Queenslander Taniah Meyers has developed a deep passion for skateboarding since her early years in primary school. Growing up in Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast, she devoted countless weekends and afternoons to honing her skills at the local skatepark.

Now 22 years old, Meyers began competing in her late teens, representing Australia in prestigious skateboarding contests worldwide, including the 2018, 2019, and 2022 World Championships.

Driven by her own experiences, Meyers noticed a lack of opportunities for young children to engage in skateboarding. This realization led her and her partner Mikayla Senior to establish ‘Fastplant Skateboarding,’ an initiative aimed at inspiring and motivating kids to give skateboarding a try.

“Mikayla and I started Fastplant Skateboarding a couple of years ago in 2021. We came up with the idea when visiting her sister inland in the holidays and wondered what the kids do around town,” Meyers said.

“Coming from the Sunshine Coast where we have so many available activities in the holidays, we decided that it would be a good idea to bring some of that to the communities in rural areas.

“So every school holidays, we plan a two week tour hitting all different towns on the way and when we are back on the Sunshine Coast we run daily lessons at various skateparks. We are aiming to be able to bring skateboards to the communities to keep after we run the skateboarding lesson so they can continue to learn.”

Fastplant Skateboarding aims to go beyond merely teaching kids to skate. The organization is committed to helping the next generation explore various pathways within the skateboarding industry and the sport as a whole.

“We love to pass on our experiences and open kids’ minds to different pathways they can take within skateboarding, such as being a skate coach, judge, videographer, photographer, event organiser or work in sports management, for example,” Meyers said.

“I love skateboarding and the life it has given me and I only wish for others to find their passions and chase after their goals and dreams.

“There is no better feeling than seeing someone work towards a goal and getting to achieve it.”

Meyers has learned to strike a balance between her business responsibilities and her personal training. Just this week, she traveled to Argentina to participate in the San Juan World Skate Tour event, which is part of the qualification process for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

She acknowledges that staying organized is crucial to successfully managing these dual careers, as both contribute significantly to her purpose and passion.

“I think it is really important for me to have both a career with the business and as an athlete as I love to have balance in my life and I love to be able to give back to the community,” she said.

“I love to be able to put my passion into work and pass on my love of skating to the next generation. I also love being an athlete and seeing how far I can push my body and mind. Also as a business owner, I’m forever learning new things and pushing myself outside my comfort zone.

To maintain equilibrium between her business and personal training, Meyers emphasizes the importance of organization and allowing for sufficient rest. By diligently scheduling her commitments, she ensures that she optimizes her time and performs at her best in both areas.

Meyers recognizes that excelling as both an athlete and in a corporate career demands discipline and sacrifice. As we celebrate National Careers Week from 15-21 May 2023, she offers valuable advice to aspiring athletes considering study or work options alongside their sporting endeavors: find something you’re passionate about.

“The advice I would give to up and coming young skaters thinking about studying or working alongside their skating careers is to do something that they enjoy doing and to have a good balance,” she said.

“I would recommend keeping organised and having a schedule as it can get overwhelming and sometimes you can neglect one or the other. I love being able to put my time into being an athlete and owning a business and if that’s something you are interested in, give it a go – you’ll never know what you’ll learn along the way!”

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Photo Courtesy of Skate Australia

Courtesy Skate Australia