Skate like a Bandita

Skate like a Bandita

In the past, skater boys used to make jokes about Rodi and other girls who skate, but today the times have changed. Women are the new face of skateboarding, both on the streets and skateparks.

We met Rodi at Motion Skatepark, she is a passionate skater originally from Germany and living in Bali for 15 years. She told us in our interview about her two projects, Skatedukasi and GalsSkateBali, that she started during the Pandemic.

____________________

What was your inspiration to do your amazing projects?

It all started with Corona. Beaches, sports facilities, schools, everything was closed. Sports classes, such as ballet and karate, had to be halted while skate parks remained open.

Even though some schools have changed to online and zoom meetings, this has been difficult for many kids because not everyone has a mobile phone or a laptop, let alone internet access or credit. So, I saw kids who didn’t go to school because they didn’t have a device to access the internet or have their schoolwork emailed.

So, I invited my son and his friends who didn’t know what to do to the skatepark with the motto, “I can teach them” – I’d already given skate lessons in Germany and Switzerland, it wasn’t a new experience for me. As one daughter grew into two, then three, other parents began to ask me if I could educate their children as well. This inspired me to charge a fee for the skateboard lessons, which I could benefit children in need.

That was the beginning of Skatedukasi, which combines skating and edukasi, the Indonesian word for education.

With this money, we can support an orphan child’s school tuition every month, a teacher for a street children’s school project, co-financed a school building in Sumba, and support skateboard events and activities.

How did you get the idea to start a girls’ skate community?

Many girls began skating with me by chance, and soon I had a large group of young ladies who all enjoyed skating.

I attempted to get the girls together with the idea of making friends and learning tricks from one another. This is how the Gals Skate Bali community began.

What else do you learn besides skateboarding?

Skating, like other sports, helps you develop self-confidence. Don’t give up. Sometimes you fall flat on your face, but you get back up and try again. It’s a tremendous life lesson,

It also takes a lot of confidence to learn a new skill because many things require practice and patience. Those kinds of things you learn are also valuable in other aspects of life.

Why should girls skate?

Because it’s a lot of fun, a great sport, and a great way to make new friends.

It creates confidence and courage in you, and for many, it is a brand-new experience in a completely different world.

Are there many female skateboarders in Bali?

There are now a lot of girls skating, especially young ones. Of course, this is due to the fact that we give lessons and hold activities and events. I think it’s because the skate parks were open at all times (during the Pandemic), and we started to build this community at a stage when a lot of girls were coming to skate.

Eventually, other girls began to follow us in other places and form their own clubs, which is fantastic. Girls are becoming common in skateparks – it was rare before.

What are your favourite skateboarding spots in Bali?

My favourite spots in Bali include Keramas Fruit Bowl, Ubud’s Titi Batu Club, Amplitude, and Motion Skatepark.

I believe that who I skate with is more important to me than where I skate – you can have fun anywhere, even on a piece of asphalt.

How did the skater boys react back then when girls like you skated? 

There have always been a lot of stupid comments, or the skater boys may have tried to intimidate me, but they failed because I had too much fun skating. I ignored them, and because I was better than many boys at some point, it was no longer a thing. The comments quickly stopped, and I got more respect.

What is the skateboarding scene like in Bali?

The skate scene is quite big now. There are a lot of parks, especially in the southern part of the island. It’s not exactly a street skater’s paradise, but there are plenty of skate parks and bowls. The people are super lovely, and you know each other. Since there are so many different parks, there are, of course, many different groups. In general, I can say that almost everyone is amicable and polite.

The big news is that a vast park is being built in Bangli – funded by the government – which is great. Not all parks are free, and not everyone can afford the entrance fee, so it’s great that the government is now building public facilities and supporting sports.

Thank you Rodi, for this interview

____________________

Facts:

25 years of passion. Instructor & pro Rodi was sponsored by well known brands and skated in contests worldwide!

Her unique projects can be found on Instagram

@galsskatebali

@skatedukasi

____________________

Text by Myriam Speich

Photos by Gunandi Budiharjo @gunandibudiharjo & Yosi Kastanja @yosi_kastanja