rondot@spiritone.com

And..........as a long time worker-bee on the kiddie cross part of the family outing day.............I say to any of you. Step up and offer to help with even just one of the promoters if they need it putting on that kiddie cross race. Don’t wait until “day of” and watch a cluster unfold.....email them weeks ahead and see if they need help. My experience has shown me that getting there early enough to FIND a place for the kiddie cross course apart from the main course (unless that is not possible) is the main thing other than having people in place to set it up and carry out making the event smooth “like butter”. This for the kids and parents.
I am intentionally stepping back from being so involved to allow some of you “creative caring people” to step up and help the promoters make the kiddie cross races even better than my tenure. Mark and crew are doing a great job for Saltzberg and Hart of Zone 5. Sheilagh (BTA)is doing super at Blind Date as is Tom and crew (BTA) for the Crusade. Be part of the solution like Wilson is for the Juniors and High School. Don’t depend on someone else to do it for you or the kids. And be flexible. Kids are flexible even though the melt down at times..........
There are others out there doing great things for kiddie and juniors, but if they or other promoters need help....go the distance. You will feel great feeling the love of the kids. I have been touched to my very core by kids coming up to me at or around the kiddie race, or even away from the venue seeking or giving positive energy about kiddie cross or short track. It gets no better than having a positive impact on kids when they are testing life experiences. A high five after the kiddie race is better than a first place in your race of the day. You parents know that!
my two cents
ron strasser

From: Todd Mobley
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 4:32 PM
To: John Wilson
Cc: obra@list.obra.org ; Dan Saunders
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Barlow Juniors/Kiddy cross

Thanks John, I'll keep one more email on this topic on-list, to say thank you for helping establish the Junior-only race this year. Your efforts for the Juniors are very much appreciated.

-Todd

On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 4:04 PM, John Wilson wrote:

Thanks everyone for providing feedback on the issues of mixing the kiddie
kross with super fast Junior Cyclocross. We have learned a couple of
lessons, and perhaps dodged a bullet here. Rest assured we are working on
this with our CX race promoters.

Thanks for your support, and continued trust that we care about safety
first, and are all trying to do the right thing. Remember it is easy to
second guess after the fact. I want to thank all the race promoters, and
OBRA officials for being willing to put in the extra work and effort
supporting the mid day Junior only event. Our race officials have generously
agreed to work through their lunch break to support this cause. Some venues
are easier than others for supporting a simultaneous kiddy kross, and a full
course Junior event. Other venues are more complex. We will work through
these challenges to provide well-coordinated, and "safe" Junior events.

So again, thanks for the feedback. We have heard you.

John Wilson
OBRA Board
Director, The OBRA Junior & High School Cyclocross Series

-----Original Message-----
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
Behalf Of Dan Saunders
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 12:28 PM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Barlow Juniors/Kiddy cross

Barlow is a great course. In years past it has been very well organized for
both the competitive fields and the kid's race. This year, they got the
competitive races right, but really fell short on the Juniors/Kids race.

For those that might not have kids that do the kiddy cross race and missed
what happened, the kids race was put on the same field as the Juniors and
essentially told to do a short lap (from the start gate to the finish line).
Junior were called up and set off and then the let the kids go.

This had to be one of THE WORST CHOICES EVER. Yes, some kids made it in
time, but the younger less capable kids had to be pulled off the course as
Juniors came through. In years past, they put the kids on the NW corner of
the field by the track - a perfect place. By putting the kids on the active
course, it became a hazard for both the Juniors fields and kids; Unsafe for
the kids and unfair to the Juniors who then had to manage kids in the field.

I really hope this is a learning experience for whomever put this race
together and that this doesn't happen again. Every single GP and Crusade
race I have been to has been handled better than this.

Dan
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Todd Mobley

Thanks John, I'll keep one more email on this topic on-list, to say thank
you for helping establish the Junior-only race this year. Your efforts for
the Juniors are very much appreciated.

-Todd

On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 4:04 PM, John Wilson wrote:

> Thanks everyone for providing feedback on the issues of mixing the kiddie
> kross with super fast Junior Cyclocross. We have learned a couple of
> lessons, and perhaps dodged a bullet here. Rest assured we are working on
> this with our CX race promoters.
>
> Thanks for your support, and continued trust that we care about safety
> first, and are all trying to do the right thing. Remember it is easy to
> second guess after the fact. I want to thank all the race promoters, and
> OBRA officials for being willing to put in the extra work and effort
> supporting the mid day Junior only event. Our race officials have
> generously
> agreed to work through their lunch break to support this cause. Some venues
> are easier than others for supporting a simultaneous kiddy kross, and a
> full
> course Junior event. Other venues are more complex. We will work through
> these challenges to provide well-coordinated, and "safe" Junior events.
>
> So again, thanks for the feedback. We have heard you.
>
> John Wilson
> OBRA Board
> Director, The OBRA Junior & High School Cyclocross Series
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
> Behalf Of Dan Saunders
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 12:28 PM
> To: obra@list.obra.org
> Subject: [OBRA Chat] Barlow Juniors/Kiddy cross
>
> Barlow is a great course. In years past it has been very well organized for
> both the competitive fields and the kid's race. This year, they got the
> competitive races right, but really fell short on the Juniors/Kids race.
>
> For those that might not have kids that do the kiddy cross race and missed
> what happened, the kids race was put on the same field as the Juniors and
> essentially told to do a short lap (from the start gate to the finish
> line).
> Junior were called up and set off and then the let the kids go.
>
> This had to be one of THE WORST CHOICES EVER. Yes, some kids made it in
> time, but the younger less capable kids had to be pulled off the course as
> Juniors came through. In years past, they put the kids on the NW corner of
> the field by the track - a perfect place. By putting the kids on the active
> course, it became a hazard for both the Juniors fields and kids; Unsafe for
> the kids and unfair to the Juniors who then had to manage kids in the
> field.
>
> I really hope this is a learning experience for whomever put this race
> together and that this doesn't happen again. Every single GP and Crusade
> race I have been to has been handled better than this.
>
> Dan
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
>

