Thread started by richbell at 03.19.10 - 3:24 pm

This is kind of random, but do high schools in LA have cycling teams or clubs? I know there are some high school kids on this forum - would you be interested in joining a cycling team through your school? I live really close to a large high school and see lots of kids riding nearby that I assume are students. Based on their lack of safety equipment and traffic knowledge, they could definitely use some instruction before they get hurt.

I don't wanna start a flame war about young kids riding dangerously; we all know the deal with crowded rides and alcohol and whatever. There's other threads for that discussion.

But I am encouraged by their enthusiasm and like to see more people on bikes. I would like to start an organized club or team. Cycling is an expensive sport and with help through the school and local clubs or shops, these young athletes could get discounts on bikes, parts, and riding gear. Kids who wouldn't otherwise be able to ride a nice road bike could race one that is owned by the school, like playing a musical instrument in band class that is school property. There could be local meets like in track or cross country. Cool, yeah?

MR rides are a great way to join the cycling community, but because of the common 'party-nature' of lots of rides, I think some kids get the wrong idea about cycling and are missing out on riding for training, health, and competition.

I have e-mailed some of the athletic department staff members and await their response, but I wonder if anyone in the MR community is a high school student, teacher or administrator and might have some ideas for me. I can't be the only person thinking about this....



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I subsequently found this: http://www.socaldirt.org/about/index.htm

But it's for mountain biking only. They say it's a better and safer way to introduce high school kids to competitive cycling. I agree with that, but perhaps there could be something similar for kids who live in urban areas and want to ride on the road.





richbell
03.19.10 - 3:28 pm

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there's a bike club at my school (it's called broken cogz), los angeles center for enriched studies. almost all of us wear helmets and we try to encourage safe cycling and we do group rides on some weekends. i try to get some of them to come out to rides but for some reason they're never interested........

the aforementioned ideas are awesome....... i really hope you can try to incorporate that into schools



superblueman3
03.19.10 - 3:33 pm

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our club sponsors a high school team to compete in mountain bike races. there is no interscholastic cycling league for cycling. you will need to find private sponsors to make donations. look to the largest club in your area on the usa cycling website. all juniors race in age groups, and not enough schools compete for an interscholastic league.

There are also youth teams run at the LA Veldrome, check out Connie cycling. There are tons of youth development programs for all disciplines.

the cost to run a club at a local school would rack up, and without a boost, and basic funds, it'd be hard to get insurance, and finding a staff sponsor, making sure everyone is equipped properly, etc.



_iJunes
03.19.10 - 4:09 pm

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edit: interscholastic cycling league for high schools, there is one for collegiate cycling.

also most of the local 'races' are held on weekends on closed traffic courses which also racks up tons of money. for the district to set up competitive leagues, they'd have to invest too much money for them to find any reason to move forward with it. so it would be easier to merge them into the already going on race, and just seed them in the appropriate age grouip



_iJunes
03.19.10 - 4:12 pm

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where in the urban area do you live? i know major motion has a pretty good youth program over there. they're based out of south central



_iJunes
responding to a comment by richbell
03.19.10 - 4:13 pm

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http://www.socaldirt.org/race/docs/2010WarnerFlyer.pdf

This is a high school level mountain bike race series

http://www.socaldirt.org/index.html

that is the league



_iJunes
03.23.10 - 10:21 am

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2009 So. Cal High School League - Vail Lake from ChannelMTB on Vimeo.

_iJunes
03.23.10 - 10:22 am

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sometime ago I read that there was a track cycling program at rim of the world high school in wrightwood. Am I right or am I dreaming?



sancho1
03.23.10 - 11:03 am

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here it is

http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/socal-high-school-gets-velodrome-and-track-racing-program/



sancho1
03.23.10 - 11:07 am

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