Skaters of all ages gathered at the Old Armory Pavillion to compete in the first-ever Game of S.K.A.T.E. Tournament in Oxford. On Saturday, March 2, 16 of Mississippi’s top skateboarders competed for one crown as their friends and family cheered on the sidelines.
The skating competition consisted of several one-on-one battles. Each skateboarder did a trick, and the other attempted to match it. If they failed, they got a letter. Each competitor was allowed five failures; once the word “skate” was spelled, they were out. After a series of tough matchups, skateboarder Josh Stewart was crowned the winner.
Throughout the day, there were freestyle times in which skaters could relax and show their skills. The skateboarders helped one another perfect different skills and also helped mentor beginners. The sense of community was strong, as competitors and the community connected through their shared love of skateboarding.
The event was hosted by the Oxford Skateboarding Association and was sponsored by several Oxford businesses, including The End of All Music, High Point Coffee, Ollie’s Donuts and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.
“Working with local businesses and other organizations that want to support skateboarding is really cool to see,” Skyler King, president of the OSA, said.
King, a Northwest Mississippi Community College student, was unanimously elected president and chair of the OSA when the organization was first formed.
“A roadtrip across the country with my friend Mike Rains, godfather of OSA, sparked the conversation to start a nonprofit to work on expanding the Oxford skatepark. This was in March of 2022 when I was moving from San Francisco to Oxford. Mike was part of the original crew who developed the plans and raised money to get our current skatepark built back in 2006,” King said.
With the Create Foundation as their fiscal sponsor, the OSA is able to host events to unite the skateboarding community.
“We’ve had the roads closed off a couple times for us to skate down the hills and held competitions at the skatepark and Old Armory Pavilion. Every event we’ve had has been a little different, but they’re all based on community building (and) pushing for growth in the skateboarding community,” King said.
The OSA aims to be as welcoming as possible as they cultivate Oxford’s skateboarding community. Skateboarders young and old work together to support a common goal.
“OSA is creating opportunities for people of all ages to get outdoors and share a space with (people from) all walks of life,” King said. “Anyone can join. There’s no limitations and no skateboard experience required. The more support, the better.”
