06/10/2026
This right here 🙌
Make a coffee and have a read as this is too good not to👇
We all love BMX right 💙
An Open Letter to BMX Parents (grab your beverage of choice and settle in)
To our BMX parents and families,
There is something I feel we need to talk about openly.
Those of us who have been around BMX for a while know just how special this sport can be. We see what it gives our kids, confidence, friendships, resilience, competition, excitement and a place where they can belong.
But there is something equally important that sometimes sits quietly in the background.
Every part of BMX is made possible by volunteers.
The planning. The preparation. Setting up and packing away. Cleaning facilities. Grocery shopping. Preparing and serving food. Taking race entries and running scoring. Track officials and commissaires. First aid. Commentary. Photography. Social media. Coaching. Track, Facility and Bike Maintenance. Administration.
And undoubtedly many other jobs that most people never even see or I have overlooked, apologies.
Behind every race meeting, gates night, coaching session and major event is a group of ordinary parents, grandparents, members and supporters who have decided to give some of their time so our kids can ride their bikes.
BMX in South Australia has suffered a significant reduction in participation over the past few years.
I think those of us who remain involved would all agree that we desperately want to see that turned around.
We want more kids on bikes.
We want bigger classes and better competition.
We want great club racing and major events.
We want busy tracks, full gates and spectators lining the fences cheering our riders home.
Most importantly, our kids want it too.
But rebuilding BMX cannot be something we leave to somebody else.
It takes all of us.
Too many race meetings begin with the same situation, volunteers already filling several roles while announcements go out over the PA asking, and sometimes pleading, for enough additional people to come forward just so racing can safely begin.
That shouldn’t be how we start our days.
There are certainly roles within BMX that require training, accreditation or particular qualifications. But please don’t let that be the reason you don’t put your hand up.
Most of those requirements are not difficult to achieve.
There are people within our clubs every week who will happily help you through the process, explain what is involved and stand beside you while you learn. Where there are reasonable costs associated with obtaining the accreditation our sport needs, clubs will generally do everything they can to support their volunteers become BMX stars too.
And nobody is expecting every parent to become an official, coach or committee member.
Sometimes helping might mean an hour in the canteen.
It might mean helping set up before racing.
It could be learning how to assist with staging, scoring or track officiating.
It might mean cooking a barbecue, helping with maintenance, taking photographs, packing equipment away at the end of the day or simply asking:
“What can I do to help?”
Every contribution matters.
There is another benefit too.
When our children see their parents getting involved, they learn that belonging to a club isn’t simply about turning up, racing and going home.
They see people contributing to something bigger than themselves.
They see community.
They see teamwork.
And they begin to understand that the great experiences they enjoy only happen because people are willing to help create them.
We are now entering a particularly important and very busy period for our clubs.
In the months ahead we will be hosting a State Series double header and the South Australian State Championships.
These are significant events, and we want to deliver them to the same very high standard our clubs have been known for in the past and can continue to be known for long into the future.
But we cannot do that with a small group of people carrying an ever-increasing load.
So this is an invitation.
If you’ve stood on the sidelines wondering whether you could help, please take that next step.
If you’re unsure what you could do, ask us.
If you’re worried you don’t know enough, we’ll teach you.
If you’ve never volunteered before, we’ll help you get started.
You don’t have to do everything.
You don’t have to be available every week.
You simply need to be willing to become part of the team.
Because if we want BMX in South Australia to grow again, if we want more riders, more competition, more events, more atmosphere and a strong future for our children - then all of us have a part to play.
Our kids are already doing their bit.
They’re putting on their helmets, lining up on the gate and giving it everything they’ve got.
Perhaps it’s time for a few more of us standing behind them to do the same.
Let’s build the BMX community our kids deserve, together.
Malcolm Lawrence
Chairperson
The Cove BMX Club Inc.
