My Bmx Experience Poem by Phil Smith

They're building a BMX track
Can I go and look asked Leon
What the hell is BMX I thought
His arrival home covered in dirt
Led to nearly 20 years of involvement
It would become our lifestyle

Moving to Benalla
Saw our involvement grow
Leon beat all comers
He fell in love with BMX
Spent all his weekends there
Jumping tyres and drums

A couple of father's races later
I was also smitten
From Wangaratta to Wodonga
Pucka to Shepp to Finley
We raced the Northern Rivers
Sometimes down in Melbourne too

We joined Bellarine in Geelong
But rode every afternoon at Barwon
Each weekend we raced
I kept both wheels on the ground
Leon jumped everything
We both enjoyed success

I joined the state committee
Within a year I was an editor
At least I could spell the word
Every two months we released a paper
It never rivalled the Sporting Globe
But as time passed it grew popular

Our racing had it's ups and downs
1985 saw me stand atop
The podium at the state titles
I was to repeat in 1988
The nationals were my frustrations
Only one plate in five attempts

In 1991 we went national
BMX Australia took us as their's
I was rubbing shoulders with royalty
The BMX A committee were king
A lot of self important egos
Mixed with the few doing the work

14 airports around Australia
Covering states and nationals
Mark Easterbrook in Gove
Gibbo in the west Phil in Tassie
These blokes were real
They worked hard for their sport

A man came out of the east
To push and bully the sport
Many big egos had held it back
Backroom brawls and tears
Graham Arnold ruled with an iron fist

In thirteen years I had learnt a lot
We now had an 80 page magazine
I still did all the work
Layouts photos and writing
My time was coming to a close
The fun was no longer there

The Worlds were coming to Melbourne
The freeloaders all got tickets
All the arses were kissed
It went together so well
A fax from this weary editor
Was ignored by BMX Australia

I had built up friendships over many years
People in the highest places
People sweeping the tracks
They were all BMXers to me
The positions indispenable
The people always temporary

I was upset I didn't get a ticket
To the World Championships
It was my job to report to
Our members across Australia
Who were obviously unimportant
Had they become too self involved

I wrote a two page resignation
Explaining why I was going
Nine years for BMX Australia
Helping sell ideas to members
My reward was unexpected
Eight years later I haven't heard back