How long should a beginner stay in that class?

[bmiddaugh]

First off…
Leadslead, you rock for getting us that info, seriously man, you basically just blew the lid off the top of the bottom line for the NBL (a NON PROFIT, LMMFAO) and ABA.
I’m so pi**ed right now that it’s unreal!
The beginners are for the local tracks to grow BMX and the freaking sanctions are just stuffing that money in their bottom line, and f the grassroots scene.
OK, it’s obvious BMX now needs a new sanctioning body run by some people who understand and have the ability to grow BMX in the PROPER manner.
I’m serious this is unreal!

hehe…wiener class…
Hmmm, I might qualify for the whiner class….

[guinnessextreme]

Good topic. First off, I am old (37), but not ‘old school’, as in I never raced before… turned Novice last year at the state championship. I jumped everything imaginable and I had a quarter pipe in my backyard, but never raced till 2 yrs ago. Currently I have an 8yr old rookie and a 6yr old Novice. The 6 yr old gets whooped every weekend by 8 and 9 yr olds, but he races his heart out. The 8 year old races his peers (who may very well be novice this year and race against my 6 yr old!) and I can’t seem to motivate him, but I want him to have fun. That being said, I was amazed to find out the NBL’s elaborate 15 move up ‘points’ system. Seems to me that Rookie should mean first year, period. Maybe 10-15 races, but thats it. My kids started out on 16″ Wally World specials and it became very obvious after like 2 races that I needed to spend $3-400 (EACH!) just to get into it.

I think the first thing that can be done is the local track directors “encouraging” anyone who obviously should move up to do so. Sometimes that may even include public ridicule.

One other thing that I will throw out there…what about a ‘beginner’ cruiser class? When I started I saw Bill Hayden, Rich Farside etc in what woudl be my cruiser class….needless to say I went with the 20″!

Well, so much for my rant.
Loren

[Kmart]

The beginner old man cruiser class would be great as the thought of giving racing another try (since 85) in 35 -39 Cruiser against Farside and others is not so appealing…..although with low moto counts can tracks handle another class???

[s4lnj]

a pre determined # of wins– lets say between 5 and 8, or 1 season, whichever comes first
rooks should only be alowed track or state plate– but like lead sled mentioned- too much money from rooks at nationals

it’s a different mentality– growing up racing, i always felt that a 7th in novice was better than a first in rookie, and a 7th in expert was better than a first in novice.

it just isn’t that way anymore

i have more on this, but am short on time–

gotta roll
dave

[bmxgirlmom]

Most track directors will move up a kid who is blowing the doors off his comp. Makes for a very interesting evening or afternoon when the kid gets moved up and the parents are points chasers or trophy chasers.

And heaven forbid if the kid moves himself up without his parents permission. Then you get the screaming, lawsuit threats, and vicious gossip. Happened last year. Kid got moved back to Rookie when the parents threatened the NBL with a lawsuit. Then they screamed more when they found out he couldn’t be used on a team sheet until he moved back up.

Points and trophy chasing parents are what causes the huge Rookie classes. I’ve heard a lot of parents telling their kids “don’t you dare win, you’ll get a move up point.” “Sit down before the line, you’re sitting # whatever in National points.”

Moving up is a badge of honor. It shows that you have learned the skills to make you competitive in a harder class. I’ve never understood the sandbagging.

My son and a friend of his were 14 rookies their first year of National racing and sitting like #4 and #6 National, but 3 weeks out from the Grands they both decided they were not going to the Grands as Rookies. They showed up at the Grands as brand new Novices sitting #95 and #99.
But they tried, did well, and were very proud of their #57 and #59 plates that first year. And my son’s comment when he turned expert and got his doors blown off was “the more I lose, the faster I get!” What a wonderful attitude! I tell all our new move ups that story and most “get it” it’s a shame the parents don’t.

[bmiddaugh]

Looks like this is gonna take some good ol sh*t talking…
We’ll figure this thing out, no doubt.

[CrazyCraig]

so after seeing LeadSled’s numbers – if we bitch to the NBL – they’ll defend the current policy and use these numbers to show how they are growing better than the ABA because of a bigger beginner / rookie class.

They’ll say its good for the sport, but as we all know, only at the national level.

So – do we have to have a pre-rookie class at the local level????? Its all about operating income right? The more newbies we get on the track, the better the local operating income, right???

[Author]

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