| In ancient Greece Icarus build a set of wings enabling him to soar with the gods. Today’s youth are no different. They too want to take to the air, but this time the vehicle of choice is a mountain bike. On Saturday March 8th, 2003 close to 70 people, ages 9 to 55 came together to create a series of jumps, berms, and stunts that would provide the launching pads for our young athletes to take to the stratosphere. The sport of mountain biking is constantly evolving, and what was considered to be radical just a few years ago is now the norm. Today’s young riders are drawn to the challenges and excitement of riding stunts and jumping dirt. If we are hoping to grow the sport we must recognize this fact and embrace it. Since 1990 the Sprockids Program has been involving young people in the life long activity of mountain biking, and through their involvement the participants learn the skills, values, and strategies to succeed in life. This weekend was just another example of the program’s philosophy being applied to a real life situation. If one stood on the bank over looking the work party you could not help but be caught up in the positive energy and camaraderie that was happening. Society often focuses on the lack of drive and motivation displayed by today’s youth, but on this day you would have been hard pressed to find anything but positive energy and determination displayed by the participants. Another important aspect of the day was that young people were working with adults as equals. Many of the teenagers knew much more about the designing and building of jumps than did the adults. They were the teachers educating their parents. With the arrival of the Norco Riders the energy and enthusiasm was elevated to another level. Here were the riders that these young people looked up to, and now they had the opportunity to build and create something with their heroes. It was very cool to witness the dynamics occurring between the participants. |
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The Norco crew was fantastic with the kids, listening to their suggestions and working with them to incorporate everyone into the design of the park. If you have ever worked with young people you know that some of the greatest life skills and lessons happen outside of the classroom. Having been a teacher for over 23 years, I know the need to make learning relevant to our students. What was happening between the shoveling of dirt and pounding of nails was a lot of very valuable conversation and exchanging of ideas. At the end of it all there wasn’t an exam, but from the look in their eyes you knew that the participants had accomplished much more than just the physical construction of a new play ground. These young people had created something not only for themselves, but for their community. They were out on their own time, giving back to their community. They were creating a legacy, one that they were obviously very proud of. A number of the teenagers came up to me and asked if I could leave some tools in the bush so that they could help to maintain the jumps that we had build. This was now their project, their park and they had taken ownership of it. That was what the day was all about! |
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| The next day was a whole new adventure and one that each participant will remember for a long time. Having done the work, it was now time to play. In the early afternoon close to 55 riders participated in a freeride clinic put on by the Norco Factory Team and Staff. We suited some 40 “Sprockids” up in full face helmets and body armor, divided them into groups for an afternoon of learning the proper techniques for riding jumps, stunts, and obstacles. Once again the Norco Crew displayed not only their riding expertise, but their ability to connect with young people. After each downhill run we shuttled the groups up to another of the challenging trails that exist in the Roberts Creek Area. Within these groups were teenagers, pro riders, and parents, and all of them emerged from the forest with smiles on their faces. |
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| So what was the weekend all about? The construction that took place at the mountain bike park created a legacy that will be utilized by riders of all ages and abilities for years to come. This project was another example of the incredible community spirit that exists here on the Sunshine Coast. The riding clinic with the Norco crew was a lot of fun, and definitely raised the skill level of each participant. These two fact in themselves are huge accomplishments, but for me what happened below the surface reflects the real importance of these events. To witness teenagers and adults working together to create something unique and special for their community was what the weekend was all about. Empowering young people, making them realize that they can make a positive difference in the world, is one of the most important lessons one could learn. Every time a rider visits the park he or she will know they had a direct hand in making it happen. By internalizing this feeling, and applying it to their lives, they will be well equipped to succeed in whatever goals they set for themselves. |
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