Strouble
PR Addict
CTMX - Chapter 2 - The People are the Cherry on Top.
Before I dive into the "nuts and bolts" of the highly successful CTMX Motocross Facility...I need to qualify some things.
I have been wanting an opportunity like this for a long time...where I can be honest about our local motocross scene on the topic of "Track Operation." I wasn't sure how this open door would come or what it would look like...but it is here upon the platform of CTMX that I will attempt to shed some light on our local race weekends following a good example. This is intended for the growth of our sport in mind, but more importantly the growth of us as people which will allow for us to have the best of our sport.
This says much about the people behind CTMX that they would allow someone to be honest about their program publicly. Thank you very much for this open door.
I am going to drag this out so to speak...their is so many aspects to write about which makes my job easier now that I have a content "rich" topic to move forward with and one that I don't have to hold anything back on.
Chapter 1 was titled "It matters." The point of this chapter was to set the tone or attitude for the rest of the story...what truly matters and what doesn't. We learned from the most precious of creatures...a baby. We learned that no matter our circumstance...unconditionial love towards each other is the root of good will towards each other.
How we treat each other in life matters more than how much seat time we get on the track. If I were a promoter...my first intention is the people...that is also how CTMX behaves.
I am writing this from my perspective with the open door to be honest within the knowledge I have. To understand where I am coming from and why some may think I am overly passionate about motocross...you have to know where I have been...so that you can get what I am trying to convey for our own sake.
Simply put...Motocross saved my life...more particularly is Malvern motocross. Riding dirt bikes in the back yard is where it started for me which is common for many of us...that is where the passion took root. Now, I have done a lot of things wrong in my life on my own account for sure with some of the decisions still having consequences in my life today. On the other side of the coin, I come from a rough background...without God using motocross in my life (something to be passionate about
I fear where I would have ended up. Home life was tough and that made school tough since I became backwards because of my personal life. This world is a mean and nasty place...but we have something special in the form of Motocross. I also have an older brother that can no longer ride due to a brain injury brought on by foolish behavior. My younger brother works at several tracks as well. You see...its beyond personal with me...it's pure passion and a
willingness to stand for what is right in life and at the track; to do something good.
It was in attending Malvern Motocross that I grew up next to that truly saved my life (I didn't have a bike for many years)...not my soul, but my life. You see...the track gave me freedom, peace, a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging, and a sense of family that amounts to great JOY!
Everything good in my life has stemmed in one way or another from the people in the sport of motocross. I am blessed to have something in life to be passionate about and many of us share in that same passion. Our local MX family is also a great place to do some good amongst all the evil in the world. You folks are part of my life, and I am part of yours...we are a family and a community.
Now...let's break down the event at CTMX a little for now and why they are so successful. They are successful beyond our normality of any given local race weekend because their passion for the people match their effort being put into the event. These two things combined have proven CTMX to be a place of integrity; by how we are welcomed and how each person is important...no matter your role.
The facility alone sets this place apart big time (water/electric hook up, showers, paved road ways, it is scenic and spacious)...many or most tracks can't duplicate that. The facility does give some account as to why people show up. For objective sake in order to give an honest unbiased account of CTMX...scratch the facility off the drawing board...all your left with is adequate parking to make a common denominator that can be measured or exemplified between tracks.
The track is good; it's fun and challenging with good dirt that develops lines for passing with good flow. Not a long course, not a lot of elevation. Is it the best track in Ohio? No, but it is a good track...one that I am happy to ride on. With the many folks that come to participate at CTMX; track time is more limited than most. It's like when you order a hot fudge sundae and it only comes with one cherry on top...the cherry on top represents seat time for us riders and everything else represents just that...everything else. We work all week and go through the struggles just for some seat time...seat time is limited regardless of the situation when you look at how many hours or how much money you have invested throughout the year to how many hours you actually spend riding/racing. The everything else is the operation and time spent together at the track. In a large way...the existence of motocross opens the door to even have a hot fudge sundae
with a cherry on top...motocross flavored ice cream of course.
Some folks come purely for sport because you can expect to have competition at CTMX with fuller gates than normal. That draws people also...but doesn't make the whole picture. Even the operation; the organization of it all, the appearance of everything, the show and entertainment, and the follow-through is all pretty good, some of it really good. Their is definite areas of improvement, but overall...it's pretty darn tootin if you ask me.
