By Victoria Dolan

**FLYING HIGH.** With no local skate park, Kairi Stanbrook practices in Quincy. [Photo courtesy of the Stanbrook family]

After practicing her tricks for the Skateboarding National Championships, Hull third-grader Kairi Stanbrook went out for some ramen.

Stanbrook, who placed 14th in the 2022 Women’s Park National Championship semifinals, traveled to California to take part in the event – and, like always, after every skating session, she headed out for some ramen or sushi.

After Stanbrook qualified for the semifinals with a 50-second, unedited video of her skating, she was invited to California for the next round of the competition.

“I’m going to compete with Olympians, and my dream is to be an Olympian,” said Stanbrook, “so it’s one step forward to my dream.”

Those around her certainly support this dream, as Stanbrook’s parents and community have helped her every step of the way.

“We are not skaters, we don’t skate at all… a lot of things she’s learned has been from community people at the skate park,” said her Dad, Chris Stanbrook.

From her elementary school principal, Kyle Shaw, appearing at her birthday party at a skate park to the encouraging comments of her 600-odd followers on Instagram, Stanbrook “likes that a lot of people support me skating.”

In fact, Stanbrook has official support from S1 Helmets, her first sponsorship. Ryan Taylor of S1 saw her skating and approached her with the offer.

“He works for S1 helmets and ordered me stuff,” said Stanbrook.

Kairi Stanbrook competed recently at the national championship in California. [Photo courtesy of the Stanbrook family]

Even in the competitive environment of the National Championship, Stanbrook’s family reports that everyone has still been supportive and welcoming.

“It’s nice to have that competition where it’s just everyone supporting everyone else,” said Chris Stanbrook. “Even here at the national championships, everyone wants to see each other push themselves to do better.”

This isn’t Stanbrook’s first time – she enjoys traveling and has competed in many other competitions around New England.

“I sometimes feel nervous at first,” she explained, so to combat anxiety she looks at pictures of the skate parks she’ll be competing in and plans “runs,” or what tricks and courses she will do once she arrives.

Of course, her achievements have come from plenty of hard work. After months of practice, Stanbrook landed a kickflip – a trick where she jumps and her skateboard rotates 360 degrees before landing. To train herself, Stanbrook would hold on to a bar in her living room as she attempted the trick.

“Every single day I would do it… in six months I landed it,” she said.

Stanbrook doesn’t mind being the youngest at a competition or the skate park, in fact, she likes it “because they see what I can do, and what a little girl can do.”

“Not just adults can do stuff,” Stanbrook said. “Kids can do stuff too.”

Unfortunately, Stanbrook isn’t able to practice her skills in Hull. She used to practice at the ramp behind Paragon Boardwalk, but since it was torn down, “we have to get out of Hull and skate somewhere else.” Instead, she goes to Bare Cove Park in Hingham or another skate park in Quincy.

However, the Stanbrooks would love to see a skate park built in Hull. Kairi’s Mom, Yoshino, thinks having a skate park “right by the beach… would draw a lot of good crowds” to Hull.

“The kids get outside, and it’s safe and supportive and healthy,” added Chris Stanbrook. “Everyone thinks of skateboarders as being standoffish or mean, but everyone has been wonderful and supportive of her.”