Inspiring the Next Generation of Athletes
From the classroom to the skate park, Delaney Ball ’27 is one to watch.
A professional scooter rider, Delaney’s journey into scootering began in middle school, inspired by YouTube videos and local skate park enthusiasts. Self-taught and driven, the Palo Alto native quickly gained traction on social media, leading to multiple sponsorships with prestigious scootering brands like Tilt, Hella Grip, and The Vault Pro Scooters.
As one of the few female professional scooter riders in a male-dominated sport, Delaney emphasizes the importance of mentoring young female athletes and fostering inclusivity.
“Growing up in scootering, I didn’t really have a lot of role models to look up to, to show where I can go or where I can end up,” she said. “So I think it’s really important for me to give back and inspire young athletes, especially young women athletes and young girls, because it’s important for me to show them what they can do and where they can go in scootering.”
And Delaney is really paving the way for future scooter riders. Her achievements include being the first female athlete to grind the Hollywood High 16 rail (her photo was later featured on a Jones Soda bottle label), winning the Barcelona Street Jam twice, and designing her own pro model signature scooter deck, which is considered to be one of the biggest accomplishments in the scootering world.
Delaney, who is studying Communication Studies, credits classes like her public speaking class with Prof. Jason Jarvis for teaching her how to share her own story, speak on panels, and how to handle various audiences as a pro athlete. She is also a Gameday Ambassador through LMU’s partnership with the Rams, and hopes to someday pursue a career in social media and sports, while continuing to inspire the next generation of athletes.
“By sharing my story, I hope to encourage more women to join the sport and create lasting change both on and off the scooter deck,” she said. “I want to see more girls in sports and more girls in action sports, in general.”
