flyburst is launching a new blog series on sports options for youth in the DC Metro area. We asked Frank Loversky, a coach from the Artemis Racing Junior program based in Chevy Chase, Maryland to provide an overview of youth cycling as well as the Artemis program.
1. What’s the name of your organization?
Artemis Racing
2. What’s your sport?
Cycling
3. How do you play?
We ride both road and cyclocross bikes. We race criteriums, road races, time trials and cyclocross. You can learn more about bike racing by reviewing the glossary of terms.
4. What’s a good age to start playing this sport?
You can begin bike racing at any time. It does take about three years to learn to race and train effectively.
5. What’s the proportion of girl and boy participants?
We have approximately 50 kids that are with the program and several boys and girls between the ages of 10-18, with approximately 40% girls.
6. What kind of kid would love this sport?
If you like riding your bike there is a place for you. Time trials are a great way to compete against yourself. If you like to go fast, road races and criteriums will probably be your cup of tea. If you like to be off-road, you will want to try cyclocross.
7. What athletic skills will a kid develop through this sport?
We are a race team, so we focus on the skills that are required to race namely bike handling, riding in a peloton as well at the aerobic and anaerobic conditioning required for cycling.
8. Why would parents like this sport?
The team’s priorities are family first, school second and cycling third. The sport and program teaches discipline by seeing that hard work in turn produces results. Additionally, cycling is a lifelong sport, we teach kids how to stay in shape as kids and as adults.
9. What are the most common types of injuries?
Road rash from crashes.
10. Who is the primary coach? What is his/her approach?
Frank Loversky, USAC Level II cycling coach, is the head coach. His priorities are also family first, school second and cycling third. With a belief that some kids are destined to race nationally, some locally and hopefully all collegiately and as adults.
11. When do you play?
We practice year round. Criteriums and road races are primarily April through August and the cyclocross season is primarily September through November.
12. What’s practice like?
Outdoor practices concentrate on conditioning for races and bike handling drills. Inside practices concentrate on conditioning, plyometrics, leg weights, myfacial release, core and stretching.
13. How often are practices? Where are the practices?
Our training rides are on Tuesday and Thursday at 4 p.m. out of the Bethesda Pool Parking Lot and on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. out of City Bikes. We are a year round program, so when it gets cold, we go inside and spin at the Bethesda Sport and Health. There we add myofascial release, stretching, a core strengthening regime and plyometrics regimens that are focused on cycling.
14. Where are the competitions?
Most of the races are within 45 minutes of Bethesda. There are some away races we attend including nationals and the Tour de FCCC.
15. What are the approximate costs per year for this sport?
The cost of the bike is the largest expense. A bike can cost between $500 and $1500. Club fees are $75 and race fees are typically $10.
16. What are the equipment needs?
Bike -- let us help you with this, it is incredibly confusing to pick your first road bike. Helmet, shoes with cleats, bike shorts and jersey and a water bottle are a good starting point.
17. What else should kids and parents know about this sport?
Kids that like the freedom of the outdoors tend to fall in love with this sport. Cycling also tends to help kids concentrate. Here's a good article is a good article about cycling and ADHD.
18. Where can parents get further contact information?
Frank Loversky, USAC Level II Coach
Artemis Junior Coordinator
MABRA Junior Coordinator
You can email Frank at the address below for more information about cycling and Artemis.
frank.loversky@verizon.net
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