Convicted Artist Magazine

San Diego – When one thinks about skateboarding, thoughts of tight pants, black t-shirts and thrashing come to mind. What one doesn’t expect to find is a girly-girl skating with her trademark helmet with pink bunny ears.

That is exactly what you will find on any given day at the Encinitas YMCA skate park. Annika Vrklan is a 6-year-old girl who rocks at the park.

“I love dropping in pools and I like learning new tricks,” the skater girl said. Getting to the stage of dropping in was fairly easy to this young up-and-comer who has been skating for about a year, according to her mom, Chris Vrklan.

Annika looks up to a few girl skaters and hopes to achieve new heights in the boy-dominated skateboarding world.

“I like Allysha Bergado and Lyn-z Adams Hawkins, they are good skaters and they give me skating tips,” she shyly says.

For a 6-year-old there is more to life than just skateboarding and this one is no different. When Annika is not skating, you can find her on the soccer field, tumbling at the gymnastics gym or during winter on the slopes snowboarding.

She’ll most likely be eating French fries or ice cream to recharge for her next activity.

Her mom says it is hard to keep up with her, especially since she has two older brothers who also skate and a younger sister, who has started skate lessons.

Annika loves skating with her family. “Skating is the funniest with my brothers.”

When Annika grows up she aspires to be a pro skateboarder and of course a professional singer.

In the meantime, she’ll she continue training for more skateboarding events in southern California this summer.

You can catch the little pink bundle at the California State Games, King of Groms and the All Girl Skate Jam at the Vans Warped Tour in August.

Kimberly Dvorak is a freelance writer in San Diego, who is also an avid skate enthusiast.