Skate Moms Society: Motherhood, Confidence & Learning to Skate

By Shannon Hoffman, Founder of Skate Moms Society.

“ I didn’t start Skate Moms Society because I had everything figured out.  

I started it because I didn’t.

Like a lot of women, I found skating again—or for the first time—in the middle of real life. Motherhood, responsibilities, exhaustion… and still, this quiet pull to do something that was just mine.

Skating gave me that.

But what I didn’t find right away was a space that felt like it was built for women like me. Moms. Beginners. Women starting later. Women coming back after years away. Women who didn’t grow up in skate culture but still felt called to it.

So I created one.

Photos by Connor Hawkins | @hawkinsphotoink

Skate Moms Society started as a way to connect, but it quickly became something more: a space where women could show up exactly as they are, without pressure to be good, experienced, or fearless.

Because most of us aren’t fearless.  

We’re learning in real time.

Falling. Getting back up. Trying again.

And for me, it became even deeper when I started teaching my daughter.

I remember holding her hands as she learned how to drop in. Letting her feel it safely. Walking her through every step.

And then one moment, she looked at me like she didn’t need me the same way anymore.

She went for it on her own.

That moment was everything.

Because that’s what this is really about.

Not just skating, but confidence.  

Not just tricks, but trust.

I had to learn that the hard way.  

She won’t have to.

Photos by Connor Hawkins | @hawkinsphotoink

Skate Moms Society isn’t just about creating skaters—it’s about creating space for women to take up space in their own lives again.

To reconnect with themselves.  

To feel strong.  

To try something new without fear of judgment.

And now, it’s growing beyond me.

Photos by Connor Hawkins | @hawkinsphotoink

Women are connecting in different cities. Hosting meetups. Showing up for each other. Building something real together.

That’s always been the goal.

To remind women—especially moms—that they don’t have to sit on the sidelines.

They can drop in too.