MOTOCROSS: Poly works with motorcycle companies to reinstate its motocross program.
By Emily Hughes, Staff Writer
Motocross, the sport of cross-country motorcycling, was once a prominent part of Poly campus life. Throughout the 1970s and early 80s, students worked on their bikes at Poly’s auto shop and raced together on the weekends. But in 1984, the auto shop closed down, and Poly’s motocross team fizzled out along with it. Now, Principal Dr. Michael Roe is working with executives from major motorcycle manufacturers in order to revive the club. Through motocross, Roe hopes to give students the opportunity to learn in an entirely different way.
At a meeting in the library on November 10, executives from major motor companies, including Honda, Yamaha, KTM, Kawasaki and Suzuki, came together to discuss the possibility of bringing a motocross program to Poly. The meeting attendees discussed many possible ideas for the program. At the meeting, Tim Buche, the president of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, said, “You could make as much of a course as you wanted [out of motocross], that would appeal to any student.” Roe discussed his personal connection with the sport and explained that he wanted to make it possible for students who participate in motocross to receive varsity letters.
Also presented at the meeting were the ways in which motocross can apply to the high school curriculum. “A lot of what we do now, whether it’s English, math, science, social science or whatever it may be, directly ties into the [motorcycle] industry in different ways,” Roe said. Roe envisions sending students from different classes, such as physics, multivariable calculus and early math courses, to motocross tracks where they will learn to apply their subjects in a way that will excite them. Roe pictures tasking the students with designing 18 tracks—one that would be able to meet the needs of different bikes. Roe hopes that through motocross, students will come to learn more about applying their learned subjects. “It’s math through sport; it’s physics through sport,” he explained.
Roe, as well as others involved in this process, believes that motocross can apply to many different skills and jobs. Through motocross, students will have the opportunity to learn about marketing, photography, physical therapy, engineering, and, of course, professional racing. “We know what it takes to build a curriculum,” Tim Buche assured.
Not only were many major executives such as Buche present at the meeting, but Nathan Ramsey, the winner of the 1999 West Coast Lites Championship and professional motocross racer, was present as well. Along with Ramsey, the North American president of motorcycle company KTM also attended the conference.
Roe is excited for how this program will affect Poly students. “My hope is that this is another example of Poly going above and beyond to connect students to school and help them understand the value of education,” he said.