New SoCal High School Mountian Bike League needs your help!

[sdyeti]

Just got back from Interbike where we were able to promote the heck outta the new league. The response was great!

I also got this link sent to me. Apparently the league has made VeloNews.com

http://www.velonews.com/article/8364...news-and-notes

[kbteachme]

Originally Posted by sdyeti

Just got back from Interbike where we were able to promote the heck outta the new league. The response was great!

I also got this link sent to me. Apparently the league has made VeloNews.com

http://www.velonews.com/article/8364...news-and-notes

Good stuff!

The SoCal League is one of the first few recipients of an ESDF II grant in part because of the proposal’s emphasis on coaching, community, and making cycling a main-stream high school sport. Fritzinger said, “We know that good coaching means working closely with families, and helping athletes create a balanced life perspective. We aim to take the SoCal high school mountain bike teams in the same direction as we have in Northern California –working to make cycling as important as baseball, football and soccer in the fabric of our high schools.”

http://www.velonews.com/article/81377

[OldDogDan]

My son's RBVHS PE class took delivery of 40 Trek hardtails and rode Calaveras last week. I'll get the teacher's e-mail and forward the League link.

edit: e-mailed coach the link [FONT=Arial]http://www.socaldirt.org/[/FONT]

edit: PM sent to SDYeti as requested

[sdyeti]

Met up with a few chaps who know that teacher. They are well on their way to getting a team going. Please PM me the teacher's name...I want to know how he got his funding.

Originally Posted by OldDogDan

My son's RBVHS PE class took delivery of 40 Trek hardtails and rode Calaveras last week. I'll get the teacher's e-mail and forward the League link.

edit: e-mailed coach the link [FONT=Arial]http://www.socaldirt.org/[/FONT]

[xhuskr]

way to go fellow educamators I'd love to do this at my school...but there are not hills in Bellflower (BMX track) and it's elementary....so......not yet! but kudos to those who extend their teaching to the dirt!

[maxxisracing]

how do i get started... like what do i need to do so i can have mountain biking count as a sport

[Sharky]

Freerideco is putting this together at South High in Torrance where my niece goes. She's a journalist and is going to pitch doing an article on this in the school paper maybe it'll help get the word out to the students. She's more into running than riding now but I still hope she'll join the team. You all are great putting this together and we'll help however we can?

[sdyeti]

If you are a student, find a teacher at your school who is willing to sponsor a bike club. Then, have the teacher apply for a club at the school. Once Oct. 15 comes around, you can officially join the league. The teacher should attend the Oct 25/26 coaching weekend. Then, you can all start doing rides/practices. Races start in March and go into May.

That's it...pretty easy.

Go to www.socaldirt.org for more info.

Originally Posted by maxxisracing

how do i get started... like what do i need to do so i can have mountain biking count as a sport

Know anyone at a high school who wants to form a team? You can help coach.

Originally Posted by xhuskr

way to go fellow educamators I'd love to do this at my school...but there are not hills in Bellflower (BMX track) and it's elementary....so......not yet! but kudos to those who extend their teaching to the dirt!

[maxxisracing]

So say I can't find a teacher that is that dedicated and willing cause there is none at my school that would be willing to set aside there life to do that. How else can I get involved.

[sdyeti]

There is the possibility of doing a composite team with students from several different schools who cannot find an advisor. PM me for details.

Originally Posted by maxxisracing

So say I can't find a teacher that is that dedicated and willing cause there is none at my school that would be willing to set aside there life to do that. How else can I get involved.

[chupacabra]

Any news from the conference that is worth sharing with the rest of us?
Thanks

[maxxisracing]

yeah I would like that news

[sdyeti]

20ish adults (coaches, parents, teachers) took part in the coaching weekend in Big Bear. The NorCal experts shared their knowledge and expertise in all aspects of team managment...everything from ride skills to safety to fundraising, etc. It was very thorough.

Next steps are for coaches to start registering teams once the league insurance officially comes on-line (which should be within a week or so).

Other than that, a basic timeline could be considered this:
Nov--recruit, form teams, plan, fundraise (don't forget the benefit dinner on 11/22!!)
Dec--light cross-training begins, skills development, fun rides, rider clinics on 12/13 (Aliso) & 12/14 (Bonnelli)
Jan--base training
Feb--base (also, Wilderness First Aid training for coaches)
Mar--build (races begin)
Apr--build (races)
May--peak (state championships)

Now is a good time to plug the fundraising dinner again, Sat 11/22 in Burbank:
http://www.socaldirt.org/events/cyclefest2008/index.htm

Also, fellow STR member shudder was there...great to meet him and chat (and word is that he took some great pictures), as well as meeting lots of other coaches and adults who are committed to seeing this league thrive!

