When Activision announced Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure™, you can imagine the hubbub among those small soon-to-be-real people also known as children. Simba and young Tarzan pulling ollies with the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater® 4gameplay engine technology? You have to admit, for the young, or simply the young at heart, it’s a wonderful adventure to imagine. And, the first time you see Woody boarding around Andy’s Room, getting some air off the toy chest, and then grinding a full loop along the racing track, you can’t help smiling.
But, your smiles would never match the thousands of skate-fanatic kids that got to come out and audition to be in the video game… or those extra-wide grins of the 10 finalists who were chosen to be part of the Extreme Skate Crew and will be animated forDisney’s Extreme Skate Adventure.
As if kids aren’t animated enough.
So, who are these talented, soon-to-be-cartoon kids? Activision’s first casting call was held at the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encintas, Calif. Radio Disney came out to the event, and fun was had by all. California turned out to be a gold mine of youthful skaters, with five of the 10 finalists coming out of The Golden State.
Ryan is eight. He loves Invader Zim and Rocket Power. (Hrm, cartoons about kids on skateboards and surf boards? Well, duh!) He and Matthew, age 14, are both from San Diego. Matthew likes skateboarding, biking, Legos, and playing video games—good choices all! Want to bet they both have Xbox video game systems by now?
Little Andrew, from Cardiff, Calif., is only 6 years old. This daredevil likes the Beastie Boys (sorry, mom) as well as skateboarding, soccer, BMX-ing, snowboarding, surfing, and baseball. Whew! Watch out Tony Hawk and about a half-dozen other extreme-sport idols … this kid has all your numbers, and he’s only going to get better.
Lauren and Rachel, two of the three girls selected to be a part of the Extreme Skate Crew, are also from California. Lauren, age nine, is from Rancho Sante Fe. This freckle-faced little girl loves cheese pizza and the music group Blink 182. Rachel, age 12, loves ice cream and chocolate, pop and hip hop, and Lizzie McGuire. She’s into skateboarding, ice skating, and soccer.
Denver’s Casting Call was held at the Vans Westminster Skate Park. The line was practically a mile long. The Centennial State is where Activision found Miles, age 14. From Aurora, Colorado, he watches the television series CSI and enjoys basketball as well as skateboarding. Jonathan and Hayden are also from Colorado. Fourteen-year-old Jonathan, from Arvada, is big on pizza, The Simpsons, and Good Charlotte. Hayden, 11, is from Denver. He has an all-teeth grin, can’t get enough of mac-and-cheese or American Idol, and is also a Good Charlotte fan. Must be something in the water.
The third and final Casting Call came to Moorestown, N.J., at the Vans Moorestown Skate Park. Once again, Radio Disney and a lot of enthusiastic kids made for an exciting day. Twelve-year-old Sam, from Mt. Laurel, N.J., likes both Led Zepplin and Guns ‘N Roses. He’s also a fan of Saturday Night Live. Mallie, the third girl on the Crew, is 10 years old and from Pedricktown, N.J. She likes skateboarding, soccer, basketball, and SpongeBob SquarePants. Two more wonderful additions to the Extreme Skate Crew.
A voting poll done by Activision has selected two “superstar skaters” from this talented field, who will be featured even more prominently in Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure—a nice add-on feature, even though each kid has already been treated to a dream. They’ve been part of a huge event and are being animated to take their place in Simba, Woody, Buzz Lightyear and young Tarzan’s worlds. And, if you think they aren’t excited about that, all you have to do is look at their faces, animated or real, and see it for yourself.
