Professor Holly Thorpe on Stoke, Action Sports Culture, and Supporting Joyful, Creative Experiences for Our Kids

Professor Holly Thorpe, a leading voice in the sociology of sport from the University of Waikato, is an action sports advocate and someone who’s spent years studying the social dynamics of movement and play.

In this episode, Holly shares her journey growing up in Gisborne’s tight-knit windsurfing and skateboarding community, where the learning came from peers, not coaches, and where the natural environment played as big a role as the people did. We discuss the idea of “stoke” — that deep sense of joy and freedom that lives at the heart of action sports — and explore how we might protect and promote that same feeling in more traditional sporting spaces.

We also dive into the challenges girls and women still face in these environments, the impact of family and community, and what happens when sports like snowboarding and skateboarding become Olympic disciplines.

Enjoy!
 

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