Before she buckled up in one of the biggest trucks around, Rosalee Ramer took time to talk to some young girls about being one of the youngest drivers on the circuit.
Just 20 years of age, the Watsonville, California native gets behind the wheel of her 鈥淲ild Flower鈥� truck at arenas around North America.
At five-foot-six, Ramer is as tall as one of the massive wheels bolted on her truck.
On Friday (March 2), she and the rest of the Monster Jam-ers made dirt fly at Vancouver鈥檚 Pacific Coliseum in the first of four events this weekend.
Prior to the show, eight girls and their volunteer chaperones with were invited to a meet-and-greet with Ramer, the youngest female driver in the race series.
to read Ramer鈥檚 bio on the Monster Jam website.
She told them about how she learned the monster-truck trade from her father, Kelvin, who drives the Time Flys rig on the circuit, and about how she鈥檚 studying engineering at Georgia Tech in her time away from Monster Jam.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e really interested in driving, try go-karting, try dirt biking first,鈥� Ramer told the girls, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 about showing that interest and that dedication, and that can really propel you forward, in anything you want to do, really.
鈥淚 definitely had to have straight A鈥檚 in high school to be able to come out on weekends to race,鈥� she added, 鈥渁nd that was just my dad鈥檚 requirement, but still, it was about showing up and showing that you want it, that鈥檚 huge.鈥�
(STORY CONTINUES BELOW)
Arora, age 8, was among the girls who heard Ramer talk.
鈥淚 knew we were going to meet a driver, but I didn鈥檛 know she was going to be 20,鈥� Arora said.
Asked if she liked cars and trucks, Arora replied: 鈥淵ou know those fancy cars just with the one seat? I鈥檇 like to have one of those. A race car.鈥�
Her Big Sister, Vanessa Giornofelice, met Arora about 14 months ago.
鈥淲e have so much fun,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to be a little kid again.鈥�
Ariel, age 8, was at the event with her Big Sister, Michelle Taylor, who grew up in South Surrey and now lives in Vancouver.
鈥淭his is probably the coolest event we鈥檝e done so far,鈥� said Taylor, who first met Ariel two months ago.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a new connection, and we hang out once a week,鈥� Taylor added. 鈥淎t first she wasn鈥檛 really excited about this event until we talked about it more and then her dad was pretty jealous that we got to go, and then she was telling everyone at school she was coming here. I think everyone was jealous.鈥�
Taylor said she decided to volunteer as a Big Sister after hearing about it from a friend who lives in Edmonton.
鈥淪he said it was the greatest experience ever,鈥� Taylor explained, 鈥渁nd at first I was kind of nervous, the time commitment, and you never know who you鈥檙e going to end up with, but once I met Ariel it was pretty cool, and we鈥檝e had tons of fun so far and we look forward to our hangouts every week.鈥�
The opportunity for Big and Little Sisters to experience an event like Monster Jam is unique 鈥� especially when they get to meet a such a young female driver like Ramer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely an impactful thing to be able to spend time together at an event like this, especially something they maybe wouldn鈥檛 normally do, or get to do,鈥� said Stephanie Hall, marketing and communications manager with BC Sisters of BC Lower Mainland.
鈥淭his is super unique, and they get to meet a woman who is in a pretty non-traditional career, and so it鈥檚 really cool for them to see that, be here with their Big Sisters and learn about those kinds of opportunities.鈥�
(STORY CONTINUES BELOW)
This weekend, the Monster Jam event at the Coliseum features 鈥淲ild Flower鈥� and several other trucks, including 鈥淕rave Digger,鈥� 鈥淢AX-D,鈥� 鈥淓l Toro Loco,鈥� 鈥淗ot Wheels鈥� and others, plus ATV racing.
New for 2018, fans can vote for the truck winner in the donut, wheelie and freestyle competitions in real-time, in-arena voting via smartphones.
The action continues Saturday (March 3) with shows at 1 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.
For tickets and more details, call 604-252-3700 or visit .
