The Maloof U Skate Madness contest is showcasing talent in street skating, much different than the pool or half pipe skating that has been popularized by movies.
The top 64 videos will be posted to the Digital College Network (DCNLive.com) to be voted on by website members. From there, the top 16 rated videos will be viewed by a panel of judges, where they will narrow down competition to the final four. The finalists will meet in Panama City at Spinnaker Beach Club to compete for the top prize of $10,000 along with the bragging rights of being the number one college skateboarder in the country.
Not one FAMU student, however, has registered for the competition.
Many of the entries feature two minute long videos of constant tricks. Seamlessly moving from intimidating ollies to lengthy nosegrinds, the street skaters show the freedom of street skating and the athleticism that can come from skateboarding.
Skateboards are a common mode of transportation for many college students and Florida A&M students are no different. On Facebook, a group was formed to show support for skateboarders on campus in the hopes of starting a skate club for the university.
Cameron Jenkins is a junior cardiopulmonary science student and founder of the group.
“I know this is kind of unheard of, but I would love to show people at my school the beauty of what me and a lot of other people do,” Jenkins wrote.
The contest was launched through the joint efforts of Maloof Skateboarding and the Digital College Network.President and CEO of the Digital College Network Chris Esposito said he looks forward to turning the championship competition into one of the “most coveted prizes on the American college scene.”
“It is a pretty awesome competition,” said Jenkins, who entered in multiple skating competitions when he lived in Germany. “I haven’t put a lot of thought into entering the competition because I have been really busy with school, but it is definitely a thought.”
“We wanted to bring camaraderie and competitive spirit between colleges to the world of skateboarding,” said Joe Maloof, founder of Maloof Skateboarding and owner of the Palms Casino Resort and the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
“We would love to get the word out to your student body, so your school can be represented,” said Devin McCloskey, public representative for Maloof Skateboarding.