Female skateboarders often feel pressured to adopt baggy clothes and masculine aesthetics. Sterre Meijer skates in flowy dresses and crop tops, and still lands difficult tricks that leave viewers rewinding her videos in disbelief. This 20-year-old Dutch athlete has amassed millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat, while partnering with brands like DVS Shoes, all while maintaining her personal style.

Sterre’s journey began far from social media fame, however, with early roots firmly planted in the water rather than on pavement. 

“I’ve always been into sports,” she explains. “When I was five, I started windsurfing because my brother did.” Her natural talent led to competitive success, including her title as the Dutch Freestyle Windsurfing Champion in 2019.

The transition to skateboarding came somewhat by accident. During downtime at windsurfing competitions, Sterre would skate to pass the time. “I went skating when I had to wait for wind, and then I skated more and more and liked it,” she recalls. This casual hobby gradually grew into a passion that would ultimately transform her life.

Her windsurfing background provided a strong athletic foundation, while skating offered a new form of creative expression. “I windsurfed every day until I was 16,” Sterre says. “We windsurfed whenever there was wind, even during school.” Eventually, the consistency of skating won out over the unpredictability of windsurfing conditions.

An Accidental Rise to Fame

Sterre’s initial motivation for content creation wasn’t fame or fortune. It was simply documenting her progress. “I just wanted to show my progress, and my brother and mother sometimes filmed me,” she says. Her mother’s impromptu filming session at the skatepark, one that Sterre initially resisted, changed everything when the video garnered 6 million views.

“Then I skated with my filmer and friends, and he filmed me every day,” Sterre says. “I posted videos once a week or once a month and grew to 100,000 followers really quickly.”

When her videos began gaining traction, Sterre faced a pivotal decision. “The first year I started content creation, I was in my last year of school. I was about to graduate in six months, and then suddenly had a lot of followers,” she explains. “It was a decision: either finish school and go to university, or quit and skate every day.” She chose the latter, trusting her instincts despite having good grades.

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Standing Out in a Male-Dominated Field

What separated Sterre from other skaters wasn’t just technical skill – it was her willingness to embrace her femininity in a sport historically dominated by masculine aesthetics. “Normally, when you’re a skater girl, especially four years ago, you wore only baggy clothes and sweaters. And when you didn’t, you got a lot of hate,” she reveals. “But I didn’t change. I got hate, but also love for keeping my style.”

This distinctive style was simply Sterre being herself. Her brother Tijmen explains, “Sterre especially blew up since she was one of the earlier girls, maybe one of the biggest skater girls, who dresses ‘girly’ and is still very good at the sport.”

“It was always natural because as a little girl, I loved flowy dresses and dressing up as a princess,” Sterre reveals. “In school, I wore crop tops and shorts. That’s always been my style.” This genuine approach created a visual contrast that captivated viewers. Tijmen notes, “Sometimes you don’t expect a dressed-up girl to do a difficult trick. And then people are like, ‘Whoa, did I really see this?’ and rewatch it.”

The conversation around her appearance fueled her growth. “People are surprised by what they see,” Sterre observes. This element of surprise and visual contrast has become a signature aspect of her content.

The Progression of Content Creation

Over time, Sterre’s approach to content creation has become more refined. “I’m much more critical about what I post now,” she says. “We focus on good filming and good skating, kind of perfectionist. I used to post random tricks I liked.”

While her content has developed, her commitment to being genuine remains consistent. “I just do what I want. I don’t adjust to anything. I stay me and focus on sport and content creation,” she says.

Her filming process varies from structured to spontaneous. “Sometimes I’m just skating, and when I have a good day, we film. I edit right away and post the next day,” Sterre explains. “Sometimes I plan ahead – what outfit, what brand – and then we film, I edit, and post.”

Despite now having more than three million followers, Sterre maintains a practical approach to social media strategy. “I still don’t understand TikTok. I got one million followers and still don’t understand it,” she admits. “It works, so just do it. You don’t really have to know how. It comes with time.”

