Woodward Park City crowned the best youth skateboarders this weekend at its inaugural “King and Queen of Woodward” competition. 

Morgan McNeill, progression and program manager at Woodward, organized this year’s first-ever competition. McNeill’s role is to oversee the skill development of everyone who participates in classes and camps at Woodward, so organizing the youth skateboard competition was an exciting project for her.

Many skate competitions are organized with riders competing one at a time, each with less than a minute to ride. The King and Queen competition followed a “jam-style” format, where all kids in each group rode together for 10 minutes.

The new skateboarding competition at Woodward was designed as a “jam-style” format so kids can skate together. Credit: Maggie Mattinson/Park Record

“The idea (is) that it’s a little bit more free-form,” McNeill said. “You’re skating with your friends, (there’s) not so much pressure.”

Kids aged 7 to 17 competed in three rounds of skating around Woodward. Groups were split up between boys and girls in different age brackets. During the final round, riders took to the indoor concrete park to show off their best skating. 

Nine-year-old Zenn has been skateboarding since he was 4 years old, and said his favorite thing about Woodward is “skating and having fun.” 

Zenn was declared king of the 7- to 9-year-old boys division, and he said his kickflip is what won him the crown. Ziggy took 2nd place in the same category. He said his favorite skateboarding trick is a “bomb drop,” which he described as a cannonball on a skateboard.

Newly crowned Queen V won the 10- to 13-year-old girls division. She rides at Woodward almost every day after school and said her secret to making friends at the skate park: 

“You skateboard, and then you ask if (they) want to play a game, and then you become best friends,” she said.

Queen V was the winner of the 10- to 13-year-old girls division at Woodward Park City this weekend. Credit: Maggie Mattinson/Park Record

Many of the competitors showed up with their friends, and each rider left with a few more. During the competition and at the awards ceremony after, the kids encouraged and cheered for each other. 

Friends Zenn, Brooklyn Clark and Ziggy entered the King and Queen of Woodward skateboard competition. Credit: Maggie Mattinson/Park Record

Brooklyn Clark, who was crowned queen of the 14- to 17-year-olds only one year after she started skateboarding, said skating with only girls is a rare opportunity for her. Saturday was Clark’s first time at Woodward. 

“I was just happy that I saw other girls today because I don’t see a lot at all,” Clark said. “I only have one (girl) friend that I skate with.” 

Clark said she thinks some girls might be held back from trying skateboarding because of a fear of trying new things.

“(Fear) is all in your brain,” Clark said. “If you start to do new things and commit to skateboarding … if you just keep going, you’re going to get into it and start learning.”

One of McNeill’s personal goals is to facilitate experiences like the one Clark had at Woodward this weekend. 

New skateboarding competition at Woodward Park City focuses on bringing girls together for safe and supportive environment. Credit: Maggie Mattinson/Park Record

“My mission in life is (to) help girls find each other and find that place to safely skate together and feel comfortable,” McNeill said.

McNeill’s favorite part of the day was seeing so much energy and focus on skateboarding at Woodward. 

“Having something that was skate-specific, still inclusive (for) boys and girls … it was just so fun to feel that energy and have that crowd,” she said. “It was amazing, let’s do it again.”

Winners of the King and Queen of Woodward competition supported each other on and off the podium. Credit: Maggie Mattinson/Park Record

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