SAN ANTONIO – Hidden behind Freedom Hill Church on Eisenhower Road is a low-cost, family fun park where kids are falling in love with a competitive sport.
Peanut Converse, now 15, said she was about 8-years-old when she found a sport that really spoke to her.
“To be myself and not worry about anyone else who’s around me. And I’m having fun on my own,” she said.
Her dad Scott Converse got her into the sport after he heard about the BMX track in San Antonio. He competed himself as a kid and thought it might be something his kids might like. All five of them do.
“They’re accountable for their own performance and their own behavior. They need to be good people first and good athletes second,” Converse said.
“Get the kids away from the tech, get them off their phones, get them off their tablets and Netflix and bring them out here. Let them try it out and you’ll be surprised,” he added.
Tanner Sebesta operates the non-profit track. He competes professionally and helps coach advanced kids at the San Antonio track. The track is available to anyone 2-years-old and up.
Converse said the sport is like any other sport, as you can invest thousands into it or simply be in it for the kids to have fun.
“It can be as expensive as you want it to be. There’s people that throw ridiculous amounts of money at it and there’s people that can just go in with just whatever bike they get from Walmart,” he said.
The track does offer rental loaner bikes and you’ll need a helmet. It’s free to watch, and there’s a fee for kids who want to race.
The state qualifier is happening this weekend, but the track is open to anyone in the public to race other days of the week. Click here to see the schedule.