The Maturation of our Sport

Recently as most of you guys who sit on FB all day long know, there was a dispute about a rider leaving a company/Team while in the middle of a Tour. He left because apparently he didn't agree with what the other riders were taking part in. Take that how you want it.

The issue though is not about that rider really, or what he said or didn't say about any other riders. (Evan Larson and Cooper are beasts, I'll leave it at that) It is more about parents, other riders, and even company owners that don't understand or accept a sport that is maturing and growing up, and the fact that their are in fact individuals in this sport. I could go on about this, but I received an anonymous email that I have decided to post, because He and I do share the same views on a lot of this stuff. Read it below.

"On Maturation of the Scene.

The following does not reflect the views of Inside Scooters nor does Inside Scooters endorse it.  Also note that I am not a parent nor do I claim to be a parenting expert. 

Recent events involving a certain rider leaving a certain team have caused a bit of an internal discussion within myself.  I’ll try not to get into too much detail, but these are my reactions to tonight.

I get it.  Parents like to be involved in their kids’ lives.  That’s great.  But to be in it to that extent?  Do you know what the term “helicopter parents” means?  At some point, you have to let your kid make his own decisions, make mistakes, and learn from it.  Pretty much every kid will run into drugs/alcohol/questionable behavior.  It IS the parents’ responsibility to prepare their child for those situations.  That doesn’t mean to flat out avoid it, it doesn’t mean go balls out right into it, but to know how to react and deal with it.  It’s almost a certainty that these situations will arise while on a pro tour, and if someone can’t handle that, they shouldn’t have been on the team in the first place.  In fact, it makes you wonder if they should even be a “professional” rider at all…I could write a whole editorial on who should be pro and who shouldn’t, but that’s a topic for a different day. 

A lot of parents also want their kids to be good role models for the younger riders- wear helmets, don’t be seen drinking/smoking, etc, because those younger kids are the ones who buy parts, which supports the pro riders and the scene in general.  And that’s cool.  But I don’t know if they realize there are older riders, who can relate to riders who are engaging in more mature activities.  Riders that, if they aren’t catered to, will get bored of the flashy skulls, nunchucks and kneepads image that some pros have, and leave scootering…most likely, for a sport with a more developed image, like skateboarding or BMX.  Some of these same parents can be seen arguing with 16 year old girls on the Internet.  You want your son to set a good example for kids, and then you go engaging in pointless bickering on Facebook with a girl who, nearly by definition, is going to try to get a rise out of you?  Yes, there’s nothing cooler than when Mom chews out a random girl online whom she has never met.  One of the only things more pathetic than an adult actually fighting with a teenaged kid is an adult fighting with a teenaged kid over the internet.  In fact, taking the time to partake in Internet drama is always a pointless, lame decision.  It could all be avoided by remembering that what strangers say about you or your loved ones on the Internet doesn’t matter and will not affect you in any way whatsoever. 

Parents aren’t the only ones who need to take a step back either.  Other riders could be found making inflammatory comments, which fans were clearly reading.  It was a bummer to see them respond, saying how they had just lost respect for some of their favorite riders.  Putting down another rider in a public way does make you look bad.  I know a lot of these guys don’t really care what some random kid thinks of them, but your own comments online DO reflect on your sponsors.  And what’s bad for your sponsor, is bad for you.    The worst though, are comments like “Nobody knows who you are”.  It’s shocking to see that, such cockiness and disrespect from a rider of such stature.  It really shows how “mature” these guys really are…

 

So, to recap.  Parents, don’t be like Marlin from Pixar’s Finding Nemo.  Let your little Nemo spread his wings (fins?), and learn to take care of himself.  Definitely do not get involved online.  Pro riders, don’t involve yourself in pointless drama.  Yeah, you might think it’s funny to poke fun at someone, and while that may be true, there are kids out there who will see it and look at you differently.  They might not buy that pair of sig bars, or buy a pair of wheels from a different company, because you made yourself look like a dick.  There are plenty of riders who don’t concern themselves with what’s happening on the Internet at all.  They are more focused on riding, and having fun- which is what it’s really all about anyway.  Taking a page out of their book might do you some good."