Hello,

My name is Ashantee. My skate journey started when I was 9. Back then I just thought it was another hobby I would quickly replace. Little did I know in 1999 at the age of 10, the same rink I skated at weekly would become my training ground. I joined an artistic rollerskating team and competed all over the nation until 2007.

I found myself picking back up my skates here and there but not on a consistent basis. In 2017, I decided to pick up my hobby again but this time it was different. Instead of getting ready for skating competitions I was enjoying skate parties. I still remember my first one I attended. The whole weekend was like a celebration filled with music, food, dancing and incredible DJ’s that bought the skate floor to life. Skating until five sometimes six in the morning and doing it all over again the next day. I felt like my passion had same back and I was ready to start teaching again.

One of the requirements to be on the artistic rollerskating team was to teach Saturday morning skate lessons. So there I was at 10 years old teaching other kids like me, and adults of all skill levels how to skate. It became something I looked forward to and I loved seeing the joy in peoples faces as they progressed their skills. I missed that excitement of being apart of other peoples skate journey, and to be back in that same space now is truly a full circle moment.