When did you start skating and why?

I started skateboarding around 2003. Some of my family were cruising on an old board in front of the apartment I used to live in. I thought it looked really fun and asked for a skateboard for my next birthday.

Allysha Le Lien Air

What are your top tips for someone who wants to get into skating or learn how to skateboard?

Don’t be afraid to get out there. I know how skateboarding in public or around a group of people can be intimidating, but focusing on having fun and progressing is one of the best rewards that comes from skating, and eventually some of those people you were scared to skate with/talk to before might become your friends. Also, expect to fall.

Is there anything you wish you could tell a young Allysha when she first started skating?

I would tell myself to skate everything and not just focus so much on the things I had to skate in contests. These days I wish I was a more well-rounded skater (able to skate park, street, bowl/vert), but I guess it’s never too late to start learning.

Who are your favourite skaters?

All of my friends and too many other skaters to name! I really enjoy watching Peter Hewitt, Mike Frazier, Jimmy Wilkins, Sam Beckett, Max Schaaf and Ronnie Sandoval, to name a few.

You’ve skated in some of the world’s biggest skate competitions from a young age, how did you get into that?

It started with asking my mom if I could skate local contests and eventually I heard of other events happening up and down California, some out of state as well. If my parents could afford to take me to a contest that was a little further away, I would get so stoked. 

When I was about 11, I met Tony Magnusson. He’s a professional skateboarder who sponsored me for Osiris shoes and mentored me a bit when I was young. I learned a lot from skating with him and he was one of the first people to really push me to try to enter the bigger events, he told me about the Combi Pool Party, X-Games and Dew Tour. I started to enjoy skating vert ramps a lot more after I had met him, he is the reason why I was invited to my first X-Games. 

Allysha Le FS Smith Grind

How is it skating for Dickies?

I back it. Skating for Dickies is the absolute best. I enjoy skating and hanging out with everyone on the team and it’s really cool to have the opportunity to go on trips with them. Love my Dickies fam.

I also don’t think I could ask for a better team manager, shout out to Joe (Monteleone). He is always making sure we are all happy, healthy and stocked up on clothes. Shout out to everyone at headquarters too, thank you.

Allysha Le Method Air

What’s next for you?

At the moment I want to stay healthy and happy during this lockdown time. I’ll be watching skating videos and going to private skateboard ramps (without many people and at a safe distance from the few) if I have the chance. Reading a lot and trying to keep my brain and body active as much as possible.

After that, hopefully, contest and skate trip dates will return back to normal schedule. I’ll keep trying to make it out to the events I want to go to and keep working on filming a video part.

If you want to hear more from Allysha, check out her Behind The Board interview below.