Looking out my window with the snow flying and the cold forecast I would never think spring and the cycling season is just around the corner.  A sure reminder that we are getting closer to WORS Iola on May 4th is our annual spring information sessions.  Please help spread the word.

WORS 2014 Banquet

Congratulations to every team member who had the courage to step up to a start line in 2014.  We had some wonderful results this past season and are looking to improve in 2014.    We had 16 kids complete the entire series including Katy McDicken, Lauren Duhm, Liam Cate, Jacob Mork, Weston Verhoff, Nic Duhm, Zach Fischer, Cole McDicken, Dylan Eggebrecht, Justin Wentworth, Daniel Gretzinger, Jacob Ahles, Alex Halfman, Grant Slocum, Kaitlen Splittgerber, and Jimmy Splitgerber.  We had over 250 entries in all the races split between the 22 active riders.
 

The weather says "Lets Ride"!!

They Do More Than Race Their Bikes!

Last night was the last Band-o-Rama concert that I had to attend because I had a child playing in the band.  This concert consists of two middle schools getting together and having 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders play in one concert.  I usually do not look forward to this night because noise and crowds stress me out but last night I actually enjoyed the show.

I think most parents would agree that having well rounded kids is very important.  You want a child who gets stressed about school grades and commits lots of energy and time to them but you want them to realize they may/will struggle with grades but life goes on.  We can just hope to teach them that they need to get back up and brush themselves off.  You want them to learn to get back to work after you get a bad grade and attempt to improve on it or get the help they need to understand what is required to be succesful in the classroom.  You also want them involved in other activities perhaps band, sports or etc..   Personally I think a child who has both music and some type of other team building group such as sports or a musical production is best for them. I think almost all of our team members are very well rounded and this picture is proof!!  This picture was taken during the concert last night and their are at least 7 Scarlet Knights who played in a band last night.    It makes me proud to say my child is a member of both the band and the FCYCT-The Scarlet Knights.  It also makes me proud of the other Scarlet Knights in the picture.

Now can you name the seven Scarlet Knights in the picture?

Pitchers and Catchers Report!!

I am not much of a baseball fan but a sure sign that warmer weather is right around the corner is the date in the Major League Baseball schedule when pitchers and catchers must report. For the last several years now my new sign that warmer weather is on its way is the FCYCT-The Scarlet Knights Spring Informational Meetings. I am pleased to announce that both of these dates are just days away. Anyone interested in joining us for 2013 should attend one of these two meetings. For existing/last year members please spread the word.

Knightly News From 2012 WORS Race #2 Rhinelander

With the start of the 2012 season I cannot help but think of the Dr Suess book “Oh The Places you’ll Go”.   The 2012 season is wide open with lots of potential for great performances, a chance for experienced kids to step up and get some results they have always dreamt of and lots of opportunity for new kids to Improve on the skills they will need to get through the WORS races. 

This past Sunday was the second race in the 2012 WORS.org series.  It was held in Rhinelander, WI at the Tesomas Boy Scout Camp.    As opposed to the Iola weather at race time this race was dry and warm.  The Junior race kicked off the day with 15 Scarlet Knights stepping up to the line.  For some it was a chance to ride on a course they were familiar with for others it was their first time on this course and even others it was only their second bike race.   

On the girls side Katy McDickens finished with a 4^th place in her age group and 11^th overall. Hannah Stedl continued to show some great natural ability adding to a strong finish in Iola by finishing 3^rd in her age group and 5^th overall.

The Junior Boys had some great results as well in the under 8 year old Eli Lemke continues to show big heart in a small body and rode to a 7^th place age group finish.  The under 10 year old group was won by Joshua Prewitt with Jacob Lemke finishing 4^th for the second week in a row.  Jacob Mork was inspired by the presence of his Grandfather watching Jacob race for the first time and pulled off a strong result by finishing 9^th.  Congratulations to Ethan Haas for finishing his first race and to Cade Haas for a great effort as he finished his second race and continues to show that you can pack a lot of toughness in a small body.   In the under 12 age group Ben Smith was just 4 seconds off the top Scarlet Knight Junior with a 3^rd place age group finish and a 7^th place overall.  Aaron Smith was less than 30 seconds back with a 5^th  place age group and 11^th overall.   Clayton Lemke was 10^th in only his second race. 

Alex Halfman had what was probably his strongest result yet in the 14 and under group with a 4^th place in the age group and 5^th overall.  Cole McDickens was just behind finishing 5^th in the age group and 9^th overall.    Dylan and Grant Slocum both improved greatly from last year finishing well with the top half of the overall boys with a 9^th and 11^thin their age group. 

In the Citizen (category 3 race) Justin Wentworth showed that power and the ability to ride single track are his strengths and finished 3^rd in his age group and a very impressive 13^th overall out of 88 entries in the Citizen class.  Jacob Ahles finished 4^th in his age group followed by Daniel Gretzinger in 8^th and Jimmy Splitgerber in 9^th.   Kaitlen Splitgerber continued to place her mark on the Citizen Female Class by placing 2^nd in her age group and 5^th overall. 

The FCYCT-The Scarlet Knights send a big thank you out to all the supporting parents and family members we look forward to Wausau on June 3^rd.

Ben Smith 

 Aaron Smith

 Hannah Stedl

 Kaitlin Splittgerber

20 of the 25 team members

Twenty Eight Days Until Christmas?

The speed of this time of year almost seems like Christmas.   The list of things to do can seem like Christmas Gone Wild: informational meetings, proposals for fund raising, meetings with potential sponsors, signing up kids, collecting money, taking out USA Cycling licenses, signing up for the WORS all-in-one, depositing money in the bank, paying bills, approving jersey design, signing up for the USA Cycling Club, fitting jerseys for the kids, ordering jerseys, purchasing bikes, and organizing group rides.    The good news is there are only 28 more days until Christmas - WORS Style!!!  Of course, Christmas-WORS Style is the Iola race on May 6.  And like the joy of Christmas Eve service, all of this work has been worth it.  We are almost trembling with excitement as we close our eyes and dream of hearing Don announce, “Good morning and welcome to the 2012 Iola Bump and Jump - the first race in the WORS 2012 mountain bike series!  We are about 20 minutes away from the start of our Junior Category race.”

The FCYCT-The Scarlet Knights has grown from nine kids in the 2011 season to 24 kids in 2012.  All have made a commitment to ride the number of races required in order to compete for a final place in the WORS overall series.  Our team looks like this: 9 team members returning from last year,  4 members who rode for other teams or who were unattached to a team in 2011, and 11 kids who will be new to the WORS racing scene (3 of which are girls).  We have a total of 19 boys and 5 girls on our team this year.

We cannot wait for Christmas-WORS Style!  Be safe, happy training, and may you be ready to hear “GOOOOOO!” on Sunday May 6^th.

New to the team in 2012 Jacob Mork shows his new bike for the 2012 season.