Mark Losey/Nike 6.0Do-It-All Pro Dennis Enarson excels at both contests and videos, is continually out riding and promoting the brands he represents, and does his best to present himself as a model professional.Over the past six weeks, we've analyzed the various roles of "pro" in the many different strata of BMX, and this week, we're drawing the series to a close. What have we learned? First and foremost, we've learned that the title of "pro" in BMX is whatever you want to make it, and not a level distinction handed out to a certain number of people.
Going into this series, I thought that concluding at a clear and concise way of BMXers arriving at the pro level was the ultimate goal. But now, I'm not so sure. In other individual sports, such as skateboarding, that system has been achieved, and it works to its purpose. Amateur works his way up through the ranks, until a sponsor gives them their own signature deck, and only then, are they considered "pro."
In BMX though, a signature frame is not the mark of a BMX pro, and I think that's a good thing. One, because the BMX market is already flooded with signature frames, and two, because the term 'pro' isn't necessarily just a tool to sell product. BMX, and the riders that do it at a pro level, are both too big and diverse for that, and I personally think that's a good thing.
Regardless, there are a few ways to achieve the title of pro in BMX, and what follows is a summary:
The Contest Pro: At a local level, a rider can enter amateur contests and ultimately work their way up to a national amateur circuit. Currently, that circuit is the Free Flow Tour, which qualifies amateurs into the Dew Tour, where they can officially turn pro. This is a great system, but one that ultimately depends on the success of the Free Flow Tour and the Dew Tour. And if those go away, so does BMX's only national amateur and pro contest series. Having said that, I believe a nationally-sanctioned amateur series to nurture and offer experience to younger riders wishing to go this route is essential.
Alli SportsContest veteran Mike Spinner rose up through the amateur ranks via the Free Flow Tour to become one of the top competitors on the Dew Tour circuit.The Video Pro: More akin to what the term pro means in skateboarding, video pros film video parts, shoot photos and sometimes compete in pro contests such as X Games BMX Street. They're actively promoting their sponsors and generally boast signature products. Although there's less of a structure to their system, there does seem to be an element of "You know when you know" that comes with the territory.
The Do-It-All Pro: Think Garrett Reynolds and Dennis Enarson. They excel at both contests and videos, are continually out riding and promoting the brands they represent, and do their best to present themselves as model professionals. Plus, their skills at this point are beyond pro levels.
The Legend Pro: To me, even if Mat Hoffman never rode a BMX bike again, he'll always be a BMX pro to me based on his enormous contributions to the sport.
Harry How/Getty ImagesThe Legend Pro, Mat Hoffman, seen here getting it done at the second Extreme Games in 1997. Based on Mat's contributions to the sport, he will always be viewed as a pro.The one thing that all of these sub-categories of pro has in common is that the majority of riders that consider themselves "pro" does not throw the word around lightly. Everyone, from Nigel Sylvester to Brandon Dosch to Mat Hoffman, worked really hard for the title of pro, and continues to do so, day in and day out, in a variety of different ways. That, to me, is the ultimate definition of pro in BMX.
Of course, if you like riding your bike, and you can withstand the barrage of "Are you a pro?" questions from younger riders at the skatepark, then none of this really matters.
To read the complete series, click on the following links:
THE PRO QUESTION ON ESPN BMX
- Part 1: What makes someone a pro in BMX?
- Part 2: Nigel Sylvester, A New Type of BMX Pro
- Part 3: Brian Kachinsky, The Definition of Pro
- Part 4: Daniel Dhers, The Definition of Pro
- Part 5: Brandon Dosch, The Definition of Pro
- Part 6: etnies TM John Povah, The Definition of Pro
- Part 7: The Definition of Pro Conclusion
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