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Local organization teaches women how to play rough

By Angeline Tiamson

September 19, 2005

Carlsbad--Boys’ toys are better than girls’ toys. Always have been.

As children age, the toys mature. Tonka trucks graduate to ATVs, Nerf turns into Nike. Similarly, pretend makeup and clothes turn into the real thing as girls continue to age.

Toys such as baby dolls and pretend kitchenware are aimed at grooming domesticity in girls, while sturdier toys such as blocks and trucks are aimed at grooming physical activity in boys.

The message, at a young age, is that boys are better suited to rigorous physical activity when it comes to play time.

Subtle messages in advertising feed into the belief that it certainly is a man’s world out there, especially in the world of athletics. Women wanting to break into more adrenaline-fueled sports can be hard pressed to find much insider support.

The OP Girls Learn to Ride program aims to change all that.

It organizes events for women, young and old alike, to learn about sports with relatively high learning curves, such as wakeboarding, motorcross, surfing, skating. Clinics are held all over the country, and most recently, in North San Diego County, bringing the few female experts in the field and the novices whose success in the sport is yet to be fulfilled together to simply have fun.

“There are a lot of extreme sports that are male dominated. Often girls find themselves in the trap of depending on a brother or boyfriend to get them involved in sports,” states Roeshan Shadravan, a coordinator for Girls Learn to Ride.

This summer saw the “Girls Learn to Ride” program on the Carlsbad Lagoon every Wednesday evening from 4-8 PM, taking scores of women out on the water to wakeboard. Event organizers found reward not only in watching a sense of camaraderie develop between participants, but also in seeing students progress throughout the summer.

For twenty dollars a night, women were entitled to a free shuttle across the water, access to demo equipment courtesy of the sponsoring company, Liquid Force, and wakeboarding lessons from the experts themselves. After lessons, tired participants were received by a sociable bonfire and complimentary food provided by Chipotle, a local Mexican restaurant chain.

This weekly gathering lasted for two months, its last Wednesday being September 7^th, 2005. Fear not for missed opportunity: plans to continue the program at the Carlsbad Lagoon are in the works, aiming to create a co-ed following on Friday nights.

While the next few events will be held in South Orange County, GLR’s presence in San Diego will certainly be made known again soon. For more information on Girls Learn to Ride, check out their website at: www.girlslearntoride.com

Move over, boys….

It’s time to share your toys.