If you’re a dope enough skater, then you don’t need me to tell you that the 3rd Annual Active Amateur Invite is going down this weekend.  Don’t let the flyer fool you.  This isn’t a contest for you TRANS AM enthusiast.  Although that would be pretty cool.  It would be the biggest gathering of old school mullets, hipsters, and bros in one setting.  But rather it’s an event for you amateurs good enough to be invited to partake to this mega event.

The contest takes place at Active Headquarters in Mira Loma, California on November 22nd, from 11AM – 5PM.  Over 35 of the world’s best skaters will be competing for a piece of the $12,000 purse and prizes.  Admission is free for those of you who can make it out.  If you can’t make it, well then you can view it online on the live web cast at Activerideshop.com. 

If you’re bitter and can’t make it out, maybe you should take the drive out to Active in Las Americas (where the heck is that?) for a Paul Rodriguez meet and greet.  Maybe he can influence you to be a better skate so that you can get the invite for next year.  This event takes place on the same day at 2PM.  And all Plan B decks are only $35.  Check out the flyer for more details. 

All the skaters winning the finals in each stop will take home the cash money prize and have a chance for the title of Sun Diego’s 2008 Am Slam Champion. Those interested in entering must register a Sun Diego shop. The first contest begins on May 24th. You can go to Sundiego for all the info.

With so many awards going to Pros these days, it leads one to believe that the amateurs are of a lesser kind. They are maybe lesser quality but definitely not of a lesser kind of human. That’s why it’s great to see their skills and attributes finally recognized at the first annual Spotlight Am Awards, which will take place at the ASR Tradeshow in 2009. It will be a different kind of awards ceremony with awards like Favorite New Am, Coolest Kid to Chill With, and Worst Haircut. They should probably add new ones like “most likely to become washed up” or “gnarliest ball buster”.

Check out this press release for more info.

SPoTlight Am Awards Announced 

SPoTlight Productions would like to announce the 1st Annual SPoTlight Am Awards, taking place during the ASR Trade Show in San Diego, January 2009. We know, it’s a ways away, but we wanted to get the word out early because the “SPoTlight Am of the Year” is going to be based on the 2008 Damn Am events. Here’s how it’s going to break down:

All Damn Am events follow the same format – timed runs with the top 30 making the cut to the Semi-Finals on Sunday. Once a skater makes the cut to Sunday during two separate Damn Am events, they are in the running for “SPoTlight Am of the Year.” Their highest scores from those days are then averaged together for the final score, indicating who will be crowned Champ.

This year the Damn Am will be traveling to Minnesota, Amsterdam, Vancouver, Costa Mesa, and finally Tampa, for the coveted Tampa Am. Beginning in 2009, Damn Am will also be adding a stop way Down Under in Melbourne, Australia.

In addition to the highly coveted “SPoTlight Am of the Year” award, we’re working on other less-serious categories as well, such as Favorite New Am, Coolest Kid to Chill With, Worst Haircut, Changed Up His Kit, and so on. So if you’re over every party at ASR that you can’t get into because you’re too young, or you’re tired of getting “tickets” to find out that you have to wait outside the club for two hours and still not get in, come check out the SPoTlight Am Awards. We’re talking bands, food, and the usual damn good time that you’ve come to expect from the Tampa crew.