The second annual Game of S.K.A.T.E., an event held by the nonprofit Oxford Skateboarding Association, will take place this Sunday, March 2, from 12-4 p.m. at the Old Armory Pavilion.
The event is free to the public, and all are invited to attend.
Skyler King, a junior business major and president of OSA, explained what the game of S.K.A.T.E. entails.
“The game of S.K.A.T.E. is much like a game of H.O.R.S.E. in basketball. You or an opponent sets a trick, or shoots a ball, and the other person has to match that trick,” King said. “Otherwise, you get a letter. First one to S.K.A.T.E. is out.”
King explained that the nonprofit decided to start this event last year to encourage healthy competition in the skateboarding world and highlight the community members who support the sport.
“The Game of S.K.A.T.E. is pretty well known in the world of skateboarding, and games get played all the time at local skateparks. So we figured we’d just do a big game of S.K.A.T.E. and make it fun by inviting some of the best skaters from around the region to compete for first,” King said. “We had a ton of good feedback from last year’s event which is why we decided to do it again this year.”
While skaters had to be invited to participate, audience members can expect food and raffle opportunities and witness local talent.
“Anyone who attends can expect a good show from the skaters and some amazing food provided by Shwae’s Farm. The audience also has the opportunity to win some cool products from our sponsors as we raffle off products to support our monetary efforts for the future expansion of the Oxford Skatepark,” King said. “So not only does the audience get a free show with free food, they also have the opportunity to support the future of skateboarding in Oxford.”
The sponsors for this year’s event are: 662 Jiu-Jitsu, Change, High Point Coffee, Ollie’s Donuts, Satori Movement, Sector 9 Skateboards, Gullwing Truck Co., Shwae’s Farm, Simply Clean Oxford, Thrasher Magazine, Trophy Shop Oxford and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.
King’s brother, Joshua Judkins, is the owner and operator of Shwae’s Farms which is a Game of S.K.A.T.E. sponsor and a blueberry farm in Water Valley, Miss., that started in 2023. The farm will be serving free brisket sliders at the game. Judkins wanted to be involved to support his younger brother and the community as a whole.
“We support our community events. We feed the people we love, and we do our best to love everyone,” Judkins said.
Mitch Loughridge, the manager of High Point Coffee, has been extensively involved with OSA. Loughridge explained why OSA started hosting community events.
“We all started talking about raising money and trying to get a better skate park or our skatepark improved upon, or because our stuff is really outdated. To a new person, it’s downright dangerous, like there’s really no beginner obstacles at our skatepark,” Loughridge said.
A majority of the money donated by sponsor businesses goes to the prize purse, which goes to the skateboarder who wins the last game of S.K.A.T.E. In addition to prize money, the first place winner will receive a trophy. The second place winner will receive a trophy donated by another event sponsor, Trophy Shop Oxford. For Loughridge, who will act as this year’s referee, the event is about more than winning a prize.
“We do all of this because this won’t raise much money for us, but it raises awareness, and it’s just something to bring skateboarders together and the community to come and watch and see what we do,” Loughridge said. “I feel like a lot of the time, skateboarders get a bad name just from the past, right? But we do things for the community, we always have.”
