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

Your Name: Miss Cory Coffeycompetitiveness... thats what I didnt like about
Age: 24racing... I just look at it as me riding my bike
Hometown: Ojai, Californiahaving a good time, traveling the world, and
Sponsors: DC, Specialized, ODI, and Utopiameeting new people.Is it competitive among the
OpticsHow did you get started into riding BMX?girls, or is it more of a friendship?
There were some younger boys in myI think there are def. some people out there that
neighborhood that raced bmx bikes, and theyare competitive, but that comes with any sport. I
encouraged me to go get one... so I did andknow a lot of the girls are just like me and are
started going to the race track with them. I racedjust excited to see other girls riding.Where do you
for about 3 years and then realized that I didntsee the future of women's BMX going?
like to pedal all that much, so I started going to aHonestly, who knows. the world is endless in
local indoor skatepark and that was the beginningopportunities, and if we keep pushing the limits, it
of my ramp riding... 7 years ago, wow!You werecould be just like any other sport.Do other female
the first girl to do a backflip. What made you doathletes from other sports inspire you? If so,
it, how many times did it take, and whats thewho?
process behind doing it.Yes, I am always inspiried by other women
Yes, I was the first woman in the world to everathletes... Aimee Mullins is a para olympic athlete
do a backflip on a bike... I was 19 years old andthat is more than amazing... her courage, strength,
was spending a couple of months in Pennsylvaniaand her just being who she is pushes me. I think
at Woodward Camp.. A guy by the name of Jaythat the free skier Sarah Burke is awesome.. Lisa
Rodriguez was joking around with me one dayWhittaker in skateboarding is really awesome,
saying that we were going to learn backflips thatalong with Cara-beth Burnside in skating and
night... I said yeah sure whatever.. well I guess hesnowboarding.What else do you do besides riding
was more serious than I thought.. so that night IBMX - hobbies, activites, travels?
started learning them into the foam pit.. I thinkI love to hang out with friends, go to the beach,
the second try I actually got the rotation down,hike, eat food. Traveling is such an awesome thing
and within a week or so I was pulling them on theas well.. I love going to new places and meeting
box jump. I then unleashed it at a contest therepeople, experiencing different cultures/food.Do
at Woodward called the CFB contest. I crashedyou have a favorite movie star or movie?
pretty bad the first two times, but the adrenelineI have a few favorite movies... Vanilla Sky,
was pumping and I was determined to pull it... theDonnie Darko, and the Winged Migration.Who are
third time I pulled it. I never really thought it wasyour favorite bands / singers?
that big of a deal... now that I think back on it, it isBoySetsFire, The Spill Canvas, and Jose
pretty cool to make history. Basically its one ofGonzalez.Where is your favorite place to travel to
the easiest tricks in the book I think.. all you haveand why?
to do is commit to it... make sure you haveProbably the coolest place I've ever been was
enough speed, a good enough box jump, and justAfrica... I really want to go back there.. so much
lean back, spot your landing and there ya go!Whatstuff to do, beautiful scenery, amazing people,
other sports do you enjoy doing then?and just one of the greatest places on
I really enjoy snowboarding in the winter andearth!!What did you want to be when you were
occassionally mt. biking... I also like to play aroundgrowing up (besides a pro rider)?
on skateboards. I grew up riding a skateboard soI've always wanted to be a housewife. I'm also
its always fun.What was it like to be one of thecurrently completing my Bachelor of Science
only female riders in a male dominatedDegree in Fire Protection Administration
sport?Technology at Cal State Los Angeles.Do you have
Well when I was younger, I never really realizedany words for all the girls out there reading this?
I was the only girl at the skatepark. As the yearsIf you want something in life, go and get it.
went on, I thought it was pretty cool. I couldPractice really does make perfect. Don't ever let
keep up with the guys, and the guy to girl ratioanyone or anything stand in the way of your
was obviously in my favor. hahaBesides yourself,dreams!Shout Outs & Thank yous?
there are a number of other female rider whoThank you to Dwayne Taylor for always
have reallybelieving in me, friends, family, Specialized for
made some headway in pushing the sport foralways giving me my bikes, all my sponsors, and
the girls. What do you thinkto my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!Mark Sperling
about the women's scene as a whole?is a successful freelance writer, publicist and
I think that it is def. growing which is awesome..marketing consultant who's works have been
and I am seeing more and more events that areseen in a number of magazines and websites. He
including womens categories which is prettyis also founder of Girls Learn To Ride - the largest
awesome. A few years ago that was unheardand original series of female-only action sports
of...What women riders come to mind and whatclinics in surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding,
are your thoughts on yourwakeboarding, motocross, BMX, and mountain
competitive opponents?biking.
Thats one thing that I dont enjoy is