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1026spotlightnj2_2024-10-26-09-26-27

I am talking with Judy Oyama. She's here in the Zoom with me. We are talking about her career as a professional skateboarder at the age soon to be of 65. Let's go back, Judy. You were inducted into the APTOS High School Sports Hall of Fame back in 2017. That's one of your accolades. Let's start there. Yes, I was uh totally honest to be inducted at Ato High along with some pro surfers and, and uh snowboarders. And then a year later, I was inducted into the skateboard Hall of Fame in Southern California, which is something that every skater that has a long career would li likes to get in because it kind of solidifies your history. You started skating professionally at the age of 16 in men's skateboarding contest. What was that like? I um started skateboarding at 15 on a, at a race and then I got like a year later, I was able to get on the Santa Cruz skateboard team and raced for a few years, just amateur. And then about 19 and I was professional in skate parks and in slalom racing and you didn't really win any money. There wasn't that much money and there still isn't a lot for women, but it's really starting to build up and match the men's purses. What were the challenges or? What are the challenges still of being the only female skateboarder in these races? Um, I'm not always the only, but the challenge is a lot of times. Um, we, we're put in the middle of a, like some of the races. They'll race the men and a lot of the races. I've been at like the camera crew. If there's a camera crew, they'll take a lunch break during the women's pro finals. Like we weren't, we're never considered that important. But I think now that women's skateboard in Olympics and other sports has really taken off and it draws a lot more attention, I think, um, that this women skateboarding will, you know, has changed. And Aissa True, that just did the 920. Um, she's drawn a lot of attention and I think it's helping all women in sports.

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1026spotlightnj3_2024-10-26-12-44-26

You have got to love this logo, don't you? It is great. Judy Oyama is the inspiration behind it. She is a professional skateboarder. She is joining me by Zoom right now. Tell me about this company, Judy. So um I'm a graphic designer and I run a small design business called Maximum Impact. And then I started little badass skate mom from that Mermaid logo and I did a sticker and I went to crossfit classes and they're all, if you did a t-shirt, I buy your shirt and it's been 10 years and it's been this little side hustle project that has been a good way for me to um share with other skateboard moms and crossfit friends and women in general. And lets me have an outlet for doing my graphic design. So I cast different product designs and it's just fun to see it out there in the world. Do a lot of people love sporting t-shirts and shirts and what have you with that logo? Yes. And it says on the very back it says be bad ass every day. I love that, be that way every day. That's perfect. Let's talk about sponsors who backed you. My first sponsor is, was sanitary skateboards and they've been since I was 16, uh, sponsoring me ever since. And they actually did a video with me that's on their youtube channel. And I also have some new sponsors. Like the, the old Wrigley building is a building that used to make Wrigley Gum. And the Owl family sponsors me because I ride near their building and, uh, Riptide sports and, uh, KT tape and momentous. I've got a really good, um, top tier sponsorship and, you know, sponsoring some at my age and having them believe in me has been really special, I can imagine. And speaking of age, October 22nd, you celebrate the big 65 girl. You're looking good. Thank you. You achieved. I feel pretty good considering and I actually am in better shape than I was like 30 years ago. Wow, that says a lot right there at the age of 43 you attained a huge victory. Tell us about that. At 43 I won the fir my first world champion uh hybrid slalom race in 2004. And then actually two years ago at the world skate games, I thought I was just gonna race and just, you know, kind of finish off my career. And my first day I got third in the hybrid against some of the fastest women in the world. And that's kind of what kept me going and continuing to just see where I can, uh be at my age and just challenging the norm of your age and the sport that you do that if you stay in good shape and you're passionate, you can, uh keep doing it.

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1027spotlightnj4_2024-10-27-08-48-05

Judy Oyama was featured in the 2023 documentary in men, the untold story starring Tony Hawk and produced by Josh Brolin. She is here now with me by Zoom. Congratulations. Belatedly on that honor, Judy. That must have been so cool. That was really cool. And um it was really fun seeing the premiere in L A where Tony Hawk and Josh Brolin were there and Josh said some really nice words and um it was quite an honor because it's n men, the untold story. And I'm like the only, there's three of us women that are in that movie, as I say, and women and it's just a group of guys that I skated with from the seventies and they actually just put that um giant slalom race on last weekend in Sacramento. So we have a long history and um they respect and they treat women really well and they gave me high honors in 2017 or maybe it was 15. Uh I won the first women icon award for the n men at one of their events. What an honor. You know, you're an inspiration to women. Did you ever think that when you first got started and started winning awards and accolades that you would inspire. I never thought that I just thought, you know, I'm having fun doing what I'm doing. And now I've been getting a lot of like people that don't even skateboard telling me that I've inspired them to continue bike riding or getting back on roller skates or whatever sport. Because I think when they see someone 64 racing on a small on board, they realize that, um, anything is possible if you want to do it and try your skating helmet. I have to tell the audience from 1979 and your first place trophy from the fourth Berkeley contest are held in the collection of the Smithsonian's Nat National Museum of American History. Wow. Yeah. Actually they have some photos and, um, it's was really an amazing, uh thing to have happened. And, uh, it was the same time where like Tony Hawk got his board in and a bunch of different people. And I didn't really think of it as being a big deal until I saw everyone there at the uh, event. And then I'm like, oh, maybe I should have gone to Washington DC, but I'm, I'm honored that it's there. Your family must be so proud of you. Well, my mom's passed my dad's 95 and he still knows who I am. And um, he is been a big focal point for me and I help caret take with him and he golfed until he was, um, late eighties.

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1027spotlightnjfive_subclip_2024-10-27-12-54-38

Judy Oyama is my guest here on Spotlight New Jersey in 2023. She qualified for the world skate Games in Rome for this year. She's a member of the US slalom team. Tell us about that achievement, Judy. Well, I um qualified and I went to Italy last month and raced amongst some of the fastest women from around the world. And I placed 14th overall and I raced all ages and I was the third fastest for the USA uh behind uh Lynn Kramer who was 17 time world champion and uh she plays third overall. So the competition was really stiff and I'm stoked that I was able to do as well as I did and were the others of all ages impressed with you. I think so. Um I, you know, I was racing a 14 year old all the way, you know, to Lynn is 55 at the time. And um that girl, I'm racing right there is a Japanese girl that I raced in Argentina and she's 19 and I beat her in two of the three races and she beat me in one. And so, I mean, I'm hanging on by a thread, but I'm still giving them a little run for their money. You must love this. What attracted you to skateboarding in slalom. Um I got attracted to skateboarding because my brother built a board. I got into riding parks and racing and one of my good friends who recently passed away, John Hudson, he was a world champion downhill slalom racer who I co he trained me and he was kind of my mentor. And um I'm actually speaking at his memorial on uh Tuesday next week on my birthday. So um I just feel like, you know, now I'm kind of mentoring Leola who's 16 and she went to the World Championships and in Italy and I want to, you know, get the next uh group of young women and kids or uh involved in it because it's a really fun sport. And what I like about it is it's at times sports. So it's not about a certain move and style and no one could fight the clock. And I'm also um submitting Guinness world record for the longest skateboard career for a female from racing at um the world skate games. It was uh 48 years and a couple days or something like that way to go. Judy. Here are Pics of Judy and her husband Greg. Congratulations to this lovely couple on celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.

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Judi Oyama joined News 12’s Della Crews to discuss her career in skateboarding and graphic design. 

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