From Oakland to the podium: 11-year-old Oakland skater dreaming big

Oakland's pre-teen pro skater

At just 11 years old, Oakland's Anna Shea is making waves in the professional skating world. Shea, who went pro last January, has already become the National Champion in Park/Mini Girls Open Advanced, and she's not done yet.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Skateboarding originated in California in the 1950s, and has largely been a male-dominated sport since then. One Oakland resident is changing that dynamic, and her skills and age are turning heads along the way.

Since she went pro last January, 11-year-old Anna Shea has had a huge impact on the national skateboarding scene. She's already been named the National Champion in Park/Mini Girls Open Advanced, and earned second place in the Vert/Bowl Girls Open Advanced.

Learning to Go Big

The diminutive Shea cuts quite the figure, dropping into towering ramps that dwarf even full-grown adults. She said it took a lot of time and practice to get comfortable, and then confident, skating ramps that can measure 20 feet or higher, but now she loves it. Skating on such big structures reminds her that despite her size, she can still make big moves.

And she's still growing, she said with a grin.

A Pandemic Hobby That Became a Passion

Shea first picked up a skateboard when she was six years old, during the pandemic, when families everywhere were searching for safe ways for kids to stay active. Being outside felt like the best option, and her dad, Jesse Madsen, grew up skating, so the sport was familiar to him.

Shea dug an old skateboard out of the garage and started riding the sidewalks near Oakland’s Bella Vista Park. But she really wanted to make it to the local skate park, and made sure her parents knew. While at first they thought skateboarding might just be a phase, Shea was persistent. Just after her seventh birthday, she attended a week-long camp at Rob Skate in San Leandro.

That week culminated in a video message from Shea's instructor, telling her parents that she had real potential.

Believing in the Dream

When skating fans ask if Shea is dreaming of competing in the X Games, which has traditionally been the pinnacle of a pro-skater's ambitions, she makes it clear she's aiming higher than that.

About six months after she first grabbed a board, Shea and her family watched skateboarders compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was the first time the sport had been included in the games, and Shea announced she would one day be one of those skaters vying for the gold medal.

What could have been dismissed as a youthful boast is looking more and more like a prediction. With every competition, every new trick, and every run, Shea has made it clear she's working toward her goal of standing on that Olympic podium.

While she's focused on earning medals and titles, Shea is still riding for the same reason she always has: it's fun. That doesn't mean she doesn't feel fear — whether it's trying out a new trick or standing at the top of a particularly high ramp — but she pushes through and trusts herself to master each new challenge as it arises.

The Reality

Behind every young athlete is a family investing in their dream, and the Madsens are no exception. The family invests their time, money, and attention in helping Shea reach her goals.

Her father has said it's led to some tough decisions, and it's a process they navigate day-to-day. Shea has representation through the Wasserman Agency, and her parents and representatives work together to fund Shea's journey, and work with their limited resources. Jesse Madsen is a designer, and Shea's mother is a dog walker, so they have to be selective about what competitions they attend, and how often they travel.

Community support has been vital to Shea's success, and the family is grateful for the sponsorships that help ease the financial burden. Even so, Shea's parents carry most of the weight themselves. Madsen said it's a big commitment, and not an easy one, but seeing his daughter thrive makes it worth the sacrifice.

Off the board

When she's not skating, Shea is attending sixth grade at the Oakland School for the Arts. But even sitting at a desk, her mind is on her board. While it may be her favorite hobby, it's not her only one. She also enjoys making art, being in nature, and anything involving animals.