In 2004 I got my first sponsor and skated my first contest. I didn’t realize there was a world out there where a bunch of competitions took place, people got sponsored and people where making money, I just skated. I got the opportunity to work at the skatepark so I could skate for free, of course I took this opportunity with both hands. The owner of our local skateshop told me if I landed my kickflip 50-50 I would get sponsored. So I did and he kept his word.

Blender skateshop/skatepark: ‘Yes, we are talking about a chick, but not just any chick, a 14 year old girl from Tegelen who made so much progress the last year we just had to sponsor her. After she got on the team she showed the best of herself in the shopbattle in Burnside and after that she went all out in Munster, Germany where she ended up getting a 5^th place at the street contest. As a dessert she magically pulled a kickflip 50-50 from her long blond hair. Make sure you keep an eye out for her, because before you know it she’ll skate better then you and your homies.’

This sponsorship was the start of something beautiful, a lot more would follow.