Wow. Reading about all this USAT stuff has me thinking. I’ve been doing tri’s since 1985. Paid a lot of dues over the year to USAT. I’m older now and have kids interested in the sport. It is really hard to find events for them. Seems like USAT could do more in this area. How about a national program that puts on kids triathlons? If they do that now, I have never heard of it.
Should that be part of the USAT charter?
TxDude, I don’t live in the US but I do have a 7 year old. Here in Canada, each of the provincial associations have done a great job with the Kids of Steel Series. Locally, within 45 min, drive, there are 4 kids tri races this summer. Like you, I have been racing since 1985. To tell you the truth, the whole concept of kids tris is overrated. Kids should get exposed to the individual sports on their own in school/community. Meanwhile, my view, is that they should grow up playing team sports like soccer, football, waterpolo, hockey, baseball etc etc. Back in 1985, we still had Tinley, Molina, Allen and Scott, who, in their day, could thump any of the current crop of pros. All these guys because triathlets by playing other sports and taking on tris as adults.
In my view, tris are a great adult sport, but not that fun for kids. I have not put my son yet in a kids tri and don’t plan to. They are way too competitive and I don’t want him to get turned off at an early age. He’ll be playing soccer, XC skiing, mountain biking, tennis, swimming, hockey etc etc etc in the mean time.
I beg to differ. My kids love them. My oldest is 14, and he’s done 4 races. My daughter is 8 and she’s done 2. They LOVE triathlons. I just wish there were more in my town.
Ironjack puts on some great kids events in Dallas…we’ve been up there but it’s a long drive.
Wow, not much competition here in the US in Kids races. So far that has been the great thing for my Son doing races, he has a better than average chance of scoring hardware in every race he does, this helps to continue to motivate him to want to race more, I work to keep him balanced as I don’t want him to burn out either. But I will agree with the original poster, there are NOT enough kids races, and USAT has rules in place that short sprints for Adults are NOT for kids under 15 so unless you can find a race director to allow them to enter anyway they are out of luck. USAT feels only the really short like 200 yard swim 6 mile bike 1 mile run is good for kids. My son did a Duathlon 2 weeks ago 1.2 mile run, 15 mile Bike and 2.4 mile run. He had a blast was stoked and got 2nd in the Junior division. The first thing he did when he got home is started searching for the next race he can do. I too would like to see USAT work harder to get more races in place, Where will our next crop of athletes come from if we don’t encourage kids to get involved. Plus why do very few bike manufacturers make bikes in smaller sizes like 43-47cm Really tough to find!
TxDude,
I know I know you but by your “moniker” I can’t identify you. I take it by your reference to a long drive, you possibly live in South TX. If so I believe Dave Rainey in Houston puts on several Kids events and there is I believe 2 in Austin, one this weekend. That doesn’t solve your initial issue but it might work better for your Kids. We’re trying to add a third event for 2005 if that helps.
Ironjack
I also beg to differ. I have worked the Webster, NY kids race since it inception, 5+ years ago. Last year they had 287 kids in 4 age groups (6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-16). To my knowledge, it had more participants than any of the adult tris in Buffalo/Rochester/Syracuse.
I have come to recognize some of the kids now, as they come year after year. My own 6.5 year old boy is signed up for this year, not because I do tris, but because he has been a spectator at the last 3. He was begging us to let him do it last year.
In my opinion, there are some very important aspects to kids tris, specially when they allow kids 6 and up:
Appropriate distances (the Webster tri has different distances for each age group, starting at 25y swim, ~1 mi bike, ~ 400m run; even so, the 6-7 year olds have very loose rules about what constitutes a “swim”)
NOT competitive! Everybody is a winner, takes home a medal, trophy, ribbon, whatever. Absolutely no race clocks. It is NOT about time/pace/etc.
For the younger age groups, allow some (discreet) parent help in the trasition, specially T1.
I have volunteered at a number of adult races (running & tris) since my first in 1987. While it is a good feeling at the end of the day, nothing compares to the feeling you get after getting 60-70 6 & 7 year olds through their first triathlon. (And in all these years, I have yet to work the finish line - usually I run the transitions and surrounding course marshaling.)
(Now, if you want to get my feathers ruffled, talk to me about the parents that just about trample over other kid-racers to scream at the top of their lungs at their own kids to go faster!.. I have had a few arguments over the years…)
As to the original poster’s question, Tri-Fud is too busy collecting election ballots to do much about kids races. I’m sure that if you’d try to sanction the race, they’d want the $9 one-day fee. In the case of the Webster tri, that would jack the race rate from $12 to $21. Hmmm.
Finally, and this is not an anecdote, it actually happened: the local tri club - RATs (Rochester Area Triathletes), a Tri-Fud registered club, was threatened by our dear federation for advertising the non-sanctioned kids race on the RATs web site. I wish that any of the big defenders of the federation on this site would explain that to me. 'Cuz they sure seem to take great pleasure in telling us what great things the current Board of Hypocrites (oops, I meant Directors) MIGHT have done had they been allowed to stay in office. Their ball is not only crystal, but it works very well.
(Sorry, I digressed.)
Horia Neamtu
We are in Austin.
I guess my main point is - should USAT be driving a national program for kids triathlons?
TxDude,
There is a “National Program” on two levels. USAT is now working with local community organizations to have their presence made in schools locally and to work with communities to devlop very basic skill events. On another level they have the Teams programs where “gifted” athletes beginning as early as 13 can attend camps and and compete under international rules. However like adult events, USAT depends on local Race Directors to bring the sport to the local level. I do Kids events because they are the most fun thing around, I really love them and the Kids. It also allows me to put something back into the sport and hopefully grow future life long participants. I would encourage you to contact the USAT National Office or Fred Phillips, the Regional President here in the South Midwest. If you send me a separate e-mail: ironjack@ironheadrp.com, I’ll be happy to provide you with the contact info. Hope this helps.
Ironjack
USAT provides low cost insurance that allows the Silicon Valley Triathlon Club in San Jose Ca to put on its annual Silicon Valley Kids Triathlon
So far 485 kids are entered for the June 6th event there are 5 age groups from 6 & under up to 14 year olds.
Every region should (meaning “currently has the authority to”) have a junior championship, a U-23 championship, and a regional development coordinator to help steer people to races that promote the sport and create a strong youth development series.
<<As to the original poster’s question, Tri-Fud is too busy collecting election ballots to do much about kids races. I’m sure that if you’d try to sanction the race, they’d want the $9 one-day fee. In the case of the Webster tri, that would jack the race rate from $12 to $21. Hmmm. >>
The last time I checked the USAT website, the sanction fee for kids events was $75, (compared to $250. for adult event), rebate is $50. if you get your post-race info back on time. Also, the one-day membership for kids is $3.00. Net cost to the RD is $25. to sanction. I have been to many, many sprint and short races with younger kids divisions within the scope of the adult event–I think it’s left up to the RD to determine, based upon the distances and difficulties of the race, how young the participants can be.