After months of planning, two best friends are gearing up for a
weekend of music, food and sports talent for local youth.
After months of planning, two best friends are gearing up for a weekend of music, food and sports talent for local youth.
The Second Annual Extreme Youth event kicks off Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at Gilroy Skate Park with contest registration for BMX and skateboarding events. Organized by Gilroy Police Officer Mark Tarasco and Gilroy Fire Paramedic Steven Hayes, the event was wildly successful last year, its first, Tarasco said.
“It was an awesome event with so much energy,” Tarasco said.
The duo launched the all day event, which provides a clean, safe event for local youth to showcase Gilroy’s BMX and skateboard talent. Through the event, Tarasco and Hayes hope to reduce acts of vandalism, discourage drug abuse and encourage education.
“Gilroy doesn’t offer much for kids and unfortunately that is one of the reasons we have gangs and vandalism,” said Tarasco, a member of the police department’s Anti-Crime Team.
Raised in Gilroy, Tarasco grew up as a skater and graduated from Gilroy High School and Gavilan College. He is now married with a baby boy. Born in Texas, Hayes moved to Hollister when he was young and grew up racing BMX bikes before he graduated from San Benito High School and Evergreen College. The two met through running police and fire calls together, hit it off, and are now best friends.
“Because of our backgrounds, we decided we should use our image and positions within the city and create an event for kids,” Tarasco said.
Laid back on the surface, the two surprised a few people last year when the rolled out the event with two helicopters, a U.S. Army Humvee, fire and medical apparatus, and numerous big-name sponsors such as Monster beverages, Hurley, Etnies, FOX racing and Costco, among others. Tarasco said he also appreciated donations from the Gilroy Gang Taskforce and Gilroy Firefighters.
When they’re not competing, contestants can take a load off by the stage where several local talents – Five Minutes to Freedom, Salmon, Galvanized Minds, The Holdup, B Nobil and Smokey the Giant – will play. Barbecue from Mansmith’s out of San Juan Bautista will be available.
Extreme Youth
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; registration from 9 to 10 a.m.
Where: Gilroy Skate Park, 400 Mantelli Drive
Details: Groups will be broken into ages 9 and under, 10-15 and 16 and older for BMX and skateboarding; safety equipment is required and contestants must sign a wavier and have parental signature
