I have an idea that I'd like to throw out for discussion.
I'd mentioned to Ian during the youth trials at Newnan that it would be nice to have an event where the kids could get a lot more riding time.
We are fairly new to this sport, my son Matthew started riding at Cornelia in 2003, thanks to a chance to ride the Sherco loaner. And he has been hooked on this sport ever since.
After going to the Youth Nationals at TTC last July, we came away wishing we could get more riding time at our regular STRA events. to be better prepared when the Nationals come back around.
So, after talking to Alan Bechard today, here is an idea. Starting at Cartersville, maybe as a test, I'd like to have an additional "Fun Trial" after the Youth Class is over, and while the adults and older youth are riding.
the Fun Trial would be open to all Youth competitors, who had signed up and rode that morning, so as to have insurance coverage, as a free no awards given event.
It would be nice to post the scores here on the website, for recognition purposes though.
My wife and I would love to head this up if everyone likes the idea. As I know Ian wants to compete. We'd also like to get some input, and maybe get some details worked out.
So, Alan, Ian, Jeff, Charlie, Catherine, and all the rest of you guys, is this a crazy idea or what?

Thanks for your thoughts,
Tony, Lydia, and Matthew Powers
Charlotte, NC

Speaking as someone who traveled 5 to 7 hours one way for Alex to ride a one-hour youth event, then turn around and drive back home, I think this is a grand idea! Plus, it would give the parent(s) not participating in the adult trial something to do besides sitting in the pits.

It would really benefit the kids and keep them safer than their riding around trying things on their own without a lot of supervision.

Teresa

Teresa, thanks for the encouragement, Lydia & I understand the long rides. None of these events are close to home for us.
I know that the kids will enjoy it, and my son Matthew has already challenged me to ride my "Big ol Fantic" on the kids loop and through the sections like a kinda follow the leader. I think that we can keep it safer for them, have fun, and get more riding time. By the way, I had a chance to talk to Alex for a few minutes Sunday morning, Good Kid! One of many in the STRA!
Tony P

Tony, (and others I guess) I did not, would not suggest having another "Trial" (fun or not)

I believe that this will compete with the already well organized, well established and fairly smoothly functioning Youth event and series that we have operating.

I did, would, and will continue to reccomend an organized trail or play ride. Follow the leader if you will, take a group of the kids (who have their parents permission) from around the camp on a big thing of "follow the leader" Go out and find an area that has a hill, or a turn or a step or a log and work with the kids throughout the day on those different skills.

This would require adult supervision, and close coordination with the trial master to insure that it causes no interference with the main loop / trial. Venue's like mine where we use pretty much every trail on the acerage would require some prior planning so that I left a loop for the kids to ride without being on (and hopefully not crossing) the main loop.

I absolutely would not set it up as a "competition".

Keep it fun, simple, safe and educational and I think it will be supported.

I understand what Tony and Al are both saying. I agree that if some parents are willing to put in the time, it would be great to give the kids more riding time. I have some concern about non-competition riding. I am not sure if the AMA insurance will provide coverage for this. We have an obligation to the promoters, land owners, and club members to protect them from liability in the event of an accident or mishap. I am not saying we would or would not be covered, just that we need to consider that point if folks chose the "play ride" approach.

-Ron

Alan, valid points!!!

Ron, the AMA does cover Fun Trials. B&J's fun trials are always covered; just another box to check on their forms.

Tony, thanks for the kind words on Alex! Also, I'd be willing to help out; can't do a follow-the-leader thing since I don't ride (although Alex and Bob are both trying to get me to start -- great entertainment value, they say), but I'm sure there would be some capacity I could help in.

Teresa

I think that if there could be a couple of practice sections close to the pits it would at least be better than the little guys buzzing around through the pits.

I would think it would be covered by the AMA insurance as "Practice riding" or whatever they called it.

Obviously not my field of expertise, but I would just see it as a continuation of the mornings competition for insurance purposes.

Probably something we need to run by the insurance folks, but as a different way of looking at it, it is going on now (somewhat) unsupervised.

