Fox Cities Youth Cycling Team - The Scarlet Knights: September 2011

I have often wondered when a youth goes from just riding his or her bike to an “age of racing”. This point in growth has nothing to do with a child’s “racing age”. Some youth seem to do this at their first race, no matter what age. They seem to have instant success from their very first race. I think Jacob on our team is a good example of this. Some youth struggle from their first race on, as they seem to have very real fears such as crashing or getting lost on the course while racing. I think my son grew to the “age of racing” sometime in midseason 2010. He was struggling to get on the podium and just missed this goal race after race in the second half of the 2010 season. I think his big breakthrough occurred at the Franklin race of 2010. He went into the race with a strategy of being the first kid up the big hill at the start of the race and riding the second hill so he would not lose anytime to those behind. His planning seemed to work as he finally stepped up on the podium at this race. His “age of racing” continued the rest of the season (and continues today) with a highlight of a second place finish at the last race of the 2010 season in Sheboygan.

In 2011, my son seems to really understand what it means to suffer in a race, race hard, recover, and pick it up again. He now develops actual race strategy to compete with two other kids who are close to his ability. He might not be competing for a top three place, but he comes up with a strategy for each race to finish as high in the rankings as he can.

I have seen this same development with Dylan this past season. He now has a strategy going into each race. At River Falls, he wanted to have a lead at the bottom of the hill in hopes of still being close to his competition at the top. He now shifts correctly and dismounts are minimal during a race and if they occur he runs up the hill until he can get back on. He also keeps his momentum and rides/jumps over obstacles rather than slowing down and going around them. Dylan confirmed he has arrived to the “age of racing” by finishing 4^th at Treadfest in Lake Geneva a couple of weeks ago.

I think this is what “age of racing” is really all about. Not so much winning but planning a race, even if that planning is to start slow and let the race come to the racer and finish with a stronger second half of the race than the first half. I think “age of racing” is planning to race for the highest finishing position you can possibly get. As an adult, my greatest joy I get from the team is when I see a youth develop to an “age of racing”.

At Treadfest in Lake Geneva, the Scarlet Knights’ success continued with the following results:

Junior Girls 10 and under
Katy McDicken 4^th place, 8^th overall

Junior Boys 11-12 years old
Dylan Eggebrecht 4^th place, 9^th overall
Ben Smith 5^th place, 10^th overall

Junior Boys 13-14
Jacob Ahles 1^st place, 2^nd overall
Alex Halfman 2^nd place, 8^th overall
Grant Slocum 3^rd place, 21^st oveall

Citizen 14 and under
Daniel Gretzinger 6^th place, 68^th overall