Gearing Up Program
A triathlon can be a life-changing experience for its participants. Unlike team sports, which usually end at the high school level, children can pursue triathlon or swimming/biking/running into adulthood and beyond. They may not wind up a scholarship athlete, but most can run a 5k, or sign up for their local masters program. The skills acquired from triathlon are also practical, as a skilled swimmer is typically a safer swimmer, and teaching your child to use a road bike provides them with a sneak preview of the rules of the road for when they learn to drive. Finally, though it starts as an individual activity, those who excel in the sport typically find themselves joining a team and/or forming friendships with fellow athletes in the sport. It is truly a sport where “the more the merrier” applies, and kids often find themselves in positive peer groups for years by getting involved in triathlon. Thus, the health and viability of triathlon as a sport depends on its ability to attract new participants.
But financial barriers are real, and we want a sport that all may access. Therefore, our gearing up program is here to assist financially in several different ways:
- Youth Road Bike Co-Op – We currently sponsor several young athletes by loaning them youth road bikes, 6 months at a time, free of charge. We equip these bikes with kid-friendly components and standardize these bikes in an attempt to make them as similar to one another at possible. We lend them specifically for teens pursuing triathlon for recreation and enjoyment.
- Club Sponsorship – We want to make Florida a place kids where kids can show up to triathlon practice and use a loaner road bike the same way they might use a borrowed baseball bat at Little League. Please visit the Alachua County Youth Triathlon Club in Gainesville or Swim like a Pro in Clermont to demo one of our bikes. They always keep a few on hand.
- Free Clinics – We host free clinics in the Tampa Bay Area and partner for free clinics and events statewide. Please visit the Events Tab of our Facebook Page for our most up-to-date calendar.
- Youth Elite Sponsorship – Finally, we provide high-end road bikes and other logistical support to Youth Elite triathletes (Ages 13-15).
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or submit an online application to [email protected].
Application
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Special Thanks
The following individuals and/or families have all donated bikes and/or substantial bike components to our FYT Fleet. Please join us in thanking them.
The Baril Family
Scott Boswell
Scott Brookner – Read about his amazing journey in triathlon here.
The Coimbra Family
Esther Charlie
Jackie Huffman
Jenn Gilgan
Pepir Jernigan
The Lopez Family
The Lopez-Garcia Family
The McKnatt Family
Justin Partridge
The Ross Family
The Southern Burnseds
The Stormant Family
The Szymanski Family