Geared Up to Go !

FMX School with a Difference

It has finally happened.  Yes, approval has been granted by the Ministry of Things that Matter for the establishment of a new Charter School in Tauranga. The opening date is one year away -  April 1 2017 - however keen future students and their supportive parents all around the Bay are getting geared up ready to go.  Geared up ?  Yes, geared up.  This partially government funded school is a school with a difference. It's an FMX (focus on MX) school. 

As our interviewee, Stu Pedest, one of the parents spearheading the initiative, explains, "If you want children to learn, you have to take an holistic approach.  You have to link learning to things they love. And what do our kids love?  

They love MX.  They live it, they eat it, they breathe it. Soon they'll be able to 'school it' as well".

And what will be on the curriculum ?  Will the kids learn the three Rs ?

"My oath yes," responds Stu. " It won't be an easy ride for the little buggers. But everything will be geared towards making them want to learn.  Of course the younger ones will be  doing maths and English and the other basics but there'll be questions like, for example:

- In race one, you were second behind your chief rival.  In race 2, the results were reversed.  If you had a three point lead going into the final round of the championship, how many points do you need in race 3 to be sure of that top spot on the podium ?

- If you earn $80 a week with your paper run and  pocket money, how long will it take to save up for a new set of tyres ?

- What is the odd word out in this list : goggles - helmet - chest protecter -tie downs

-  Can you name a motorcycle brand for every letter of the alphabet ? Note, there isn't one for Q or X.

-  What is one symptom of a broken collarbone ?

The revs stay on full throttle but the bar is raised and there's a big jump up to the next challenge for our "vet" (aged 15+): classes.  They'll have to identify the clavicle and the scapula on their collarbone X-ray and state how long a fracture takes to heal.  

The maths definitely go up a notch as well. I even have a bit of a problem . Do you want some examples?

-  The oversteering equation: V squared x m(F)=OS squared

-  Understeer:  V squared x N-F(A+X)=VSsquared

-  Throttle steer: RPM (vector) x Vsquared (sum of X) = TS squared

All need to be learnt by heart before putting into practice during track time.

The students will know their motorcycle alphabet but will need to know the country of origin of the bikes. Geography will be linked specifically to the study of the  rutting capacities of soil types with reference in particular to Valkenswaard and Matterley Basin.  There will be a US MX option  in which the following comments must be linked to the appropriate track. Have a try, you'll see what I mean. The tracks are Spring Creek, Red Bud, Unadilla, Glen Helen and Washougal.  The comments are:

-  Has a 200-foot climb followed immediately by a steep descent all the way back down, with plenty of massive braking bumps for good measure.

-  Has whoops, consisting of two straightaways loaded with some of the most massive rollers the riders will ever see.

-  In the morning, the track is absolutely perfect, with the dirt looking like scrumptious chocolate cake.

-  The northeast dirt is loaded with big rocks, and the ruts everywhere on the track are deep enough to conceal a small child.

-  Has a 120-foot triple step-up right out of a corner, in front of the grandstands.

What do you reckon ?

Give us a break, I'll have to have a think. But, it's a very comprehensive programme. How did the idea come about ?  Why Tauranga ?

"Well, there were a few of us huddled under umbrellas at Taupo one weekend and I think it just got waterblasted down from heaven.  It semed pretty obvious. Most of us were from the wider Tauranga area; here we've got good tracks; we've got pro riders, the area is a bit of an MX magnet, in fact. We just went from there. The initial start gates are limited to forty but we are planning to expand as the number of classes grows".

Thank you, Stu. We wish you every well with this enterprising project.  

So readers, if you want your child or children to join Stu Pedest and the rest of the gang, go to this FMX link.  You won't regret it.