National Guard BMX stunts motivate Vinal Tech 11th-graders to succeed

Vinal Technical High School 11th-graders showed no hesitation when Army National Guard BMX athletes put on the Bring your A Game show last week, asking for volunteers willing to lie on the floor as a rider caught some air, soaring over them. Here, Andrew Fox shows off his moves. Courtesy photo

MIDDLETOWN, OREGON~ Responding to student chants of “Mr. Ryan!” “Mr. Ryan!” Vinal Technical High School Principal John Ryan agreed to sit perched on a chair placed on a ramp and let a bicycle motocross bike rider leap over him. Earlier, four students lying on the gym floor were courageous enough to allow another bike rider to spring over them.

Crazy? Maybe. But not to the Army National Guard, which sponsored the event and students who witnessed it.

On Friday, the Guard presented “Bring Your ‘A Game’ to School,” to an enthusiastic, filled-to-capacity Vinal Tech gymnasium. The high-energy, high-flying BMX demonstration entertained 11th-grade students with heavy metal music and inspired them with positive messages.

While two Adrenaline Games Alliance Nation bike riders wearing helmets and safety pads performed daring bounds and stunts, host Andrew Fox delivered key messages to help students act on what the Guard defines as “success.” The riders related their ability to execute difficult and seemingly impossible tricks with characteristics and values needed for success in life.

Creating a dialogue with students, Fox helped them articulate what Bring Your A Game means.

·         Alliance: Forge the right friendships; run with the right crowd.

·         Attitude: Bring a positive mental attitude every day to family, friends, work and school.

·         Authentic: Never sell out; be your own person.

·         Ability: Maximize your ability to the fullest. Enjoy a variety of interests and be well-rounded.

·         Active: Keep fit, exercise, stay off the sofa, and be part of a team.

·         Anti-bullying: Treat others as you want to be treated. Establish an environment of acceptance, tolerance and respect.

·         Achieve: Reach your goals every day in life, schoolwork, athletics, and family.

Fox said this message identifies Army National Guard’s core values. Soldiers bring their A game through “loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage to serve their communities and the nation.”

A Chicago native, Fox, 28, said the BMX team performs two shows a day, five days a week. On Friday morning, the team presented a similar show at Cheney Technical High School in Manchester.

“This year we were contracted to do 350 shows for the National Guard,” Fox said. “We have multiple teams doing presentations at schools; we love riding our bikes for a living, doing impossible stunts.”

Ryan said he wasn’t worried about his moment in the spotlight.

“After seeing what the team could do, I was confident,” he told the Press. “We like to bring in programs like this that send a positive message to our students.”

During the show, bike riders tossed BMX t-shirts to eager students. Earlier, Fox asked them to fill out a card to gain information on how the National Guard can pay for college and to win a set of headphones.

The prize winner was student Michael Bizzario.

For information about the National Guard, see www.nationalguard.com.

By Scott Whipple, Special to the Press