It happens every year at least once... Numerous riders in a junior race are pulled off the course and not placed. Kidlets get upset, parents blow gaskets, officials are blasted, and promoters harassed. This year the unlucky venue was Martinez... in the past the venue has been Land Park, McLane Pacific, and (in a particularly bad year that must have left parents embarrassed by their actions and the actions of their kidlets) Pacific State Bank Grand Prix...
The anatomy of the problem is pretty complex and varies from venue to venue, but there are several commonalities that need to be looked at: promoters combining junior fields, officials striving to keep a race as fair and safe as possible, riders misunderstanding rules and misjudging their ability, and parents that react without thinking...
I'm going to side with the officials and promoters on this one... parents and riders hear me out before you start flaming away...
First off lets look at a race from a promoters point of view. In most cases promoters are dealing with limited resources... limited time, limited money, limited man power... availability of resources has a direct effect on the day's racing. Promoting bicycle races, at least on the NorCal level, is not a golden goose. In most cases a promoter is lucky to finish the day on an even keel, many races are run in the red, those that do make it into the black really end up more in a shade of grey. Let's face it, if bicycle racing were a cash cow for promoters more companies would be lining up to do it. That said, a promoter has to try to maximize profits while still maintaining the spirit of the sport... Putting on a junior race during an already crowded race day does very little to maximize profits. Most promoters do it to support our kidlets knowing full well that they are going to lose money during that particular segment of the day. Currently an additional field of 35+ 4's or 35+ 5's would fill quite easily whereas a junior field may have, say, 30 or 40 riders max... 35 plusers pay top dollar, juniors often times reg at reduced prices. Which one makes more sense to a promoter working with limited time and money, additional juniors fields or additional adult fields?
Officials... This one is a no-brainer. The official's job is to keep the race as safe and fair as possible. If a promoter has combined the juniors into a single field then the official has to work within those confines. Having riders of hugely disparate abilities on the course at the same time makes for less than safe conditions. We've all, well at least most of us that have watched kidlets race for awhile, seen the littlest of the little on a bike that is for all intense and purpose too big to handle safely wobble down the middle of the finishing stretch as the big boys and girls blast past them on both sides at more than twice their speed. scary... Some of us have been unfortunate enough to see the littlest riders panic and move suddenly right or left. The ensuing carnage is not something I'd like to describe, much less think about. Safe... get the little guys off the course before somebody gets hurt. And fair? results are hard enough to get correct when there are not riders that have been lapped multiple times. And that doesn't even count the kidlets who's sprint in the finale is impeded by a slower rider being lapped for the 3rd or 4th time... yes... seen that happen too.
Kidlets... you wouldn't go to a soccer game without knowing that you can't use your hands, you wouldn't play baseball without knowing that you get only three strikes, you wouldn't play basketball without knowing that you have to dribble. Bicycle racing has rules just like any other sport. Granted some of the rules are pretty complex, but it is your job to know the rules... from Casey,
"The rule book basically says that officials can pull a rider when they are deemed to be out of contention or if a rider may pose a danger to himself or to other riders."
Go to a race knowing that you may be pulled... it happens to the best.
Likewise you wouldn't go to a baseball game as a 14 year-old expecting to beat a high-school varsity squad. If a race has a combined field expect to be beaten by the bigger kids... by all means go race. The experience gained racing against older, faster kids is invaluable.
But, go race knowing that it is likely that you may get pulled.
Parents... couple of things. First, you are older and wiser than the little guys who may not realize that they are gonna take a beating in a combined field. Don't drive junior two hours to a race if you feel the need to blast and/or harass promoter and official should junior get pulled before the race is over. Second, think before you react. Ask yourself why a promoter has combined a junior field. Ask yourself why an official pulled your kidlet. After having done so, if you've come up with a legit' argument against the promoter and/or official's actions, voice your opinion to them in a positive manner... thank them for their efforts this year and make a suggestion for improving the race next year. simple... vengeance is not yours and it isn't gonna do anybody any good seeking it. Neither is complaining about the length of the drive to the race, the cost of gas, your "wasted" Saturday, or the bridge toll.
I've been there guys... My own cherubs have been pulled off the course after driving two hours, I've had athletes impeded by slower riders during their sprint, I've been scared to death as a knock-kneed 13 year-old wobbled wide-eyed from side to side as a peloton of testosterone driven boys blasted past on either side, I've wiped away the tears after a rider's been pulled, I've seen my 13 year-old lapped by the cat 1 and 2 18 year-olds, and I've picked up my own kidlet with a broken finger, chipped tooth and black eye off the pavement when he wrecked out as an off-the-backer-who had been lapped multiple times.
