Parkour is my passion and it allows me to express myself freely…anywhere. I do not need to follow a routine and only do parkour when it is scheduled, nor do I need a specific location.  Any environment can become a playground no matter which way you look at it. That is what makes Parkour so special to me.  I get to challenge myself and feel incredible after I accomplish my goal because I worked hard and it shows progression. Parkour moves can also be used as example of mental problem solving, since obstacles are not always physical but sometimes mental.  I got injured in September of 2011 and got major knee surgery. I tore both meniscus and now have have another person’s ACL! I was in 9 months of recovery and started parkour again in September of 2012.

I got injured from jumping off a high wall and landing improperly on cement. Looking back, I realize that trying this risky move was a reaction to what I felt was judgment from other people and I wanted to prove that I could do a big jump.  It was a big lesson for me and made me realize that Parkour is my own journey and being a Freerunner for me will not be about proving myself to other people but will be my journey within myself with other freerunners who feel the same way.  My goal is to learn all I can to train more safely from now on!  Even though I had to halt my training for 9 months, I still manage to attend parkour jams in other states, as well as host them. From all that I have experienced, I want to help inspire people to do Parkour and to keep going when it seems impossible. I want women and girls to know that we are just as good as everyone else.

My mother being diagnosed with breast cancer has inspired me to create a Parkour jam in her honor and after 6 months of pursuing this new dream, I have finally gotten support to help create the jam. The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation and the WFPF are working with me to make this a truly important Parkour jam in Rhode Island. We plan on spreading awareness and raising money for the cause.  My message to women and girls…. Anything is possible, don’t ever quit, keep moving forward, even when something does not go as planned.

WFPF NOTE: Juliet Zailskas is the person who inspired the WFPF to start a WFPF “Lady-Mentor” program.  At age 16, she quietly reached out to the WFPF founders and explained that she thought there was a real need in the worldwide Parkour community to provide a place for women and girls who want to practice Parkour, train like everyone else, and mentor other people young and old and of any skill level to pursue their passion.  At age 17, she started organizing a Parkour event (to be held Spring 2013) in partnership with the WFPF and The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation. We are proud to announce that Juliet is a WFPF Affiliate from Rhode Island and a WFPF Lady-Mentor.  Juliet is still working on progressing in her Parkour practice but in our mind has shown true leadership and that is why we congratulate her and welcome her as a member of the WFPF family!