Nestled in an unassuming business park in Vista, California, lays one of the sickest bowls imaginable. This concrete masterpiece is fast, flowing, littered with unique features, and it’s indoors… it almost sounds too crazy to be true. The CA Training Facility is literally a skatepark designed as a training center for skateboarders destined for the Olympics this summer in Tokyo, Japan. Although the CA|TF is skate focused, they still offer BMX sessions on Tuesday nights for $25—which is steep for a park session, but even an Olympic training facility has to keep the lights on. The TF was also host to the Nirtro World Games in August 2018, which brought out some of the heaviest hitters of the Park world. But more on the local tip, Anthony Napolitan, who is no stranger to the contest arena, has a history with the TF, as well, and when the BMX sessions kicked in, the gears starting turning and the idea for Anthony to host a night was born. With help from Anthony’s sponsors Wienerschnitzel, as well as Profile, Colony, Maxxis, ODI, Ethika, and Medterra, the Bowl Dogs Jam was born. The Jam had a solid turnout with riders of all ages and skill levels on the deck together—from 8-year-old beginners to some of the very best riders in the world. The vibe was fun and laidback, but the session still got pretty heated—which you can see in the photos below and the video we’ll be dropping soon. But for now, here’s some words with Anthony Napolitan…
What was your motivation to do Bowl Dogs jam?
I’ve been pretty good friends with the CA skatepark crew for a long time. I got to know them pretty well when I was heavily competing in Megaramp/Big Air. When they started doing the BMX night every Tuesday, Jeff Jewitt had asked me if I wanted to host a night. So I hosted a Tuesday night and with not much promotion behind it and a few people showed up. It was still a really cool intimate kind of session, but I wanted it to be bigger! So we penciled this one in with more notice and got some brands behind it.
With a few bowl options in the SoCal area, what made you choose the CA Training Facility?
The CA training facility is a private bowl and that kind of opens the doors in the sense of being able to do whatever you want—meaning no permits and things like that. It’s kind of a nice safe zone to do something organized like this. I think it would be pretty difficult to hold an event like this in a public setting without getting into a little bit of trouble. Not to mention the whole concept was brought to me by CA Skateparks.
Thoughts on the turnout? For a Tuesday night, it seemed pretty good…
I was really stoked on the turnout. I know it’s super hard to get people out on a Tuesday and then have to pay $25 to ride. My whole thought process behind having Wienerschnitzel come in with a food cart and having a product toss was to offset that cost and hope everyone came out happy with a cool experience. I was able to get some amazing brands behind the event and with that came amazing products to give away. I’m pretty sure everyone went home with some swag and a smile.
Speaking about turnout, did Brian Hunt fly out from Texas just for the jam?
Brian was actually coming to SoCal for the vert contest the coming weekend. So I called him and put it in his ear about coming out early for the jam. If you know Brian you know that he’s down for a good time! I’m really happy he came. He rode non-stop and was killing it the entire time. He also almost beat the Wienerschnitzel hot dog cart eating record. The record is 14 dogs and I think he got 12 down!
The session was a mix of tops pros, to your everyday riders, to young kids just starting out on 12″ bikes. How’d it feel to see all those riders shredding together?
It was honestly awesome! I was stoked to see some of the top pros out to support the event. This event is really for the everyday riders and kids. I just wanted everyone to come out and have a good time on their BMX bikes. Those kids on the 12” bikes are unbelievably good! I’ve got a feeling I’m going to be watching them grow into their riding for a long time. The future is bright!
Do you have plan on doing any other jams? Yes, I for sure want to do more jams at the CATF. I’ve gotten an overwhelming response from this one and I’d love to do another jam towards the end of the year. I want to bring in more sponsors, more products and just keep growing the crowd and event. As long as I keep doing hosting events there, I will make it worth the $25 entree fee.
Anyone you’d like to thank?
I’d like to thank the California skatepark Training Facility for giving me the opportunity to host a jam at their perfect cement bowl. Big shout-out to Wienerschnitzel for bringing out the free food cart to feed everyone and anyone who showed up along with donating free food vouchers that went out in the product toss. All the sponsors who sent out product for the product toss. That kind of stuff makes an everlasting impression on a young person’s experience, so thank you to Wienerschnitzel, Maxxis tires, Profile Racing, Colony Bikes, ODI grips, Ethika and MedTerra CBD. I honestly couldn’t have done it without you guys. Another big thanks to Our BMX for coming out to cover the event. You guys rule!
Anthony Napolitan, to the moon and folded. 
Did someone say bowl jam? Brian Hunt jumped on a plane from Texas and wasted no time sessioning the tallest quarter in the building. 
You can never go wrong with a classic superman—Andy Buckworth knows this. 
Tucker Smith was full throttle every time he dropped in. 
The epitome of smoothness and style… Preston Okert 
Second hit of the day and Parker Heath was already killing it. 
Gary Young with the textbook tweakage. 
Despite every tranny in the park being taller than him, it didn’t stop 8-year-old Connor Stitt from racing around the bowl as fast as he could and hitting the box from every angle. This kid rips. 
Parker Heath, nothing. 
Jesse Gregory was holding it down for the ladies. 
Anthony was loving the quarter to wedge—one-footed table coming back the other way. 
Preston Okert. 
Unknown shredder. 
Asher Jorden gettin’ swaggy over the hip. 
Tucker Smith. Parker Heath. 
Brian Hunt, running down the trick list on the vert quarter. 
Connor Stitt, 360. 
Straightleg Andy Buckworth. 
Tucker Smith. 
Parker Heath was jumping this hip both ways, dark to light transfer. 
Parker, 360 toboggan. 
Brian Hunt. 
Andy Buckworth with the first of two whips. 
Anthony Napolitan, toboggan. 
Gary Young worked magic around the bowl all day. Here’s a deck line… two deck gaps, then a gap to wall. 
Jesse Gregory. 
Preston Okert floating. 
Connor Stitt, manual. 
Buckworth, jumping the whole damn thing. 
Anthony, alley-opp one-footed table. 
Connor, getting out over that coping. 
Wienerschnitzel kept bellies full all day. 
Who doesn’t love free stuff? 
Jack Evans, kicking off a foot over the hip. 
Nappo, alley-oop lookback. 
Buckworth, flip bar. 
Gary Young, cranking a turndown mid transfer. 
Brian, stalling on the edge of the highest bit of coping in the building. 
Product toss mayhem. 
Jack needs a backpack. 
Anthony Napolitan, Bowl Dog.
