lifestyle. I haven’t looked back since.
What kind of support and feedback have you gotten from your family
about your skateboarding?
My family has always been supportive of everything I ever
showed an interest in and skateboarding was no exception. I
did, however, get a lot of kick back from my mom and dad
about the danger of the sport and that it is inevitable that I will
get hurt. Until I was about 18, my parents always made me
wear full padding and gear but I look back at it now and am
very grateful because I am sure I would have added broken-
wrist and elbow to the broken bones list. The coolest thing that
I got to do with my family and skateboarding was that I actually
introduced my dad into skateboarding and he wanted to learn because I was enjoying myself so much. It is a tad bit backwards from the norm but we shared so
many wonderful experiences together through skateboarding, and made so many amazing friends along the way!
We know you bowl ride, but is there any other form
of skateboarding you participate in?
I do love to ride a good bowl, however I thoroughly
enjoy mini ramps and snake runs/flow parks and if I
can get my hands on one, I’d love to progress in skat-
ing vert ramps. And every now and again, you can see
me cruising the streets on a Penny board.
I saw some gnarly images of you with big bruises and
bloodied limbs. You were wearing damaged skin like
a badge, do you consider yourself a die hard skater?
I think in order to call yourself a skater you have to be a die hard in the sport. There are times when I’m trying a trick over and over again, and I eat s*** but continue to try it because of the passion and determination I have for the sport. I think a lot of skaters can relate to that. And the blood and bruises are definitely
a badge of honor and are inevitable in skateboarding.
Do you like participating in contests?
I used to really enjoy participating in contests when I was a little younger. When I started skating, women didn’t really have many contests to choose from. So,
when we all found a skateboard contest that included a girls’ heat, all of the local female skaters would come and participate. Back then, contests were mainly a
family reunion with your fellow chick rippers and the contests were just a little more lighthearted. Don’t get me wrong, there was some serious shredding going on, but the atmosphere was a little more easing going. The contests now are incredible! They showcase the most talented of female athletes from around the world!
And I am very grateful for them because of the opportunities that we receive and the exposure of female skateboarding to the world! I however, am not a huge fan of competing anymore as I stress out too much and lose the feeling of why I started skateboarding in the first place. You’ll see me at a few that I am passionate about skating, but for the most part, I have taken myself out of the competitive circuit. I commend the girls who dominate the contest world and for being such amazing athletes. Blood and bruises are truly a badge of honor.
How do you feel when you grind coping?
When the coping is under my feet I feel like a freight train! I feel so powerful and fast that nothing could stop me!!
Who do you skate with the most and where?
I actually skate by myself a lot and I for the most part, I prefer a solo skate sesh. It’s lets me get out of my head and just let go. Skateboarding is the best therapy! And you can find me at my local skate park, Skate Lab in Simi Valley, CA or at the Venice Beach Skate Park. Both are my home away from home.
Is there a skate spot or skate park that you haven’t skated that you’re dying to get to?
I am dying to skate the new Oceanside skate park! I heard the park is perfect and I need to get my butt down there!!
What is your current set up?
I am riding an 8.25 Silly Girl Skateboard on Indy Trucks and 58mm purple Kevin Staab’s Bones Wheels.
Julie Westfall straight shredding!
What matters to you the most about skateboarding?
What matters most to me about skateboarding is the freedom and the people I’ve met through skating. It is that feeling of being absolutely free and the adrenaline that has me coming back for more but it is the people I’ve met that made me fall in love with the sport.
What is your favorite spot to grab grub?
Oooo this is a tough question! My favorite spot to grab grub would have to be “The Habit”…best burger in town!
Energy drinks or water?
Both!
Who are your favorite skaters of all time?
My favorite skaters of all time are Bob Burnquist, Elliot Sloan and Alex Perelson.
I’m sure you have some ideas on what would be the ideal skate park if you built your own, so tell us what would be in it?
My perfect skate park would include several different bowls ranging from mini ramp status to combi bowl huge. It would also have an insanely fun flow park with spines, hip transfers, death boxes, gaps and a fly box. I would also want a Soul Bowl in my skate park which is a vert ramp bowl. And to make it the best park ever…a mini mega ramp! I think you can tell that I think about this a lot.
What’s the one thing you want people to know about you?
If there was one thing I would want people to know about me it would be that I have a deep passion for fitness! I love to run and participate in Spartan Races and charity races. I love to always be on the go and challenging myself to reach my goals.
Julie you have a million dollar smile, what in your life continues to generate that smile?
Aww, thank you, that is so sweet! I smile because I have a lot to be grateful for! My favorite quote of all time is, “Life is like a mirror, you smile into it and it will smile back!” I live my life by this simple quote.
Any shout outs at this time?
I’d love to shout out to my amazing, supportive and downright badass manager, Matt Gaudio, owner and CEO of Silly Girl Skateboards and Pink Widow Distributions. I have been on the Silly Girl Skateboard Team for the last nine years and he has been one of my biggest supporters. The whole team of girls and their parents have all quickly become my Silly Sisters and Skateboard family. Matt has been a crucial element in
the advancement of female skateboarding by promoting and supporting us and he has made Silly Girl Skateboards the best and biggest female skateboard company in the world! I am so thoroughly blessed to be on such an amazing team with such a compassionate and fearless leader at the helm. Thank you Matt Gaudio for everything you have done for me and for all that you have done for Women’s Skateboarding!!
Exposure lady skateboarders including in the puple tank top, Julie Westfall.
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