All these things matter of course and add up to whole picture which is like the ice cream, hot fudge and whip cream of the sundae. But what is the cherry representative of beyond being a rider or attending races in the eyes of us as a collective group of people?
What really makes all of this possible and worth it...to have a cherry on top? What makes riding/racing possible and worth it? It's simple...WE DO! Collectively of course; as track crew members or customers. All this motocross stuff we are involved in is possible and worth it because of people. If you were the only one interested in motocross; how long do you think it would last? It wouldn't last...eventually you would do something that you could do with others. "We the People!" is what this is all really about...not just motocross...motocross is our platform, our passion, our "diamond in the rough!"
A treasure is meant to be treasured for it's value. We the People are the real treasure; not tangible things like motocross in itself. Human life is invaluable; friends are invaluable. To be straight with you...I would rather live in a shack with peace in my home as opposed to a mansion with strife between the walls. I would rather have a lesser track and facility with peace amongst the people than the best track or facility with strife amidst the people.
CTMX cares about the people. They go above and beyond for us which is notable in every facet of their operation. "We the People" are the cornerstone of motocross or of any great achievement through out history; even small numbers of people can have a large influence like a single ma or pa doing the best for their children. That means every single person involved is important...worker, rider, or spectator. If CTMX were a hot fudge sundae...than "We the People" are what they would call the cherry on top. They care about us and it shows through their attention to detail and their willingness to help us...it is that simple...if you want to truly succeed in life...then you need people that care, you need to be a caring person. This fundamental characteristic of being a mature person is what sets CTMX apart...it goes beyond motocross...it starts and ends with who we are as people; our character. Everything rises or falls on leadership. Character is what
gives CTMX the right edge. Any track can be most successful if you care about the people and do right by them to best of your ability. Success will also require accountability and integrity to have the people's trust.
Thank you very much for your efforts and compassion CTMX!!!
People that come with a price aren't worth the price to be paid. People that come freely are worth more than you or I could pay. The real value in life is in each other under the rule of God.
Now the foundation has been laid...the heart of the matter exposed...now onto the "Operation" in Chapter 3.
P.S. Feel free to add any of your stories or opinions to this topic...would be much appreciated.
Before I dive into the "nuts and bolts" of the highly successful CTMX Motocross Facility...I need to qualify some things.
I have been wanting an opportunity like this for a long time...where I can be honest about our local motocross scene on the topic of "Track Operation." I wasn't sure how this open door would come or what it would look like...but it is here upon the platform of CTMX that I will attempt to shed some light on our local race weekends following a good example. This is intended for the growth of our sport in mind, but more importantly the growth of us as people which will allow for us to have the best of our sport.
This says much about the people behind CTMX that they would allow someone to be honest about their program publicly. Thank you very much for this open door.
I am going to drag this out so to speak...their is so many aspects to write about which makes my job easier now that I have a content "rich" topic to move forward with and one that I don't have to hold anything back on.
Chapter 1 was titled "It matters." The point of this chapter was to set the tone or attitude for the rest of the story...what truly matters and what doesn't. We learned from the most precious of creatures...a baby. We learned that no matter our circumstance...unconditionial love towards each other is the root of good will towards each other.
How we treat each other in life matters more than how much seat time we get on the track. If I were a promoter...my first intention is the people...that is also how CTMX behaves.
I am writing this from my perspective with the open door to be honest within the knowledge I have. To understand where I am coming from and why some may think I am overly passionate about motocross...you have to know where I have been...so that you can get what I am trying to convey for our own sake.
Simply put...Motocross saved my life...more particularly is Malvern motocross. Riding dirt bikes in the back yard is where it started for me which is common for many of us...that is where the passion took root. Now, I have done a lot of things wrong in my life on my own account for sure with some of the decisions still having consequences in my life today. On the other side of the coin, I come from a rough background...without God using motocross in my life (something to be passionate about
I fear where I would have ended up. Home life was tough and that made school tough since I became backwards because of my personal life. This world is a mean and nasty place...but we have something special in the form of Motocross. I also have an older brother that can no longer ride due to a brain injury brought on by foolish behavior. My younger brother works at several tracks as well. You see...its beyond personal with me...it's pure passion and awillingness to stand for what is right in life and at the track; to do something good.