[Kluwen]

Another teacher just told me about this league. He and I are going to start up a team at Murrieta Valley High. He went to the conference in Big Bear and said it was great. I wish I could have attended, but already had family plans. We are stoked about this!

Anyone in Murrieta interested in the team let me know!

[shudder]

Hey folks --

Happy Halloween! *_*

Been an extremely hectic week for me as I am right in the middle of moving (truck is out front as I write this, and then the 'puter is being unhooked...). I'll drop in some pics after I get stuff running in the new house. Might be a few days before I can reconnect (tho I will have my iPhone).

Suffuce it to say, it was a great weekend -- lots of very enthusiastic folks who want to see this league happen and flourish. Can't wait!

shud

[shudder]

Well... the move has not gone so well. We moved and then hadda move some stuff back as the new place is still a construction zone. I could go on, but suffice it to say there is no door, so... there has been a slight delay. Ugh.

Here's some pics from last weekend:

Matt Fritzinger of the NorCal league (he started the whole shebang!) gets things rolling on Saturday morning. Altogether, there were 22 attendees, many of whom you see in this pic.


After a few hours of classroom instruction we went outside for an "MTB 101" course -- the type of thing you would give to the kids when first starting out. Most of this was done in a big circle, straddling outr bikes.


Mostly guys in attendance. One of the few standout women was our own sdyeti, of course. Here's Steph among the boys.


Jeff Ghiselin of the NorCal league goes over bike parts in a participatory (sort of game-like) way to keep the "kids" interested.


Steph and her beau Dan play Measure the Gear Inches with Jeff.


Brake modulation time. Dan does his (and behind him, Christine Turner of Turner Bikes... yeah, that Turner).


John and Scott from Rim of The World doing back brake modulation technique.


Coach Dave in the Tighter Circle game -- a test of balance and trackstanding...


Coach Daniel's turns are getting tighter!


Jeff and Justin of the league demonstrate five-point stance using your belly.


Quintin Easton (Easton is helping out the league in a HUGE way), the Founding President of the new SoCal League, takes his Ellsworth Truth for a spin on the beam.


Coach John doing lunges.


Coach Anthony doing a small drop. Note that Dan is spotting. Safety during these practices is essential and mandatory -- the league is big into this being as safe as possible for the kids, while still being a huge adrenaline rush.


After lunch we had some more schooling, then we broke before dinner for a ride. I went with the slow group so I could stop and take pictures (okay, I really went with the slow group because I am slow, okay? ). Right off the bat we climbed and climbed and climbed -- about 900 feet over a couple of miles. Here's Justin leading the charge.


For those of you familiar with BB, we climbed to the top and took the 1E01 singletrack down. I kept screaming out, "This is so f*****ing beautiful!!!" We stopped and I grabbed this one of Justin.


Justin grabbed my cam and took this one of Patrick, Jeff, Robert and Moi (representin' the STR!! ).


Justin and Jeff (behind) cleaning some of the 1E01 ST!! Great stuff. It was in the '80s all day, but started to get down lower as the sun got lower (of course) but never really cold. That was excellent.


Patrick, Justin and I decided to climb back up fora second run. The light was getting low, but we had a great second loop. Here's Patrick and Justin toward the bottom.


We went to eat Mexi food after the ride (what else?!?!). We all sat at separate tables, but had a great time. Here's Justin talking it over with CiCi, Robert and Robert's wife.


Finally, this is Fritz chowing down on a rather larger meal (as Quintin is pointing out!).


Enjoy the pics!

shud

[BFloFoxRider.]

i'm working on geting my team together.
Team BFLO!

[sdyeti]

Shud-

Your pictures are amazing (as always)! Thank you so much for posting them...and I think you should duplicate it as a RR too

Hope all gets smoothed out with your move. We'll see you and Willie in a couple weeks.

[sdyeti]

Thanks to Robert Herber with Racers n Chasers who is generously donating $5 of every race entry tomorrow to the League!



That's another great reason for ya'll to come out and race tomorrow at Vail!