So you want to ride for eS, eh? If you're good, you'll get noticedwe've all heard this, right? Well, it's true! Getting noticed by eS means you might get a free pair of shoes or two, and can lead to free boards and clothes and trips around the world to ride your skateboard with Rick, Rodrigo, Silas, Nyjah and everyone on the eS team. Of course, being a kid and being impatient, you want this to happen right now! So we've come up with a little guide on how we choose who skates for eS.

Be realistic and reasonable about your skateboarding skills. Just because you can do a few tricks, and you've been skating for two years doesn't mean you're ready. A good way to measure yourself against others is to watch skateboarding videos and compare. It's not all about tricks, style and attitude help a lot. There are no rules, we're really looking for people who stand out and do their own thing, and have confidence that what they're doing is cool.

If you ever get a chance to skate with any of the eS team guys, that's a great way to get recognized. If you're at a demo and you're skating well, of course you'll be noticed. Don't approach the team or the eS team manager, all amped out about how good you arenobody wants to deal with that. Let your skating do your talking for you. Self-confidence is good, but cockiness isn't. If you talk to one of the skaters, leave out all the stuff like "Oh my god, I'm actually talking to Rick McCrank!" Putting most skaters on a pedestal just makes them uncomfortable. Leave the "You're my favorite skateboarder!" and the "Can I have your autograph twenty times?" to the little kids and the kooks. An autograph is OK, but again, be respectful about it.

When skating at a demo, one thing you don't want to do is to try to one-up somebody. One-upping is the name for trying to out-do the pros (or anyone) at a demo. A one-upper will watch to see what tricks the pros are trying, then, before the pro makes the trick, the local, who usually has skated the park before, lands the trick. All of a sudden, all the locals' friends are slapping him on the back, telling him, "Yeah, you're better than (insert pro's name here), dude!" This usually ends up in the pros turning awayit doesn't do any good--and isn't a respectful move. Nobody wants kooks on their team, so one-upping isn't a good thing.

Another way to get hooked up, especially if the eS team doesn't have plans to come to your town soon, is the "Sponsor Me" video. This works pretty well if you've got what it takes, and lots of people, especially those from outside California, have started with a good video. Here are some things to keep in mind when making a video:

Make sure your video is up to par. It should at least fit in as if it were a small part in Menikmati or éSpecial. Also, if you're wearing shoes from every other company, it kind of makes us wonder if you're looking for a free ride or if you're really down for eS. You don't necessarily have to worry about the filming quality, (although it wouldn't hurt), but the skating is what counts. When you watch skateboarding videos, notice how the cuts are short and there's not a lot of long rollups and rollaways before and after each trick. Edit your video the same way. Music is a nice touch, but won't help your skating, just like a poor editing job and bad filming can't hide a skaters' natural talent. And that's the thing to remember: the video is just a tool for showing skateboarding ability, not a substitute for it.

If you send a video in and don't hear back, send a new video six months or a year later. We try to get back to most people, but we get a lot of Sponsor Me tapes, so it's tough to get back to everyone. But if you send us one, and then another, we'll probably remember your name and if you've gotten a lot better, we'll definitely notice that, too. When you send your video, include a letter with it telling us about who you are, how old you are, where you live, and maybe some other things, like what your goals are, or if you're really funny-looking and will promise to provide hours of comic relief in the tour van. Make sure your video is clearly labeled.

Also, go out and spend $2.99 on new videotape. We like to use them to tape HBO movies and we don't want crummy old tapes! (Only kidding!)

NOTE: Josh (the dude who runs this MySpace page) is not the team manager and can't sponsor  people.