USA Skateboarding has hired Miki Vuckovich as director of development and Andrew Nicolaus as men’s team manager. Good people for skateboarding’s Olympic push. Josh Friedberg, USA Skateboarding’s CEO agrees.
“I cannot think of a better person to fill the Director of Development role. Miki’s love for skateboarding and experience in the industry are perfect to help us further support the culture that brought skateboarding to the Olympic Games,” Friedberg said. “We had a ton of highly-qualified applicants for the Men’s Team Manager position. Andrew’s passion for helping skateboarders perform at the highest level put him over the top. I’m incredibly excited to wrap up this challenging year with these two amazing additions to our team.”
For all the details on both skaters and what they’ll be adding to USA Skateboarding, please follow the jump.
USA Skateboarding Welcomes Miki Vuckovich and Andrew Nicolaus to the Organization
Hires to Further Define Role of NGB in Culture-Based Sport and Support National Team on the Road to Tokyo
Irvine, Calif. (November 12, 2020) — USA Skateboarding (USAS) has made two new hires with Miki Vuckovich as Director of Development and Andrew Nicolaus as Men’s Team Manager. The two lifelong skateboarders and industry professionals add unparalleled experience to the team.
As USAS continues to define its role as the national governing body for a culture-based sport, a strong development program provides the opportunity to contribute much-needed resources at the grassroots level. While the bulk of the NGB’s attention during its first two years of existence has been focused on preparing our skaters for the Tokyo Games, providing an avenue for those that love skateboarding to meaningfully support the culture and the sport is key to its future growth. We are honored to have Vuckovich spearhead this effort.
From his early days on the California Amateur Skateboarding League contest circuit in 1983, Miki then made his impact on the media side of skateboarding, serving for many years as Senior Photographer and Senior Editor for TransWorld SKATEboarding, Editor for Skateboarding Business magazine, and Associate Producer for the ON Video Skateboarding documentary series. Vuckovich was a founding board member of USAS, serving from 2004-2017 and the Executive Director of the Tony Hawk Foundation from 2004-2020. The Foundation, now known as The Skatepark Project, awarded more than $10 million towards the creation of over 600 skateparks during Vuckovich’s tenure. The efforts have shown the power of supporting youth advocacy and the intrinsic value of making skateboarding accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds across all 50 states.
Migrating to California from Arizona’s desert heat, Andrew Nicolaus grew up skateboarding alongside USAS National Team member Dashawn Jordan. After his first job in the skateboarding industry at The Berrics, his passion for contest strategy led him to work directly with Dashawn and Yuto Horigome. During this time, the two pros experienced life-changing success with multiple Street League event wins and many more podium finishes. With both skaters now ranked in the top-10 of the World Skateboarding Rankings, Andrew will transition to USA Skateboarding and support the entire Men’s team, helping them thrive on their journey to the Olympics and in all aspects of their skateboarding careers.
“I cannot think of a better person to fill the Director of Development role. Miki’s love for skateboarding and experience in the industry are perfect to help us further support the culture that brought skateboarding to the Olympic Games,” said Josh Friedberg, CEO USA Skateboarding. “We had a ton of highly-qualified applicants for the Men’s Team Manager position. Andrew’s passion for helping skateboarders perform at the highest level put him over the top. I’m incredibly excited to wrap up this challenging year with these two amazing additions to our team.”
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About USA Skateboarding
As the recognized governing body for skateboarding in the United States, USA Skateboarding (USAS) is responsible for selecting, training, and fielding national teams that compete in the Olympic Games, Pan American Games, and others sanctioned team events. USAS is also responsible for developing youth skateboarding initiatives that support grassroots programs, education, licensing, and safety while respecting and enhancing the existing culture of skateboarding in the United States. USAS is dedicated to promoting and supporting the sport of Skateboarding while striving to guarantee the sport continues to provide the unique characteristics relevant to the sport’s participants and maintain the integrity and authenticity of Skateboarding as a sport, a passion, and a lifestyle. For more information, visit USASkateboarding.net
Contact:
Katie Moses Swope USAS / MoSwo PR; katie.moses.swope@usaskateboarding.com
