Motorized recreation is becoming more popular as time goes on. Parents are opting out of traditional organized sports and turning to family powersports as a way to have fun and stay connected to each other.
Quality time is what most families yearn for in today’s hustle-bustle, work-work-work society.
Seeing the need for events everyone can participate in was the catalyst of the Second Gear Motorcycle Club, (SGMC), founded in 1999. This racing club offers a variety of races throughout Western Canada throughout the year including oval and sprint ice racing, trials events, cross country ATV and motorcycle races, hare scrambles, and mini road racing. With events that all ages and all skill levels can participate in, this club is one of the most successful of its kind.
The club is set on a foundation of family fun, education, stewardship and skills development.
Some families are born into motorized recreation, but there are also those who, sparked by their children who want to ride, have joined the club in hopes of providing a safe resource for their eager children.
“Quite often we see parents, who’ve never rode ATVs or dirt bikes, reach out to us to help their children learn skills safely," said Rhonda Pechout, a key organizer with SGMC. "The parents, caught up in the excitement, take the plunge and learn to ride along with their kids”
The parents may never yearn for pro status, but they join in, racing simply for fun. This type of family involvement brings everyone closer together. Parents and children develop strong bonds - a wonderful parenting tool for sure. The children appreciate the opportunity to ride, and never take for granted the ability to do so.
Sometimes it truly does take a village, especially in motorized recreation.
"There is no better tool for skills development and stewardship awareness than mentoring. Reaching out to those who are new to the sport and helping them learn the right way is what the Second Gear Motorcycle Club is all about," said Pechout. She has been active in the Second Gear Motorcycle Club for eight years, and sees the difference mentorship makes.
Empowering youth and setting a strong example in terms of etiquette are core values for this race club. The club encourages the older children to help out with the younger kids, teaching ridership skills and also lending a hand when the youngsters get stuck or frustrated. The older youth are like heroes for the younger riders, so their involvement has a huge impact, especially when it comes to creating classy, responsible riders. Pechout is like the Mama bear for the 175 youth riders in the club.
“They know I can give them fun, and if they behave inappropriately, I can take it away," she said.
It has been noted that the riders who race through the Second Gear Motorcycle Club are not only some of the most skilled, but the ones displaying the highest levels of class and sportsmanship.
Pechout’s entire family enjoys racing, including her daughter, Lexi. This 16-year-old girl has many accomplishments under her belt. She is a silver medallist in Canadian women's ISDE competition, pro ice racing rookie of the year, fifth in the USA Geico AMA women’s endurocross, ninth overall in the USA X Games, and fourth overall in the Alberta Provincial Hare Scrambles (expert level). That was the 2013 season. The list goes on.
Lexi will again take part in the USA X Games June 5 to 8 in Austin, Texas, with two other Canadian girls. Instead of boy-crazed, Lexi is horsepower-crazed, dedicating her time and efforts into her racing career.
“We are so proud of our daughter,” said Pechout. A young Canadian woman making it big time in the world of racing is an incredible feat, and Pechout believes it all stems back to the mentorship from the Second Gear Motorcycle Club.
The club hosts 20 to 25 events annually thanks to the help of Rhonda and 60 other core club volunteers. With over 400 members in their club, it truly does take a village to make these events happen.
One such event the Second Gear Motorcycle Club participated in was the Winter Festival of Speed in Lac La Biche, Alberta. This year was a tough one; with sketchy ice conditions, the start date was moved around to ensure safety.
Once safety was established, it was game on!
The SGMC raced motorcycles, ATVS and bikes with sidecars; competition was often neck and neck with some of the top racers in the CMA circuit.
"Lac la Biche treats the club very well," Pechout said. "The community is thankful that the Second Gear club to brings circuit racing to their town.
Here are the top SGMC riders for the Winter Festival of Speed:
- Yvo Schmucki, Red Deer, Alberta, KTM 450XC-W
- Mitchell Brown, Airdrie, Alberta, CR 500
- Jon Yarwood, Rocky Mtn House, Alberta, studded-over 500cc ATV
- Craig Andrew, Eckville, Alberta Non-studded under 500CC ATV
- Devin Tardif, Lac La Biche, Alberta, 4x4 ATV
- Melanie Boumann, Thorsby, Alberta, KTM XCW (women’s class)
- Lexi Pechout, Calgary, Alberta, Gas Gas EC300 (women’s class)
Many pro racers from outside of the Second Gear club participate in the Winter Festival of Speed including Mike Griffith from Kamloops, BC, and Kelly Macaulay from Red Deer, Alberta.
Other events include snowmobile, UTV and car oval ice racing. They first event took place in 1984, the brain-child of Ken Staples, who has been involved every year since inception.
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