Girls Give Daring Sports a Go
by Rebecca Vara

Face it girls -- we're living in a guy's world. Every day we push ourselves harder to break out of their shadows. And I'm not just talking about at work or school, but in sports as well.

Since the arrival of the ESPN X Games, teen girls have found a new sports avenue to take. For many, wanting to be ballerinas or synchronized swimmers is out. More and more teen girls are now looking to show up their big brothers on skateboards and snowboards.

Marialidia's site, withitgirl.com, is dedicated to daring female athletes.

Go-Girl.com caught up with Marialidia Marcotulli, the creator of withitgirl.com, a Web site where accomplished female athletes discuss how they got started in extreme sports. We also asked professional teen skateboarding phenomenon Sasha La Rochelle to talk about her personal sports experiences.

Get "With It" Is Marialidia's Motto

While growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, Marialidia's parents taught her to be an independent person. "After I moved to California and learned to surf, I became very disappointed with the way girls were being marketed to feed on their insecurities," she remembers. "I wanted to tell real stories about girls, famous or not -- and withitgirl.com was born."

Even though skateboarding, windsurfing, and rock climbing may not be the "norm," Marialidia says that shouldn't scare away or discourage girls from trying them out. "As long as you start with safety lessons, there's no reason not to get involved," she explains. "Most of these sports are individual-based and allow you time to develop as a person."

Sasha's Skating Easy Even in a "Sea of Testosterone"

Sasha and her board.

Sasha taking it to the limit.

Sasha LaRochelle, 15, is a perfect example of a teen girl daring to be different. Pounding the streets at the age of five as she was just beginning to learn the sport of skateboarding, Sasha soon realized she was one of the few girls at the skateparks and in the sport. "From the moment I grabbed my first board, I knew I'd found my passion," she explains. "The one little hang-up was (and continues to be) the fact that I have been the only girl to skate in the Nor Cal CASL [California Amateur Skateboarding League] every month for the last three years. It's just me in a sea of testosterone."

Although Sasha has come to terms with the gender gap in the competitive arena, she still strives to make her presence known by appearing on MTV Sports, as well as earning top finishes in the premiere skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing competition, The Vans Triple Crown.

"Don't ever stop, and don't take any crap from guys," she urges. "Sometimes you have to be tough as nails to share a spot with them, but other times you'll find friends in the ones who gave you the hardest time."

If you're involved in extreme sports, or want to know more about them, check out Marialidia's site. And remember its motto: "Being cool is being yourself."