Sarah Thompson, AKA "sarahshreds," first came to Surf City as a kid to surf and enjoy the fiery magic of beach bonfires. And when she moved to Huntington Beach at 15, she found her adopted hometown to be the perfect setting to chase her dreams of becoming a professional skateboarder. Huntington Beach has been home to “sidewalk surfing”– aka skateboarding – since the 1950’s and is home to the The Vans Off the Wall Skatepark.
“Huntington Beach is so accepting of non-traditional dreams,” she says. The 21-year-old has reached her goal of becoming a professional skateboarder and now serves as a role for younger skaters. She practices daily her mantra of hard work by balancing studies, work and skating—even as she recovered from serious concussions.
“You’re going to have to work harder than everyone else,” she says, “but you’re going to appreciate your wins so much more.”
Sarah also enjoys the creative vibe in Huntington Beach. “I love Huntington Beach because there are so many resources for anything you want to do here and lots of creative personalities,” she says. “I paint a lot, and I love to draw, so if you ever go to Surf City Nights, which is our street fair on Tuesday nights, there are local artists sometimes selling like tilework or canvases.”
See Sarah’s story and be inspired to Dream and Do in Huntington Beach.
Get to Know Sarah Thompson
What's your sport of choice?
Skateboarding
How long have you been rocking your sport?
About 9 years
How did you get into your sport of choice?
My mom would take me to surf and skate clinics when I was young, but I was really shy. I didn't take to the sport until I found a solid group of girls at an all girls event when I was 12.
Why do you love rocking your sport in Huntington Beach?
HB is so accepting of non-traditional dreams. Where I lived (previously) in Anaheim, teachers and my peers thought I was a joke to pursue skating. There are more opportunities here.
If you had to go back & tell your amateur self about who you’d become what advice would you give her?
I guess I would tell younger me that there's are going to be a lot of obstacles and to try not to compare yourself to the other girls who get those things so easily. You're going to have to work harder than everyone else but you're going to appreciate your wins so much more.
How are you living the dream?
I'm skateboarding whenever I can and making travel happen for myself. I'm not where I want to be as I still work two jobs, but it drives my closer to where I wanna be.
Favorite Thing About Huntington Beach?
I love everyone riding their bikes everywhere! The beach does get crazy in the summer, but it's so much fun to take my friends out on the surreys and tandem bikes
We think you'll be so inspired that you, too, will want to visit Huntington Beach - with family, with friends or solo -and follow your own path to dream big and do more, in whatever way that makes life better for you and yours.