The youth's extra riding is covered by the AMA as long as it is on a covered day; no extra insurance is required. There is no issue with them riding more after their event.

I feel it is a good idea to provide more opportunities for the youth. There are, however, pros and cons to the issue.

For those of you who don't know and weren't around in the early days, the STRA had a strong youth series with both an "A" and "B" class. After a while, we ran out of kids and the series went away until several years ago when more kids start showing up again. When I was president of the STRA, the format we used at that time was very similar to the existing youth series, but only for the "B" class, the younger, less-experienced riders. The older more experienced kids, the "A" class would compete as a group by having several of the adult riders accompany them on one loop of the regular trials. Once the adults rode their line at the sections, the youth would ride the novice line or go around an obstacle in the novice line, as dictated by the difficulty of the line and the kids' experience. Depending on how much time we had and how backed up the sections were would determine if the kids could ride each section one, two, or three times while there. If time ran short, they only rode once!

This worked really well as the adults got to ride their first loop and the kids had the benefit of getting input from everybody present (not just the guys responsible for getting them back to the pits alive) and seeing how an actual trials was ridden. Everyone is then involved with helping the kids get better, improving the overall outlook of the sport.

My son, Dustin, was in this program and it really helped him to transition into Novice. Alex Conklin had the benefit of riding with us, but for those kids whose parents don't ride, it would be tremendous for them.

We also tried parent supervision after the youth trials over in the morning prior to the actual trials so the kids could ride youth sections after their trial was over. This sounded real good on paper. However, due to the lack of responsibility of the adults left in charge, I found several of the kids wandering backwards on the adult trials loop and on trails we weren't using on the ground, trapped under their bike, where no one would have found them. If we decide to do something like this, it is absolutely imperative that those left responsible for the kids take it seriously.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

Bob Ginder

Thanks for that Bob. I somehow feel that everything we do has been done before. It is good to hear how it all worked before. We have too few long time members to give advice like this.
-Ron

Tony;

I think your first step should be to talk about this with the Youth Competition Director. He puts much more effort and time into the youth program than most of our members can imagine, and I believe Alan could "amen" that. Think about the hectic pace of an event weekend, the getting ready to leave your home, loading your bikes and gear, gas, groceries, finding the best campsite or get yourself a room. Then the morning of the event, you park your respective rig, unload the bikes and gear, have a snack, and get yourself changed into your riding gear. Tinker around with your bike, and/or mill around shooting the breeze with your buds, or making new ones. Before you know it, you hear that car horn honking, and it's time to get the motorcycle fired up and out on the loop. After the trial, you are usually tired, hungry, bruised perhaps? Anyway, if you are like me, and did not trophy, you just load up, and drive off. The Youth Competition Director sacrifices most of his free time at the trial, and then some more between trials arranging for awards. Look at it like this... the Youth Director promotes 12 little events a year, although they are small, and only three or four sections, there are still logistics to be accomplished. Arrive early to each modern trial venue, and cut and clear, layout, mark splits, run ribbon, all the same things that the promoter does. Then, he holds a rider's meeting, arranges for observers, keeps and eye on the kids, and the parents, and then takes up the loop cards, gets with Catherine about the results, and stays till the awards, every event, to follow through.

Don't cut the hard working Director out of your plan, his computer is not available now, he won't see all these posts. He can always be reached at the modern events, he's usually among the first ones there, and the last to get on the road home... he's the big guy, with the beard, and a shaved head, and a big 'ol heart of gold... he's the guy all the kids love. Call him if you miss him at the events... Ian Geisen 404 391-2649.

