Pioneer of Women's BMX Freestyle & First Women to do a Backflip - Cory Coffey

Your Name: Miss Cory CoffeyI just look at it as me riding my bike having a good
Age: 24time, traveling the world, and meeting new people.Is
Hometown: Ojai, Californiait competitive among the girls, or is it more of a
Sponsors: DC, Specialized, ODI, and Utopiafriendship?
OpticsHow did you get started into riding BMX?I think there are def. some people out there that
There were some younger boys in myare competitive, but that comes with any sport. I
neighborhood that raced bmx bikes, and theyknow a lot of the girls are just like me and are just
encouraged me to go get one... so I did and startedexcited to see other girls riding.Where do you see
going to the race track with them. I raced for aboutthe future of women's BMX going?
3 years and then realized that I didnt like to pedal allHonestly, who knows. the world is endless in
that much, so I started going to a local indooropportunities, and if we keep pushing the limits, it
skatepark and that was the beginning of my rampcould be just like any other sport.Do other female
riding... 7 years ago, wow!You were the first girl to doathletes from other sports inspire you? If so, who?
a backflip. What made you do it, how many times didYes, I am always inspiried by other women athletes...
it take, and whats the process behind doing it.Aimee Mullins is a para olympic athlete that is more
Yes, I was the first woman in the world to ever dothan amazing... her courage, strength, and her just
a backflip on a bike... I was 19 years old and wasbeing who she is pushes me. I think that the free
spending a couple of months in Pennsylvania atskier Sarah Burke is awesome.. Lisa Whittaker in
Woodward Camp.. A guy by the name of Jayskateboarding is really awesome, along with
Rodriguez was joking around with me one day sayingCara-beth Burnside in skating and snowboarding.What
that we were going to learn backflips that night... Ielse do you do besides riding BMX - hobbies,
said yeah sure whatever.. well I guess he was moreactivites, travels?
serious than I thought.. so that night I started learningI love to hang out with friends, go to the beach,
them into the foam pit.. I think the second try Ihike, eat food. Traveling is such an awesome thing as
actually got the rotation down, and within a week orwell.. I love going to new places and meeting people,
so I was pulling them on the box jump. I thenexperiencing different cultures/food.Do you have a
unleashed it at a contest there at Woodward calledfavorite movie star or movie?
the CFB contest. I crashed pretty bad the first twoI have a few favorite movies... Vanilla Sky, Donnie
times, but the adreneline was pumping and I wasDarko, and the Winged Migration.Who are your
determined to pull it... the third time I pulled it. I neverfavorite bands / singers?
really thought it was that big of a deal... now that IBoySetsFire, The Spill Canvas, and Jose
think back on it, it is pretty cool to make history.Gonzalez.Where is your favorite place to travel to
Basically its one of the easiest tricks in the book Iand why?
think.. all you have to do is commit to it... make sureProbably the coolest place I've ever been was
you have enough speed, a good enough box jump,Africa... I really want to go back there.. so much stuff
and just lean back, spot your landing and there yato do, beautiful scenery, amazing people, and just
go!What other sports do you enjoy doing then?one of the greatest places on earth!!What did you
I really enjoy snowboarding in the winter andwant to be when you were growing up (besides a
occassionally mt. biking... I also like to play around onpro rider)?
skateboards. I grew up riding a skateboard so itsI've always wanted to be a housewife. I'm also
always fun.What was it like to be one of the onlycurrently completing my Bachelor of Science Degree
female riders in a male dominatedin Fire Protection Administration Technology at Cal
sport?State Los Angeles.Do you have any words for all the
Well when I was younger, I never really realized Igirls out there reading this?
was the only girl at the skatepark. As the yearsIf you want something in life, go and get it. Practice
went on, I thought it was pretty cool. I could keepreally does make perfect. Don't ever let anyone or
up with the guys, and the guy to girl ratio wasanything stand in the way of your dreams!Shout
obviously in my favor. hahaBesides yourself, thereOuts & Thank yous?
are a number of other female rider who have reallyThank you to Dwayne Taylor for always believing in
made some headway in pushing the sport for theme, friends, family, Specialized for always giving me
girls. What do you thinkmy bikes, all my sponsors, and to my Lord and
about the women's scene as a whole?Savior Jesus Christ!Mark Sperling is a successful
I think that it is def. growing which is awesome.. andfreelance writer, publicist and marketing consultant
I am seeing more and more events that are includingwho's works have been seen in a number of
womens categories which is pretty awesome. A fewmagazines and websites. He is also founder of Girls
years ago that was unheard of...What women ridersLearn To Ride - the largest and original series of
come to mind and what are your thoughts on yourfemale-only action sports clinics in surfing,
competitive opponents?snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding,
Thats one thing that I dont enjoy ismotocross, BMX, and mountain biking.
competitiveness... thats what I didnt like about racing...