The AMS

Thrasher Magazine, May, 2003

ONCE AGAIN, the biggest conversation starter of the year was, "Have you heard about this new guy?" Unknowns continued to salt the slug of professional complacency, sparking bidding wars and pusing the do-nothings off the pages and into desk jobs. Think you've got the juice to make a run in the sponsor realm? Well get out there! The door's still swinging wide...

TONY SILVA

Another next-generation Badlander, Tony's young, consistent, and down with Fowler. Switch kickflip

JASON JONES

Got hooked up by "Bad" Chad Fernandez to rip for the World team. If that mega crooks and wasn't enough for you, check this front blunt to fakie. It's on

GREG MYERS

He may be small, but Greg Myers can toss the carcass better than men twice his age. The switch backside 180 at Rincon hints at bigger things to come from this Seek/DC upstart. Switch frontside flip

PETER RAMONDETTA

The Titan from Tulsa, Ramondetta's scarier than Mic-E on board, and funny as Gerwer off. Crooked grind with stairs to spare

ALEXIS SABLONE

The first girl to catch the critics' eyes since Steamer, Alexis lays it down with proper flippage, no-bullshit sponsors and membership in one of the heaviest East Coast crews, Coliseum

BRYAN HERMAN

Last month's cover boy, Herm is a versatile shredder with a style not unlike the man who signs his checks. Textbook three flip in Oz

JOEY POIREZ

Light as a feather, sweet on the board, Joey's not afraid to toss his 90-ought pounds at every rail in sight, grabbing the attention of heavies like Volcom, Birdhouse and Emerica. Gap to nose skid at the Post Office

PETE ELDRIDGE

A veritable veteran on the East Coast am circuit, Pete skates switch so often people are wondering whether he should even claim goofy. His Bootleg board should be out by the time you finish this sentence

KEVIN LONG

Everone's favorite little buddy, Kevin crushes contests, brings the video bangers and shakes the fans' hands with a smile. He's class act whose pro model will fly off shelves when he finally decides to take the plunge. Nosegrind in OZ

KURTIS COLAMONICO

Gets his monkey on with prodigious precision, the energy of a two-year-old and a propensity to put new twists on old standards. Frontside blunt shove

SCOTT KANE

Nothin' but bangers for this Bootleg behemoth-switch heel front nose, switch front blunt and a world's record backside noseblunt. Along with Darrel, definitely the hottest am in town. Frontside half-cab flip.

JOSH HARMONY

The photographers got so excited about Harmony's monster rail skills and handsome head of hair, they almost forgot to let you know he's handy with the flippers. Along with Dirty Billy, Josh makes Toy Machine one of the gnarliest squads around. Backside heelflip

CALE NUSKE

An Aussie powerhouse in the tradition of Mumford, Bartie and Jeff "Skunk" Williams, Cale pulled a sneak attack on the US with retardedly-good ads featuring the newest trend in skating: gigantic and tech. Gigantech? Nollie heel noseslide

COOPER WILT

The pride of San Pedro, Coop mixes top-20 rail moves with harsh tranny bombardment to lead the South Bay into the future. Switch backside tail. Mike Watt would be proud

ZERED BASSETT

What other am can do a snowboard flip in his swimming trunks in the morning and switch backside Smith a gnarly ledge that afternoon? Gotta be Dr Z. Switch ollie the famous 16

DANILO CEREZINI

A contest destroyer, Cerezini caught the eye of the Flip boys and has been taking it to the streets ever since with a flick reminiscent of fellow-countryman Rodrigo TX. Kickflip noseslide

LEO ROMERO

The mags are clogged with photos of Leo--all the big moves at all the secret Inland Empire spots. This kid can't leave the house without getting at least five tricks. The popular kickflip front board in Miami

MATT ALLEN

Sucking dust out in Victorville with Bryan Herman, Allen's got desert flair and magic moves well beyond his 15 years. Frontside salad backside out

LINDSEY ROBERTSON

Four-eyed skaters of the world rejoice, your Messiah has arrived! Lindsey was the surprise of Dying to Live and has a 20/20 future with fat fakie heelflips

AARON ARTIS

Holy shit! Did you see that kickflip melon? I hear he's gonna frontside flip it! Under Weiss Side Management, the sky's the limit for this Northwest terror. Backside noseblunt slide in SF

PAT RAKESTRAW

Straight outta 'Cacka, the Street Rake hit San Diego hard with new moves on old sports and bigger drops than the Hindenburg. Check him in Black Out and freak on his raw scarecrow style. One-eighty over the wall and down.

VAN WASTELL

Raised in a boarding family (his bro Kurt's a pro snow shredder), Van's a natural on the stuntwood, earning him a slot on Krooked and kickflip backside tailslides on big ol' hubba ledges

DANNY FUENZALIDA

He skates switch better than most can skate regular. Danny may not be a household name, but you'll definitely know who the hell he is after he's ripped your spots a new asshole. Switch backside tail the ledge to drop at Homestead in the rain. Fire up!

JAMES BROCKMAN

From the sizzling streets of East County San Diego, James "Not Eric" Brockman has been getting burly on the bars, catching the eye of the Zero boys, among others. Salad in Victorville