The not-for-profit organization, Upward Intuition, invites local skateboarding enthusiasts to their Inaugural Blake Doyle Classic skateboarding competition at the Steve Morgan Skate Park on Saturday. The skate park is located near the Guy Thompson Community Center in Milton. Competitive skateboarders of several different age groups will have the opportunity to win cash and prizes at the event.
Jon Shell, event organizer and executive director of Upward Intuition, said proceeds from event will be used in the organization’s efforts to bring a skateboarding plaza to downtown Pensacola.
According to Shell, Pensacola currently has no public skateboarding locations. His organization’s first goal is bring one to Pensacola.
“There are a lot of activities for kids throughout the city,” he said. “They can play on sports teams and play in parks with swings and monkey bars…but there is a huge population of kids that are into skateboarding.”
Having children actively pursuing their passion in skateboarding will also keep them focused and out of trouble, Shell said.
According to the organization’s website, the plaza was proposed earlier this year and could potentially start construction by 2017. Shell said the organization is working with Pensacola city officials in order to make the skate boarding plaza a reality.
The event will also be honoring of Blake Doyle, who died from injuries received after being struck by a train in Pensacola earlier this year. Shell said Doyle was well known in the local skateboarding and surfing communities. Shell said Doyle was a “positive and charismatic” individual.
Shell wants Saturday’s competition to be the first of many in Milton, which will include food vendors and live music. In addition to awarding top placing skate boarders with $1,000 worth of cash prizes, event organizers will also be raffling off prizes donated by sponsors of the competition.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Upward Intuition’s Inaugural Blake Doyle Classic Skateboarding Competition
WHEN: From 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 24. Registration begins at noon.
WHERE: Steve Morgan Skate Park at the Guy Thompson Community Center, located at 5629 Byrom Street in Milton
COST: Registration is $10.
INFO: For more information on the event and Upward Intuition, visit their website at upwardintuition.com or their Facebook page at facebook.com/upwardintuition.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Skateboarding competition happening in Milton on Saturday