First of four 2009 BMX Junior Development Camps a success

Chula Vista, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2009) – USA Cycling teamed up with GT Bicycles to host the first of four camps in 2009 to be a part of a USA Cycling’s new BMX Junior Development Program. Seventeen 15-16 year-old men and women were invited to the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., Feb. 1-6 to take part in the first camp of its kind.

Nine of the top young men in the sport of BMX and eight of the best young women arrived on the campus of the Olympic Training Center on Sunday where they were greeted by USA Cycling BMX Director Mike King and USA Cycling BMX coaches Brian Fell and Jeff Glynn, and later Jerry Bradford. Also on-site were GT Bicycles Team Marketing Support Coordinator Steve Spencer and Vet Pro Eric Rupe. The athletes, along with more than a dozen of their parents, were promptly taken on a tour of the Olympic Training Center.

After a good night’s sleep in their on-campus dorm rooms, the young BMXers were anxious to get in their first run on the Olympic -style BMX track. The group first gathered for a team photo and then moved to the Beijing-replica track for some instruction and introduction to the Supercross style of BMX racing. Although most of the camp participants were taking in the 26-foot start ramp and 40-foot jumps for the first time, by the end of that initial training session, many of the country’s top young BMX stars were tackling the track with tenacity.

“Many of the athletes were riding the entire track by the end of the first session; some of the girls were even riding the men’s back-straight by the end of the camp,” stated King. “To see this much skill in just the first camp is extremely encouraging. The talent-level is very, very high amongst this age group and that is extremely promising for the future.”

Following lunch in the OTC dining hall the campers were treated to a Q&A session with Olympic silver medalist, Mike Day. The now 24-year-old BMX veteran offered the campers some insight into what it takes to become an Olympic champion, on and off the track. The group wrapped up the afternoon with some sprint timing and flat cornering skills to evaluate not only speed and power, but also simple cornering technique. These tests are not only meant to show the athletes’ current capacity, but also to establish a baseline to measure the youngsters’ future improvement.

While the boys headed out for another session on the track on Tuesday morning, the girls hit the weight room with USOC Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Steve Bammell. The USOC’s world-class training staff worked to teach the girls exercise techniques to improve their explosiveness, power, core strength and speed.

“I learned the most new things in the workout sessions,” said Taylor Wolcott, a 15-year old three-time ABA World Champion. “The workouts weren’t exactly what I thought they’d be. There was a lot of conditioning and endurance training mixed with plyometrics and power exercises. We learned how to more efficiently transfer our body weight and work on our explosiveness. That was the most beneficial part for sure.”

The two groups switched in the early afternoon before heading to the lab for more intensive testing to wrap up the day. On Wednesday, both the boys and girls groups headed back to the medical lab to take part in a series of tests, including the Wingate test, measuring peak anaerobic power, anaerobic fatigue and total anaerobic capacity by interpreting data recorded as the athletes ride a specially equipped exercise bike.

Both groups continued to hit the track for daily instruction and practice where all the riders continued to progress physically. However as all of the elite athletes at the OTC were quick to point out to the campers, mental training should also be a part of any athlete’s preparation. Each athlete met with USOC Sport Psychologist James Bauman on Thursday where he discussed techniques for mental preparation. Parents and family were invited to watch Thursday’s training as well as take part in Baumann’s discussion surrounding youth development, career planning and goal building.

“I learned a lot about the right way to train for BMX,” stated Austin Loebe. “After riding the track I do feel more confident about the Supercross events, because if I can handle those jumps at the OTC I should be able to handle any Supercross track.”

As the week wrapped up on Friday, all parties involved agreed that the U.S. has an incredible pool of skilled riders coming up which should make the run for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams all the more exciting.

“Each and every one of these kids is capable of racing at the next level,” stated King. “Some of these kids lack the strength and power, but that will certainly come as the body matures with age. I was very pleased not only with their ability on the track but with their level of energy and enthusiasm.”

USA Cycling, in conjunction with GT Bicycles, plans to continue the camp series with the next event scheduled for June. Several athletes will return and several others will move on to make way for another group of up-and-coming talent.

“We will end this round of camps in June and the 16-year-olds will move on to race UCI Supercross,” explained King. “We will then bring in another group of kids who are even younger, but will be equally as exciting to work with. We have a world-class facility here in Chula Vista and we certainly plan to take advantage of that for a long time to come.”

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization and sanctioning body, USA Cycling consists of 64,000+ members, including 57,000 competitive cyclists, 1,500 coaches, 4,000 student-athletes, 2,200 officials, 350 professional cyclists, and 200 certified mechanics. USA Cycling also sanctions 2,500 competitive and non-competitive organized cycling events throughout the United States annually, as well as 1,800 clubs and teams. Associations of USA Cycling include the United States Cycling Federation (road, track & cyclo-cross), the National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), the BMX Association, the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the United States Professional Racing Organization. USA Cycling is also responsible for the identification, development, support and promotion of American cyclists through various athletic initiatives and programs including the USA Cycling National Development Team, the USA Cycling Women’s National Team, the USA Cycling Junior Development Team, Talent Identification and Regional Development Camps, domestic and international race calendars, direct athlete funding and support programs, and educational camps and seminars. USA Cycling also fields and supports U.S. National Teams for various international events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Continental Championship and World Cups across all levels and disciplines of competitive cycling. USA cycling further supports grass roots and locally-based initiatives through its 32 Local Associations and comprehensive network of licensed and certified coaches and officials. Additionally, USA Cycling conducts National Championship events for amateur and professional cyclists, awarding more than 600 national titles annually to men and women in junior, U23, masters, elite, professional and paralympic categories throughout the various disciplines of competitive cycling. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org. For media-related or general inquiries, please contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867 or alee@usacycling.org.

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