The first and only skateboard I ever owned was from Kmart. It had plastic wheels and painted on the bottom of the board was a bulldog with a stupid smile, as if it had just remembered an inside joke. The board was also wide enough you would think I wore clown shoes as a kid.

Looking back, I now believe my mom bought the skateboard thinking that if falling on my face all day didn’t do the trick, other skaters would take one look at the board and shame me into swearing off skating forever. Either way, she succeeded.

For Tim Brauch, none of this happened. The San Jose native became a pro skater by the age of 15 and went on to become one of the best in the world before his life was cut short by a heart attack at 25. Remembered more for his outgoing nature and affinity for interacting with fans—especially kids—than his tricks, Brauch’s legacy lives on in the annual Tim Brauch Memorial Skateboarding Contest, which will be taking place for the 13th year this Saturday at Lake Cunningham Skate Park.

While the event is expected to draw almost 2,000 fans and some of the most famous skaters in the world, Joel Gomez, founder and CEO of Sessions, says it’s all about giving back to the community and remembering one of San Jose’s finest. “This day is to celebrate the memory of Tim Brauch and for everyone to come out and have fun,” says Gomez, who was Brauch’s first sponsor. “It’s not really competitive.”

Any proceeds from the competition, which is open to fans for a $2 donation, will go toward funding local skate parks and sending underprivileged kids to skate camps, Gomez says.

The event starts at 10:45am with the women first to drop into the bowl, followed by amateurs, pros and legends. There’s no word on which legends will show, but the potential guest list reads like a Tony Hawk video game lineup.

Is This the Week?
If you think this is when I’m going to pile on San Jose State University football for going more than a year without a win, you’ve come to the wrong place. Let’s get this dirty little secret out of the way: I’m a Detroit Lions fan. Yes, I’m talking about the same disgusting Lions that went an entire NFL season without winning one game a few years back. My bar tab that season was off the charts. I would never wish such a horrible year of fandom on even my worst enemy.

So while the Spartans (0-3) have now gone a full year without a win, it’s important to note that they were victorious once last season and look poised to get the monkey off their back Saturday when the New Mexico State Aggies (1-2) come to town.

SJSU owns the series between the two schools 15-3, but the Aggies won last year’s game on a last-second play. Kickoff is at 1pm and games normally last a few hours. With a win, though, the afterparty could last much longer.