Tampa Pro 2025: Fire, Favor, and Faith

Tampa Pro 2025 was something special. Not just because of the legendary skateboarding, the electric energy, or the reunion of top-tier professional skaters—it was special because God showed up in unexpected and unforgettable ways. For the first time ever, chapel was officially on the event schedule—and it wasn’t just printed in the program; it was announced multiple times over the loudspeaker. That kind of favor doesn’t happen often… but this weekend, it did.

We kicked things off on Sunday morning with People Bingo, a light-hearted way to connect the crew before diving deeper. We sang worship songs together led by our friends from Restore Skate Ministry—including “Set a Fire”—and right as we sang those words, a literal dumpster outside caught fire. Yeah… God’s got a sense of humor. The whole moment felt like holy ground, wild and raw, just like skateboarding itself.

Felipe Gustavo brought the word of God, sharing a passionate, spirit-filled message that had hearts stirred. For years, JSAW's partners at Ride Nature have been serving at the event, building all the ground work for this chapel service to happen. I, Dave Jonsson, JSAW's pro skate chaplain, led the gathering with a deep pastoral heart, creating space for the Holy Spirit to move. Even Brian Schaefer, founder of Skatepark of Tampa, shared afterward that he felt “his burdens get light” during chapel. That’s what it’s all about—helping people encounter Jesus in the middle of their reality.

As the pro skate chaplain, I arrived earlier in the week to skate, serve and connect with riders. After a couple of good sessions, I ended up injuring my foot—so please keep me in your prayers for full healing. But even in that, God used it to slow me down and make every moment more intentional. I was able to pray with over 30 riders, offering support through tough conversations, and hosted a chapel service for over 80 people at Tampa Pro. We even had a young man give his life to Christ after chapel! God moved powerfully—and we already got a sure invite back for next year.

This weekend reminded us: faith and skateboarding don’t have to exist in separate lanes. Chapel was optional, respectful, powerful, and deeply needed. The testimonies that came out of it only confirmed that God’s just getting started.

If you believe in bringing the light of Jesus into places like this, and want to see more chaplaincy moments happen across the action sports world, please consider giving: JSAW.org/chaplain