Wow, where do I begin? I would first of all like to say that I am for more riding time for the kids.That is one of the reasons Angie and myself spent a couple of hours with the children on Sunday(i'm sure you didn't know that since you left immediatley after the youth Tony).I think any time the kids spend together is a plus, on bikes or not.However ther are only typically two or three kids(youth competitors) who do not ride the modern event.Besides who will do all the work?It is not as easy as it seems. Yes, I like to compete just like the rest of the active parents, isn't that what it's all about?We are doing good to pull off a youth event, we have had a lot of support and help.However a few special thanks to Dwight, J. Godwin, Christina and Cheryl for their dependability EVERY single youth event. All help is greatly appreciated from all.As far as the case stands now I think we are very fortunate as a club to do as much as we do.I just personally think our plate is full on competition day.I think this would be a good discussion topic at the business meeting to assure every voice is heard.There are countless issues to consider however you feel.I do not feel like it should be scheduled until further discussion at the business meeting.Thanks for all your support, physically and financially this year.Personally I think it has been A great year and a great learning experience! God Bless You All.

To all,
We have an excellent Youth program going currently. I want to thank Ian, and Alan before him for getting the program where it is now. The time you spend getting ready and holding the Youth is underestimated by many.

I think, rather than a change to the existing program, someone might consider doing something on the line of what Alan did at his trial in 2003. If you aren't familiar with what he did, it was a one day youth camp seperate from the regular trial on Saturday. It took a lot of planning and bodies to pull it off but it was a hit with the kids. We broke the kids into groups (led by someone other than their parent)and coached them on basics and gradually got them to try harder and harder manuvers/obsticles. Things I could never get Ryan to try he'd try for Doug. Maybe a promotor will consider doing this again at one of the events.

I don't know how insurance would work for something like this, or if it would be well attended outside of a regular trial, but a one or two day youth camp weekend, seperate from a trial event, held a month before the Youth Nationals would be great. Again, we'd need a bunch of people to put it on and a central venue for it. Hey Dan - you listening?

I am willing to help in any way I can, I can be the "this is how NOT to try this guy". Unfortunately (or fortunately) we just started building a new home and I won't have much time until the middle of 2005 or later the way weather is holding us up.

Again, we have a great program, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Frank Renfroe

Ok, looks like this has all died down a little, so I'll try to respond to a couple of points. First off, I DO have a real good idea of how much work Ian, Jeff, and crew put into the Youth Trials. As you'll notice, I did NOT say that I think Ian should spend his extra time with the kids! I spent a large part of my life, over 17 years working at MX tracks, everything from bulldozing, watering, taking tickets, flagging, resistration, putting up banners and flags, etc. I had MANY long days, and do not regret any of that. I even became quite famous as a photgrapher covering MX events all over the USA for many magazines and newspapers such as Crash & Burn, MXA, Dirt Bike, Cycle News, websites, etc. That is why I wanted to try and put some of MY time into the Youth Class. I thought that it would be a simple matter after the Youth event at Cartersville, to get the Youth together and ride on the Youth sections that would not be used again since it is a one day event. It was my thought that I could maybe run forward and backwards, even ride the Youth Sections with the kids. At least Matthew gets a laugh out of me trying to "show him how to ride". I was thinking maybe a couple of "Slow Races", and maybe we could practice balancing. I never really considered a trail ride because I wanted to stay out of the way of the adult trial that would be going on. I agree that I would be responsible for the Youth. And based upon the positive e-mail and responses, I think I'll have enough help to keep everyone well looked after. By the way, I also appreciate the negative responses and e-mails, many had good points. And I think some of the other points that were less than positive to this idea were the result of my not being at putting my ideas into words. That and of course, using the words "Fun Trial" could have been a catalist also. I would think this could be a better environment than if the Youth were left to do whatever they wanted all day, which may include getting into the path of the days event.
And I'd like to than Gary Hoover for letting my son Matthew ride his daughters pratically new Gas Gas 50 last weekend while our bike was waiting for about $300. or so worth of backordered clutch parts.
Otherwise, I would have stayed and Matthew would have enjoyed riding for a couple of hours with Angie and Ian. I just did not think I could impose upon Gary Hoover to let Matthew spend more time riding his pratically new Gas Gas 50 .

And if it will help keep anyone else from being angry with me, we can just forget the whole thing, It just ain't worth it. Matthew and I can keep practicing here in the driveway at home.
I like all you guys too much to be a thorn in your flesh over something like this.

I hope ya'll have a nice Christmas!
Tony P
Charlotte, NC