World Champion Stevie Smith Motivates and Inspires our Youth. He will be missed!

Dear Readers,

Such tragic news! World Cup winner and local hero from my community of Nanaimo, B.C. died from a motorcycle accident. My deepest sympathy goes out to his mother, Tiann. I taught with Tiann for several years and was witness to her devotion and enormous sense of pride and love she has for her son. Stevie was a sensation and his death at age 26 is on all the news channels.

What I would like to respectfully share today, is my short article that I wrote  about Stevie Smith a few years ago.  I wrote about Stevie because I knew that  Nanaimo  kids would connect with his life and his achievements. My own grandchildren are crazy about BMX racing and mountain biking.  I wanted to promote the idea that when kids are highly motivated to read about something or someone they are interested in; comprehension, critical thinking and conversations deepen. I plan to dust off my hard copy to share with my grandchildren today and I offer the article to you, in case you would like to share with your students.

                            

                                          Steve Smith                                    Passionate to Pedal

                               Elite downhill mountain biker and Nanaimo native, 

                            Steve Smith at the 2013  International World Cup.

Draft Written by Donna Klockars

When Stevie Smith was five years old, he got a bike. The bike was not shiny or new.  It didn’t cost a lot of money.  In fact, Stevie’s first bike was thanks to his grandmother’s idea: to trade twelve delicious apple pies for a used BMX bike. 

Stevie loved to go fast on that bike, and it wasn’t long before he discovered BMX racing.  His devoted mom took him to every BMX race up and down Vancouver Island.  It was clear to Stevie’s mom that he was passionate about his sport, and though she was studying for her teaching degree, she made sure her son was at every important race.  By the age of ten he was ranked a top junior and soon was the Canadian BMX Champion.

By twelve years of age, Stevie thought the predictable tracks used for BMX racing were a bit boring.  BMX racing lost out when Stevie discovered the thrill of competitive mountain biking.

 “ I love anything that is full of rocks and roots...the gnarlier the better. “

Steve  made the switch to downhill mountain bike racing and started his journey to becoming Nanaimo’s downhill mountain biking world-class superstar!

 Right from the start, Steve’s trainers noticed his determination, ability and positive attitude. Like any top level competitive athlete, his life has been full of literal and figurative ups and downs.  He worked through some injuries and connected with world-famous trainers who helped him improve his physical and mental fitness levels.  He soon reached elite status in a sport that was dominated by Europeans, Australians and New Zealanders.

Steve Smith is passionate about competitive mountain bike racing and considers it to be unique sport.   Each race is a tight battle. Victory or defeat is determined by small tweeks and split-second decisions. Despite the competitive nature of the sport, Steve describes it as a friendly event.

“You rarely get the sense that someone is trying to mess with your game.  The downhill battle is really against the “fiercest of opponents...yourself.”

Smith has travelled around the world and become friends with many of the top ranked riders. A You-tube clip follows Stevie and his arch rival,  Atherton, planning their route together at the World Cup course in Norway. 

The  "Course Walk"  is the time when athletes make mental notes about the track and decide on strategies they will use during the lightning fast three minute flight down the mountain.  

The mental preparations really paid off. Smith won the race by 1.311 seconds for his third win of the season and the overall World Cup title!

“This is an indescribable dream come true” stated Smith.  “It has been the most pressure I have ever had in my entire life.  I knew I was in contention for the World Cup. I am just so pumped to come away with the win”

Each event is unique.  Even though Smith jets around the world, his favourite race is the “Crankworx” held in Whistler, B.C. 

“I love that race because it feels like home turf to me, and it is a pretty amazing massive event.  The series opens with a 15 minute marathon, before it shifts to an A-line jumping course, and then finishes with an open downhill event.” 

Steve not only loves to compete at the Whistler venue; he is the one to beat.  He has won this Canadian Championship event three years in a row.

Steve is proud to represent his home town, Nanaimo.  After travelling all over the world there is still no other place he likes more than Nanaimo. 

 “I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”

No one could have predicted that twelve apple pies, traded for a used BMX bike, would lay the foundation for Steve to become one of the top competitive downhill mountain bike riders in the world. But that is how it all started for Steve Smith from Nanaimo, British Columbia.