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Team Ping Team Members
Name: Hosey
Age: 53
Nickname: smithgrind
Years Skating : since 1984
Team Ping Status: Founder and Chief Vert Tester
Hosey was born and raised a vert skater. In fact, he owned one of the only and most famous vert ramps in all of Alabama during the 1980's, The Moat. To this day, he still skates though years of big transition skating, hard living and heavy partying have taken their toll and his ol' knees tend to give him problems at times. In 2005, Hosey relocated from his Alabama roots to Ohio where rumor has it, he quickly brought his Southern style into the local skate scene. In 2006, Hosey and family returned to Alabama...just in time for the completion of the Alabaster Veterans Skate Park.
Name: Rob Smith
  1970 - 1994
Started Skating : 1984
Team Ping Status: Founder
Rob was a founding member of Team Ping. If you ever wanted to see a mix of Tony Hawk and Chris Miller, Rob was the skater to watch. Rob passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident after putting up a 3 day fight in a coma. He was 23 years old at the time. Please visit our Tribute page for more.
Name: Solomon
Age: 53 (going on 17)
eBay Nick: amorone
Years Skating : since 1986
Favorite Deck : any Lucero or any Andy Howell (great memories on those decks!)
Favorite Trick: anything I happen to land
Favorite Skatespot : Old Comp Skates mini or the long gone Ocala Ramp in Florida....that was a BIG ramp!
Nickname : Herc, Amorone
Team Ping Status: member # 3
Solomon travels the country as a SAP consultant and works from home when in town. Working out of town has it's perks...like getting to skate great spots around the country all on the company's dime! In his spare time, he works out almost daily and skates most every weekend...usually at the Alabster Veterans Skate Park.
Name: Griffin
Age: 48
Years Skating : 1986
Favorite Beer : cold Coors Light of course!
Team Ping Status: member # 4
Griffin is Team Ping's youngest member. He was always the youngest around in general. Being around the older "kids", he grew up quick and had to grow up tough. In the early 90's, he dominated every mini-ramp contest around....always taking home first place...and was known as "the little kid that skates vert". These days, "Little Jon" is all grown up. Work, house, bills, etc... but he still finds time to skate.
Name: Tidwell
Age: 37+
Years Skating : around1976 or so
Team Ping Status: member since 1999
Tidwell is one of our Atlanta brothers. He has been part of the ATL scene for many years and has seen many a skater and many a park come and go. Well known for his skate antics (one of his skate contest mid-run strip shows even got a mention in a well-known skate mag), a session with Tidwell is always a good time!
    Other Members (no photos and bios available at this time):
  • Brad Floyd (status unknown)
  • Tim "T-Dawg" Jackson (from the ATL Connection)
  • Ben Gilley (first went pro for Black Label; currently, pro skater for Zero)
  • Lex Hunt (owns own business but no longer skating)