It was in attending Malvern Motocross that I grew up next to that truly saved my life (I didn't have a bike for many years)...not my soul, but my life. You see...the track gave me freedom, peace, a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging, and a sense of family that amounts to great JOY!
Everything good in my life has stemmed in one way or another from the people in the sport of motocross. I am blessed to have something in life to be passionate about and many of us share in that same passion. Our local MX family is also a great place to do some good amongst all the evil in the world. You folks are part of my life, and I am part of yours...we are a family and a community.
Now...let's break down the event at CTMX a little for now and why they are so successful. They are successful beyond our normality of any given local race weekend because their passion for the people match their effort being put into the event. These two things combined have proven CTMX to be a place of integrity; by how we are welcomed and how each person is important...no matter your role.
The facility alone sets this place apart big time (water/electric hook up, showers, paved road ways, it is scenic and spacious)...many or most tracks can't duplicate that. The facility does give some account as to why people show up. For objective sake in order to give an honest unbiased account of CTMX...scratch the facility off the drawing board...all your left with is adequate parking to make a common denominator that can be measured or exemplified between tracks.
The track is good; it's fun and challenging with good dirt that develops lines for passing with good flow. Not a long course, not a lot of elevation. Is it the best track in Ohio? No, but it is a good track...one that I am happy to ride on. With the many folks that come to participate at CTMX; track time is more limited than most. It's like when you order a hot fudge sundae and it only comes with one cherry on top...the cherry on top represents seat time for us riders and everything else represents just that...everything else. We work all week and go through the struggles just for some seat time...seat time is limited regardless of the situation when you look at how many hours or how much money you have invested throughout the year to how many hours you actually spend riding/racing. The everything else is the operation and time spent together at the track. In a large way...the existence of motocross opens the door to even have a hot fudge sundae
with a cherry on top...motocross flavored ice cream of course.
Some folks come purely for sport because you can expect to have competition at CTMX with fuller gates than normal. That draws people also...but doesn't make the whole picture. Even the operation; the organization of it all, the appearance of everything, the show and entertainment, and the follow-through is all pretty good, some of it really good. Their is definite areas of improvement, but overall...it's pretty darn tootin if you ask me.
All these things matter of course and add up to whole picture which is like the ice cream, hot fudge and whip cream of the sundae. But what is the cherry representative of beyond being a rider or attending races in the eyes of us as a collective group of people?
What really makes all of this possible and worth it...to have a cherry on top? What makes riding/racing possible and worth it? It's simple...WE DO! Collectively of course; as track crew members or customers. All this motocross stuff we are involved in is possible and worth it because of people. If you were the only one interested in motocross; how long do you think it would last? It wouldn't last...eventually you would do something that you could do with others. "We the People!" is what this is all really about...not just motocross...motocross is our platform, our passion, our "diamond in the rough!"
A treasure is meant to be treasured for it's value. We the People are the real treasure; not tangible things like motocross in itself. Human life is invaluable; friends are invaluable. To be straight with you...I would rather live in a shack with peace in my home as opposed to a mansion with strife between the walls. I would rather have a lesser track and facility with peace amongst the people than the best track or facility with strife amidst the people.
CTMX cares about the people. They go above and beyond for us which is notable in every facet of their operation. "We the People" are the cornerstone of motocross or of any great achievement through out history; even small numbers of people can have a large influence like a single ma or pa doing the best for their children. That means every single person involved is important...worker, rider, or spectator. If CTMX were a hot fudge sundae...than "We the People" are what they would call the cherry on top. They care about us and it shows through their attention to detail and their willingness to help us...it is that simple...if you want to truly succeed in life...then you need people that care, you need to be a caring person. This fundamental characteristic of being a mature person is what sets CTMX apart...it goes beyond motocross...it starts and ends with who we are as people; our character. Everything rises or falls on leadership. Character is what
gives CTMX the right edge. Any track can be most successful if you care about the people and do right by them to best of your ability. Success will also require accountability and integrity to have the people's trust.
Thank you very much for your efforts and compassion CTMX!!!
People that come with a price aren't worth the price to be paid. People that come freely are worth more than you or I could pay. The real value in life is in each other under the rule of God.
Now the foundation has been laid...the heart of the matter exposed...now onto the "Operation" in Chapter 3.
P.S. Feel free to add any of your stories or opinions to this topic...would be much appreciated.