I understand the passion a parent feels when the kidlet's been "wronged" and I know the pain a parent feels when a kidlet has been hurt. Let the kidlets learn and grow from the experience and leave it at that... setting a bad example for them does not help them at all.
Go to a race with eyes wide open. It is all laid out for you in the race flier. you know what to expect. Make sure that your kidlet knows what to expect as well.
Am I a fan of combined junior fields? Yes... and No...
Yes, the kidlets get their own race when otherwise they would have to race with adults... Yes, there is no better way to make junior faster than to have him or her race with faster kids... Yes, the fields are deeper and the racing is better... Yes, it is good for a kid to get beat resoundingly sometimes. They need to learn how to lose too...
No, it isn't fair to throw a thirteen year-old into a race with a couple of 1's and 2's... No, it isn't always the safest thing for kidlets to be doing... No, their isn't any glory in beating kids that are five years younger than you...
No, I don't like seeing kids get pulled, but it is a necessary evil.
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4 comments:
I like your stance on this issue. On Saturday parents were putting kids as young as 12 in a 15-16/17-18 race!! And then getting upset when the kid got pulled. Outrageous! There are a few younger Juniors who can hang in there like Marcus Smith (an animal)but if they can't, don't put your (and everyone els') kid in danger. Simple.
Can't say I agree with you, Steve. Most courses have more than enough room for multiple groups traveling at different speeds. Is it the safest situation? No, but the kids need to race. Now, Martinez is a special case because, correct me if I'm wrong, it was a Jr. Pts Series Race. What's the big deal? When a promotor signs up to host a pts series event, (which is a tough commitment, as all should realize, thanks to your econ lesson) they should realize that a broad spectrum of junior racers will attend their event. Should the promotor be forced to have sperate races for each event? No, it's a waste of time. Unfortunately, we can't run seperate races on a crit course at the same time anymore, so the littlest juniors will be stuck starting at the same time as the biggest juniors. To me, that leaves only one solution to fairly conduct pts series races: a promotor should set up the race in a way that will give an opportunity for all riders to finish, not only the ones staying on the winning pace. But, I deffinately agree that parents should not get so worked up when it won't change anything...
-David
Good points, David...
I agree that most courses offer enough room for different groups travelling at different speeds. Heck, we used to race to seperate groups on the course all the time, but rule changes have put those days behind us. The safety issue is especially critical, however, with the difference in speed between the slowest juniors and the fastest... sometimes as much as a factor of two... and the inexperience of the younger kiddos. They often times don't realize that a group is coming up behind them, and they panic when they are suddenly overtaken. On a straight away it is scary enough, in a corner (and Martinez has many) it is a recipe for disaster.
Martinez is indeed a special case. It was a point series event, but only for the 15/16 and 17/18 groups. Usually those two groups have riders that are close enough in ability to avoid having to pull many riders. And most of those riders have enough experience to get out of the way when they are being lapped. However, much of the field on Saturday was made up of younger kids which immediately put riders all over the course... some were close to being lapped after just two laps... creating a very dangerous situation. Riders needed to be pulled for safety's sake. And once you start pulling riders who are in danger of being lapped, for fairness sake, where do you stop? Does the official make a spot decision? "you are in danger of being lapped but look like a solid rider so you can stay in." -or- "you are in danger of being lapped and look inexperienced so you are pulled."
Given the race flier listing a combined 15/16 17/18 race, I think the promoter did his best to insure that all the riders would have a good chance of finishing. The promoter shouldn't be held responsible for kids who sign up for a race beyond their ability. Or... maybe we need a rule that prohibits kids from reg'ing outside of their age group in junior races, but that is a whole other can of worms.
Finally, yes the kids need to race, but I for one will always err on the side of safety. I've picked too many kids up off the pavement, ridden in the back of too many ambulances with them on the way to the hospital...
Interesting situation with Martinez. I still have sympathy for the little kids, but I remember when I was a new racer I wouldn't do events out of my age group to stay safe and in the race. Junior racing sure can be a bucket of worms. Now, off to swim practice! (check the time this was posted, and excuse any incoherrant thoughts)
-David
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