John Wilson

Thanks everyone for providing feedback on the issues of mixing the kiddie
kross with super fast Junior Cyclocross. We have learned a couple of
lessons, and perhaps dodged a bullet here. Rest assured we are working on
this with our CX race promoters.

Thanks for your support, and continued trust that we care about safety
first, and are all trying to do the right thing. Remember it is easy to
second guess after the fact. I want to thank all the race promoters, and
OBRA officials for being willing to put in the extra work and effort
supporting the mid day Junior only event. Our race officials have generously
agreed to work through their lunch break to support this cause. Some venues
are easier than others for supporting a simultaneous kiddy kross, and a full
course Junior event. Other venues are more complex. We will work through
these challenges to provide well-coordinated, and "safe" Junior events.

So again, thanks for the feedback. We have heard you.

John Wilson
OBRA Board
Director, The OBRA Junior & High School Cyclocross Series

-----Original Message-----
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
Behalf Of Dan Saunders
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 12:28 PM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Barlow Juniors/Kiddy cross

Barlow is a great course. In years past it has been very well organized for
both the competitive fields and the kid's race. This year, they got the
competitive races right, but really fell short on the Juniors/Kids race.

For those that might not have kids that do the kiddy cross race and missed
what happened, the kids race was put on the same field as the Juniors and
essentially told to do a short lap (from the start gate to the finish line).
Junior were called up and set off and then the let the kids go.

This had to be one of THE WORST CHOICES EVER. Yes, some kids made it in
time, but the younger less capable kids had to be pulled off the course as
Juniors came through. In years past, they put the kids on the NW corner of
the field by the track - a perfect place. By putting the kids on the active
course, it became a hazard for both the Juniors fields and kids; Unsafe for
the kids and unfair to the Juniors who then had to manage kids in the field.

I really hope this is a learning experience for whomever put this race
together and that this doesn't happen again. Every single GP and Crusade
race I have been to has been handled better than this.

Dan
_______________________________________________
OBRA mailing list
obra@list.obra.org
http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org

Todd Mobley

Not to be a complainer, but as the father of one current Kiddie Krosser and
one former Kiddie Krosser now racing Junior, I have to jump in. My daughter
made it to the Kiddie Kross finish just fine, but when we were making our
way back the start area, I saw some of this conflict at the 90-degree
corner on the pavement at the bottom of the hill (the fastest section of
the course). The stragglers from Kiddie Kross were the little ones on
strider bikes, accompanied by encouraging parents. They were being caught
by the lead Juniors.

Remember that the fastest Juniors are *winning *in the B class. Blind
corner, asphalt, high speeds...luckily, disaster averted.

On a positive note...we had a great day racing and brought the family out
for most of the day. Thanks to everyone that made it possible for us. I saw
that the race raised $1,900 for the school. That's awesome!

-Todd

On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 12:28 PM, Dan Saunders wrote:

> Barlow is a great course. In years past it has been very well organized
> for both the competitive fields and the kid's race. This year, they got
> the competitive races right, but really fell short on the Juniors/Kids race.
>
> For those that might not have kids that do the kiddy cross race and missed
> what happened, the kids race was put on the same field as the Juniors and
> essentially told to do a short lap (from the start gate to the finish
> line). Junior were called up and set off and then the let the kids go.
>
> This had to be one of THE WORST CHOICES EVER. Yes, some kids made it in
> time, but the younger less capable kids had to be pulled off the course as
> Juniors came through. In years past, they put the kids on the NW corner of
> the field by the track - a perfect place. By putting the kids on the active
> course, it became a hazard for both the Juniors fields and kids; Unsafe for
> the kids and unfair to the Juniors who then had to manage kids in the field.
>
> I really hope this is a learning experience for whomever put this race
> together and that this doesn't happen again. Every single GP and Crusade
> race I have been to has been handled better than this.
>
> Dan
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
>

Dan Saunders

Barlow is a great course. In years past it has been very well organized for both the competitive fields and the kid's race. This year, they got the competitive races right, but really fell short on the Juniors/Kids race.

For those that might not have kids that do the kiddy cross race and missed what happened, the kids race was put on the same field as the Juniors and essentially told to do a short lap (from the start gate to the finish line). Junior were called up and set off and then the let the kids go.

This had to be one of THE WORST CHOICES EVER. Yes, some kids made it in time, but the younger less capable kids had to be pulled off the course as Juniors came through. In years past, they put the kids on the NW corner of the field by the track - a perfect place. By putting the kids on the active course, it became a hazard for both the Juniors fields and kids; Unsafe for the kids and unfair to the Juniors who then had to manage kids in the field.

I really hope this is a learning experience for whomever put this race together and that this doesn't happen again. Every single GP and Crusade race I have been to has been handled better than this.

Dan