Skateboarding Contest at David L. Dirkse Skatepark, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

The David L. Dirkse Skatepark in Holland, Michigan recently hosted its first skateboarding competition on Saturday August 29th. Despite the stormy weather, a large crowd of skaters, family members and curious community members packed the new skatepark, which was designed and built by Spohn Ranch Skateparks earlier this year.

About 40 skaters competed in three divisions that ranged from beginner to advanced. Another 100 skateboarders watched or skated but didn’t compete. The event was organized and ran by Jeff Copmanger, father of the skater in the photo above and a huge catalyst for getting the skatepark built in Holland.  Good work guys, keep it up!

In preparation for the release of their highly anticipated new video Extremely Sorry, the Flip Skateboards team has been touring skateparks across the country.  Thrasher Magazine just posted a video clip of the Flip team, including Geoff Rowley, Mark Appleyard, David Gonzales, and Louie Lopez, shredding at Spohn Ranch’s Ambassador Skate Plaza in Wilmington, California.  Check it out here (it’s the second skatepark in the clip)

Fort Irwin Skatepark Grand Opening, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Click the photo above to see shots of the festivities from the Grand Opening of the new concrete skatepark at the Fort Irwin Military Base in Southern California.

The turnout for the event was unbelievable, with a crowd of over 300 skaters, parents, soldiers, and community members.  Fort Irwin/National Training Center Commanding General Brig. Gen. Robert “Abe” Abrams, son of the legendary General Creighton Abrams, was on hand to give an inspirational speech to the skaters about respecting the park and their fellow skaters.

“There are not enough words to adequately say thank you to each and every one of you for your support of our Fort Irwin Community. People on post can only say wonderful things about the design, the project and the incredible skaters who showed up for the event. Each of you made a huge difference in the lives of our Soldiers and their families yesterday. The skatepark is having a huge impact on our children and soldiers who need a place for recreation.” said Jackie Hoggins, Marketing Chief at Fort Irwin.

Read below for the story of how this skatepark project came to fruition.

Concrete Skatepark at Fort Irwin Military base, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

New Skatepark at Military Base Boosts Soliders’ Morale

Permission to shred sir? Permission granted soldier! With the help of Spohn Ranch Skateparks, the new 15,000 square foot concrete skatepark at the Fort Irwin Military Base in Southern California is being hailed as a tremendous success.

Fort Irwin, located just outside of Barstow in the remote Southern California desert, is the premiere National Training Center for all branches of the US Military. All military personnel being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan must first complete Desert Warfare training at Fort Irwin, which amounts to a large population of soldiers and family members on base looking for ways to occupy their spare time. After the idea of a new skatepark kept popping up at the family advocacy meetings, the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Department at Fort Irwin partnered with Spohn Ranch Skateparks, based in Industry, California, to build a skatepark that they could be really proud of.

The “Grind & Shred Skatepark”, as it was named by the skaters on base, replaced a much smaller existing skatepark that consisted of a few inadequate steel ramps. “Working with an experienced skatepark company like Spohn Ranch was very crucial,” said Jackie Hoggins, Marketing Chief at Fort Irwin. “They know the newest trends and how to design a skatepark that skaters young and old will love.” Spohn Ranch has worked with the US Military on skatepark projects across the globe, having completed skateparks at military installations in New Mexico, Japan, and most recently at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.

The skatepark is already being met with tremendous praise because of the benefits it will provide for different groups on base. “For the 12-18 year old age group, which is very difficult to keep entertained, the skatepark will provide the perfect venue for exercising and having fun,” said Maarten Voogd of Water Ventures, the contract holder of the project. With a parental figure absent and traditional sports becoming less popular, activities like skateboarding are a great way to keep kids’ minds focused on something positive. Failing to provide this vulnerable age group with facilities for the activities they enjoy leads to them finding less productive ways to spend their time.

For single soldiers on base who often feel left out of activity planning, the skatepark will also provide a new venue for social interaction and relaxation. Most important of all is the way in which the skatepark will become a critical piece of the family support structure. Soldiers can be much more focused on their work knowing their family is safe and occupying their time with positive activities. “Although it may seem obscure to some, we are proud to do our part in supporting the troops that are fighting for our freedom around the world,” said Aaron Spohn, founder and president of Spohn Ranch Skateparks.

The skatepark’s grand opening is set for Wednesday August 26, and will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, professional demos and a best trick contest.

Skateable Art bench for Gatorade, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Gatorade recently approached us about building benches for the 30 skateparks across the country that are part of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour. We fabricated wave benches made of galvanized steel and surfaced with Skatelite for each skatepark on the tour, which is going on right now. After the tour these benches will be given as gifts to the skateparks, where they will become permanent fixtures.

Click the photo above to see shots of the last Gatorade bench before it was shipped off to the Jaycee Skatepark in Joplin, Missouri.  With the addition of skateboarding phenoms Sean Malto and Chaz Ortiz to its team, Gatorade has made a pretty impressive entrance into the skateboarding world.

Skate Session at Liberty Lake Skatepark, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

On Saturday August 8th, Free Man skate gear, Merit board shop , and Pyramid skate and print shop put on a demo/session/BBQ at the Liberty Lake Skatepark in Washington.

This photo here is of Mikey Jr. and his grandpa Mike, who were the main driving force behind the skatepark project in Liberty Lake. They also went to the city and parks and recreation department and got permission to have the event. Mike was serving up free drinks and BBQ all day long. Great day in Liberty Lake!

INDUSTRY, CALIFORNIA -  Spohn Ranch Skateparks placed # 2,950 on the Inc. 5000, an annual ranking of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the nation, accounting for a combined revenue of $184.5 billion and 334 percent growth in 2009.  Spohn Ranch, with steady business even in the face of economic downturn, jumped almost 2,000 spots since their 2008 debut at # 4,798 – a strong indicator of the company’s continuing dedication to progress in the skatepark industry.

“Being recognized by Inc. Magazine is a great accomplishment, but getting today’s youth off the couch and into safe, engaging recreational facilities is the true reward, “said Kirsten Bradford, CEO of Spohn Ranch.  “It’s great to see that even in an economic recession, cities are still committing funds to recreational facilities for the kids.”

According to Inc. Magazine, Spohn Ranch is one of the “innovating companies that is creating jobs, redefining their industries, and shaping our world.” By branching out into new skatepark genres such as skate plazas and skateable art, Spohn Ranch keeps things fresh and is taking the industry to new levels. “Skateparks have come a long way since the early ‘90s when dropping a few steel ramps on a tennis court was considered building a skatepark,” said Aaron Spohn, founder and president of Spohn Ranch.  Consequently, Spohn frequently works with landscape architects and sculptural artists to create custom, integrated parks that become a showpiece for their communities.  “Approaching cities with a diverse project team shows them that a skatepark is not just something for skaters, but a vibrant public space that can be appreciated by anyone.”

By helping to educate cities on the wide-ranging benefits of a skatepark, Spohn Ranch has attracted more funding towards the skatepark industry, with the end result being more world-class facilities for skaters to enjoy.

Concrete Skatepark at Fort Irwin Military base, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Click the photo above to see shots of the skatepark construction that is in progress over at the Fort Irwin Military Base just outside of Barstow, in Southern California.

The Spohn Ranch construction crew has been working hard under the scorching desert sun to replace a small setup of steel ramps with a 15,000 square foot concrete skatepark. More info on this project and the grand opening will be coming soon.