Platform Management

Sterre uses multiple social media platforms. Her content structure spans across multiple networks, each serving a specific purpose.

“My daily pictures go on Snapchat, just randomly. Exclusive content goes on Passes. Vlogs and long-form go on YouTube, like showing my day or reacting to hate comments,” she explains. “YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook are kind of the same.”

For Instagram, Sterre is particularly selective: “I’m really critical about what I post on Instagram. Not just anything.” TikTok, by contrast, allows for more experimentation: “On TikTok I’m more easy. It can just go viral randomly.”

Approach to Brand Partnerships

Unlike many who chase brand deals early, Sterre took a deliberate approach. “I haven’t been doing it long, and I wanted to grow first before accepting brand deals,” she explains. “My brand is me, and I didn’t want to be a small creator who does every brand.”

Her selectivity with partnerships stems from a desire to remain genuine. “I only wanted collabs with brands I really loved,” Sterre says. “It had to fit me and be natural. I didn’t care about money, just about not becoming a commercial page.”

When she does partner with brands, Sterre maintains a clear philosophy about product integration: “If I promote a shoe brand, I don’t make only close-ups. It’s me skating in the shoe. Maybe a short close-up, but not just the shoe, because people follow me for me.”

Sterre believes brands should trust creators. “If I work with a brand and make sure it’s visible, and they say, ‘We want it more or at the beginning,’ I can do that, but it’ll get fewer views,” she explains. “That means fewer sales.”

Red Bull invited Sterre to a skatepark event: “I basically did a collab post for them. It was more for an event – not promoting the drink, but the skatepark they built.”

Behind the Scenes: The Reality of Content Creation

Behind the glamorous Instagram posts and viral TikToks lies a grueling schedule. “I train in skateboarding six days a week. I go to the gym to improve more,” Sterre reveals. “I edit everything myself; YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok. We film every day. I also make photos for Instagram and Passes.”

The misconception that content creation is easy particularly frustrates her. “People say I have an easy life. But I never party or see friends. I’m 24/7 focused on this,” she says. Despite the demands, she emphasizes, “I love what I do. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Perhaps the greatest hurdle has been dealing with negativity. “One of the biggest challenges is seeing so much hate and having to accept it,” Sterre admits. “Sometimes you get a thousand love comments, but one hate comment sticks in your head.”

As her following grew, real-life interactions also became more complicated. “In real life, people treat you differently when you grow on social media,” she says. “In skate parks, people already have an opinion about you because they know you from social media.”

Sterre has also had to handle the business side of content creation. “Don’t expect too much when someone promises you something,” she advises. “I’ve had a lot of people promise me so much, and then you never hear from them again.”

These experiences taught Sterre to be cautious. “Never trust a random person,” she warns. “Be careful who you trust.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Perhaps most meaningful to Sterre is her impact on young girls entering the skateboarding world. “Since I – or any other girl – got big on social media with skating, so many little girls look at your posts as an example,” she says. “They see a cool girl skateboarding, and they want to do it too.”

This influence has led to tangible changes in skate culture. “I heard from my local skate park that mostly girls take skate lessons now. Two years ago, it was only boys.”

For Sterre, these interactions are deeply rewarding. “I like it when, at the skate park, girls come to me, like last time, a whole group asking for photos and autographs, wanting to skate. That’s the best,” she says.

What’s Next for Sterre?

As she continues to build her platform, Sterre’s vision remains focused on growth. “I just want to grow my skateboarding and socials, get really big, and improve at sports, especially skateboarding. I want to be a good skater, big on social media, and inspire others.”

When it comes to the advice she’d give young skater girls, her response reflects her development: “Don’t let anyone tell you what to do or stop you. If you fall, get back up and try again. It’ll hurt sometimes, but it’s worth it.”

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