Our timing isn’t great for giving Tuesday, but I’d like to tip everyone during this season of gift-giving to a 501(C)3 that is poised to do great things in cycling. I’m referring to the Blue-Tailed Skinks, the kids’ riding program that was started by Matt Fritzinger, who started the NorCal League and grew that into NICA.
A brief refresher for anyone who isn’t familiar with any of the aforementioned people and/or entities. The National Interscholastic Cycling Association was born from Matt Fritzinger’s creation of the NorCal League, the first high-school mountain bike racing league (no, not on the planet, but here in the U.S., anyway). Matt asked the same question any of us would ask had we been high school teachers: What about all the kids who aren’t sticking the ball? What about all the kids whose sense of fun is calibrated a little differently? Somehow, Matt managed to get the league off the ground, grow it into multiple leagues, put together a board and grow it until they could hire their first executive director, upon which they started all that became the content of that phrase, “the rest is history.”
Matt wasn’t a dad yet when he did all that. Then he became a dad. Then his kids learned to ride. Then he wanted to find other families who wanted to hang out with their kids and go on rides. So he began advertising in local parks. I swear. I would see signs around.
These rides weren’t like Little League or Peewee Football or anything else like that. There were no finish lines, no races, no challenges. If the kids wanted to stop and kick over rocks to see what was under them, they stopped and kicked over rocks. One time they found a Blue-Tailed Skink. Anyone who has ever seen one in the wild will tell you it’s a wondrous sight: a black lizard-looking animal with gold stripes that end in the most improbable cerulean whip. When Matt asked his kids what they should name their new club … yeah.
In talking with Matt previously (we did a Paceline Tandem episode), what I found so attractive was the utter absence of pressure on the kids (the BTS are for kids from 5-11, roughly kindergarten to fifth grade). No skills drills, no sucking it up, no winners, and absolutely no losers. It’s fun and kids and friends and bikes (and trail treats—snacks they give out at the mid-point of every ride). No pressure. I love that.
The Blue-Tailed Skinks are five years old now and the group has seen 100% growth each year they have existed. They’ve grown enough that they are hoping to hire their first executive director this winter. I’ve run across multiple programs aimed at kids and none of them have embraced as low-key and fun-oriented an approach as the Blue-Tailed Skinks. I think Matt has figured out the special sauce, yet again. Can one guy make lightning strike twice? I think he already has.
On Thursday, in an effort to drive donations, Matt will be riding a century around Sonoma County. Western Sonoma County (or “West County” as locals call it) is an epically beautiful spot to ride a century, characterized by towering redwoods, red-leafed vineyards and the meandering Russian River. Few of us possess century-capable fitness in December, which makes Matt’s challenge, uh, challenging. He’s hoping people will pledge on a per-mile basis.
I plan on joining Matt for at least a portion of the ride, give him a draft for a while to help him hit his goal. You can learn more at Blue Tailed Skinks. And if you’re in the area and might to want to join the ride, you can learn more on Strava.