I PITY THE FOOL TOO OLD TO SKATE!
Mr. T, Derrick Hayes Grind Lessons, Wellers 60+ Invert Tutorials, Dave Donalson Grill and Destroy! Hot Mic Chip Queso, Steve-O, Troy “T-Bone” Chasen, Todd Prince and Embassy, Big-O, Mike Kelly, Eureka Heights Brewing, Okie Boys, TX Thrashers, Bino, Bob Fox, Crane, Jesse Reed! Southside Skatepark Don’t Quit! – Micky Smith
What more could be said, Old Man Bowl Jam is the day when a gathering of like-minded survivors of the skateboarding experience join together to celebrate their insanity. Southside Skatepark is there to prepare and host these lifers as we have for the last 30 years.
Derrick Showed No Pity to the Pool Coping but as Always a Class Act, Htowns Finest with 1st Place in 50+ Grand Masters!
Unknown Faces from Far Off Places Heard the Word of Skatelite Faces, Grizzled, Wrinkled, Broken, but Alive, Bold and Wild On Boards They Ride
Houston, Texas has a rich skate history. Downtown has always been a concrete jungle. Skateparks have come and gone, from Gulf Coast to Shut up and Skate. Ditches line the bayou, Pipeline to EZ 7, and legendary ramps like Kahuna and Hurricane. Vagabond pool, an occasional space rocket full pipe, parking garages, the Seawall, surfers were skaters and style was king. A family of shredders, Htown to Dallas, Corpus to Austin, Galveston to San Antonio, who lived to ride and had a Zorlac attitude. Many unsung heroes and a few etched into the Skate Hall of Fame, Tex Gibson, Jeff Phillips, Craig Johnson, Dave Donalson, Todd Prince, Ben Raybourn, and more!
Unsung Heroes and a Few Etched into the Skate Hall of Fame, Tex Gibson, Jeff Phillips, Craig Johnson, Dave Donalson, Todd Prince, Ben Raybourn, and More!
Since 2009 Southside Skatepark has Paid Tribute and Respect the Texas Legacy with the Old Man Bowl Jam
Since 2009 Southside Skatepark has paid tribute and respect the Texas legacy with the Old Man Bowl Jam. An open cage match for the unsung soldiers. A rite of passage for skate vets still hungry for glory. Most have resigned, retired, or thrown in the towel, but a few stubborn slashers roll forward unwilling to give up and give in.
Heads Up! 50 is the New 30 as Skate Pirates Redefine Age and Human Potential
Style becomes a reaction to action and the only rule remaining, is to GET RAD. Many local shredders were missed, caught up in the rat race, or unable to accept humility, but a chosen few arrived to lay their cards on the table, for better or worse, and a few walked away sore, hoping for more. Never assume victory has become a Proverb here, and egos beware!
Dave Donalson Bat Outta Hell Speed Freak Run Clocked Over 50mph
50+ was a real treat, proper technique and composing fluid lines under pressure takes lots of practice. Derrick Hayes showed no pity for the pool coping, lap after lap, forwards or backward with double-truck grinds, as one of Htowns most humble rippers, Derrick had the eye of the Tiger. Tulsa area thrashers” Okie Boys” Bryan McNair turned up the heat with lip wizardry like a young
buck. Brett Johnson took 3rd with precision annihilation including half Cabs over the hip and Indy picks in the deep. Dave Donalson bat outta hell speed freak run clocked over 50mph!
Tracy Weller Handplant Tutorials Give the Need for a 60+ Skate Diety Division. Chip on the Hot Mic Brings back the Sk8TV memories, he has become the “Marvin Zindler” of Skateboarding!
Jesse Reed Skate Magician went Houdini on the Shallow End with a Smorgasbord of Lip Puppetry taking home 1st Place in Masters 40-49!
40+ Jesse Reed skate magician went Houdini on the shallow end with a smorgasbord of lip puppetry. Ryan Crane in the membrane for prescribed destruction, a robot Terminator of sorts. Intense shredding from Robbie Booker, Chris Lopez, and others made a difficult job for the judges, these dudes were in it to win it, and attacked every wall!
Harley Till Straight Out of Somewhere King of the Hill Texas Cue Balled Himself into 1st Place with an ALL OUT Go for It Style All His Own
The youngin’s were not to be outdone and our Mini-Master 30-39ers went in on the bowl with a vengeance. Each and every one of them skated hard as Jimmy’s skate rock band Shred the Deck attacked their set. Harley Till straight out of somewhere King of the Hill, Texas cue balled himself into 1st Place with an ALL OUT go for it style that impressed everyone on hand to witness it. Southside’s own Richard McDonald back from a stint in VB came through with consistency and surgical execution of the lip itself to lock up the 2nd place spot. 3rd went to Gianluca Balochini who was best described as “Gallager” on a skateboard with funky, zany, maneuvers that spoke a new language, had me thinking I was at a Devo concert.
Shred the Deck Attacking Their Set at Old Man Bowl Jam 2023!
30+ Street Jam was a First this Year and Won’t Be a Last
Set Ablaze by Houston’s Finest and Daze Skateboard’s PRO
1st Place Recipient Nip Frazier Rappin Ass Skater
Few dared to enter the 30+ Street Division, where have all the skateboarders gone? Those on hand put it down and were happy to not be participating in a carcass huck of an event. Creativity and consistency dominated the score sheets, set ablaze by Houston’s finest 1st Place recipient Nip Frazier Rappin’s Ass Skater! Ben Beinke smash slappied and dark slid his way into 2nd with the Texas cue ball Harley Till catching 3rd when the dust settled. Old ghosts Mike Kelly and Micky Smith played along, rolling up their socks and rolling in just to spite the children. Bigo noseslid the entire course while Dakota Roberson’s back smith of the bank to wall was questionably the best trick of the contest.
Double D BBQ was Served to Hungry Unruly Menaces Babysat by the Embassy Gang, while Eureka Heights Brewing kept the crowd from Rioting, and No One was Left Hungry
John Moore Live and DG Jared Pitched in on the Grill Banging Out 50 Pounds of Pichana Steaks Seered to Perfection
After the event, Dave Donalson Double D BBQ was served to hungry unruly menaces babysat by the Embassy gang, while Eureka Heights Brewing kept the crowd from rioting, and no one was left hungry. John Moore Live and Jared pitched in on the grill banging out 50 pounds of Pichana Steaks seered to perfection. Complimenting Dave Donalson’s bacon wrapped stuffed sausage and incredibly well prepared baked potatoes with all the fixings coming right out of a micro-fridge on site. Bellys were full, smiles were wide and everyone was happy just to take a moment to be together enjoying the survival state of mind upon the conclusion of the skateboarding portion of the day.
Special Appearance by Steve-O, Indy Godfather, Made the Party Even More Special for the Crowd on Hand
Just when you thought the day couldn’t get any more outlandish in walks Steve Olson himself. Complimentary of Southside Skatepark hit our ears and certainly stoked our fires as he blessed us with compliments of the bowls and the facility itself. Considering how hard we have been pushing it these last few years it was as if we hit the finish line taking the checker flag ourselves. Needless to say we were happy to show him exactly what Texas is made of.
