ExclusiveGet Ready to Say ‘Hello Summer’ With J-14 at Dew Tour 2019

Jagger Eaton

Fans might be surprised to learn that the 18-year-old has been skating ever since he got his first skateboard for Christmas as a toddler! The athlete opened up exclusively to J-14 all about what it’s been like growing up in the skating community.
 
“My favorite thing about being a part of the skateboarding community is that no matter where I travel around the world, I can go to any skatepark and immediately have a crazy community bond with the skaters around me,” Jagger told us. “I don’t know of any other sport that has that bond like we have.”
 
And while he does have friends outside of the skating community, he admits that he has a special type of bond with those who share his passion.
 
“I have some friends who don’t skate, but my bond with my skateboarding friends is just forever,” he said. “No matter what we do or where we go, we can always rely on skateboarding for our happiness, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Jordyn Barratt

For Jordyn, competing in a mainly male-dominated sport doesn’t slow her down one bit.
 
“It was never in my mind that I was the only girl in the skatepark; it was just about skating,” the 20-year-old athlete told J-14. “Now I see little girls at the skatepark all the time.”
 
She even feels like a role model to young girls now!
 
“Girls will tell me that they watch my videos or see me skate and I inspire them – it’s such a cool feeling. It really makes me want to continue to inspire kids and be a good example,” she said.
 
And since skateboarding is becoming an Olympic sport for the first time at the 2020 Games, Jordyn is super pumped for the opportunity to see both women and men thrive equally in the sport.
 
“I never thought I’d have the chance to be an Olympian,” she said. “It’s really cool for women’s skateboarding because everything at the Olympics has to be equal between women and men. It’s a huge step in the right direction for our sport.”
 
Now that’s what we call girl power!

Mariah Duran

For a lot of people, skateboarding is seen as a fun hobby — but not for Mariah! Skating in the 2020 Olympics would mean so much to the 22-year-old athlete for so many reasons. Not only is it her greatest passion – but it would prove that the competitive sport is something to be taken seriously.
 
She told us, “[Competing in the Olympics] would mean everything to me because it would not only confirm my hard work, but it will also inspire my family and friends to chase their dreams!”
 
Now that’s what we’re talking about!

Heimana Reynolds

It’s safe to say Heimana has always been a daredevil, so mastering super crazy skateboarding tricks comes naturally to him.
 
“Of course there’s a little bit of fear, but I’m definitely a thrill-seeker,” the 20-year-old skater said. “I love the adrenaline. Being in that moment is just an incredible feeling.”
 
He’s especially excited to see all eyes on him while competing at Dew Tour!
 
“When I pull up and see all these people staring at me, I get those pregame jitters,” he confessed. “But then I start skating and everybody goes away. It’s just me and my board.”
 
We know he’s going to totally slay it!
 

Reporting credit: Toni Ferrigno