What's So Special
About Indoor......?
Several people have asked the
same question, "What's So Special About Indoor"...???
None of the new folks have raced indoor single point bmx at the
local level because it just hasn't existed for some two years
now in Western Washington... The question comes from a
curiosity about something different from what they have learned
bmx is.... Some are attached to their local outdoor track, and
aren't iinterested in traveling to another track, especially
something new and much different than what they see as bmx...
My answer to their question,
repeated by several new parents, was largely as follows:
First... The
environment is totally different... At outdoor tracks people
gather in groups in areas; ex: behind a favorite turn where they
like the parking, or a favorite bleacher spot, or some other
attractive spot to watch the races... Same folks, same location
every race... The cheering from each area is often confined to
when one of their riders is on the track, then the area goes
silent, until another of "their" riders comes off the gate...
At the indoor there is a confining space, namely the walls...
People come into the building and take seats often times with
strangers that quickly become new friends, with acquaintances
that then cheer for your kids as well as theirs, and you find
yourself cheering for their kids and not just your own
anymore... A comradery grows at indoor that does not exist
outdoors... The energy level at the indoor is so much higher
that it is unimaginable for most people until they experience it
for themselves... The cheering flows from moto to moto
and the same areas of the bleachers sometimes seem to have
riders in every moto... The excitement level surpasses that of
any and all outdoor facilities due to the closeness of the
spectators... Outdoor you need a large SCF or RCQ, or SCR
to generate anything near what is normal excitement of the
indoor environment...
Second... The
closeness of the indoor lends itself to an improved learning
environment, for both the riders and the parents... You are
automatically closer to other people and that lends itself to
many types of learning; be it asking questions of the person
next to you just because you are close enough to see something
that is different and you ask to find out about it, or just
seeing many more things due to the propinquity of the situation
indoors... Learning via observation is easier because you are
much closer to the competition, other competitors, and other pit
crew personnel...
Third... Over the past
years, the race sizes have been larger than the outdoor program
due to the obvious; more outdoor tracks with the localization
that more track locations bring to the active membership...
The indoor draws from a wider range of area, thus drawing a
larger rider base to the events and improving not only the race
size, but most often the competition level as well... Again,
naturally more excitement...
Fourthly... the
obvious, weather doesn't effect track conditions at the
indoor...
