October 4, 2000

Teacher head of BMX class

Scott Diment top ranking Cruiser rider in Michigan

By GARRET LEIVA
Herald editor
       School teacher Scott Diment has learned a few valuable lessons from his junior high students- especially when it comes to clearing BMX tabletop jumps.
      "I asked them, 'how do I take this jump' and they would give me pointers," noted Diment, a drafting and technical education teacher at Traverse City East Junior High School.
      A lifelong bicycling enthusiast, Diment joined the growing ranks of adult BMX racers last year after some prodding by his students. Since then, the 36-year-old teacher has spent his summer break tearing up the track, culminating in a state championship ranking.
      A BMX rider in his youth and an avid adult mountain bike racer, Diment was reintroduced to the single speed bike by his students. "They were all like, 'you've got to get a bike Mr. Diment,'" he said. While still suffering a broken wrist from a motorcycle race accident, Diment took his students' advice and bought a BMX ride.
      "It was kind of fun because the tables were turned and I was getting pointers from the kids," said Diment, who races in the 35-39 year-old Cruiser division.
      Diment learned his lessons well. This past year, three strong qualifying races sent him to state competition in a three-way tie for overall points leader in his class. While he took third in the state meet, Diment finished five points ahead of his competitors; earning him a number one ranking and the front race plate to go with it.
      Far too modest to run the #1 plate on his BMX bike, Diment said he takes greater pride in finishing strong in a mountain bike race; such as next month's Iceman competition.
      No stranger to competition, Diment rode with Beck's/NPI road racing team in 1986-87. A few years later, he went undefeated in state mountain bike racing, including the state finals. Diment also rode as a product-sponsored rider with Raleigh bicycles for five years; eventually turning down a salary ride in favor of a greater passion: teaching.
      Far from a flashy, big air rider, Diment credits his BMX racing success to two things: "staying low and spinning your brain off." He also enjoys the fact that BMX racing on Sunday doesn't require weekday workouts.
      "I'm used to going out on these two-hour death marches on my mountain bike. (BMX) is 40 seconds of racing and you're done," Diment said. "I want to have time to be a good dad and a good teacher; those are huge priorities."
      While serious about his adulthood "priorities," Diment still enjoys riding skateboards and snowboards. Which might explain dad being out in the driveway attempting 180s on the new scooters belonging to sons Dugan, 5, and Jensen, 2. It also explains why Diment sees BMX as anything but pure kids stuff.
      "It doesn't have to be a kid thing. If you enjoy competition and you enjoy going fast, you'll like the challenge of hitting jumps," said Diment, who noted that Cruiser-age riders are the fastest growing demographic in BMX racing.
      Diment plans on pedaling as he moves up in age brackets, especially if racing becomes a family affair for he and his wife, Amy. Taking his oldest son out to the race track, however, proved tough on Diment. Fresh off his training wheels, five-year-old Dugan wanted to race with the big boys.
      "He was too small to pedal up the jumps, but he got fearless enough to take off from the starting gate," Diment said. "He took a big digger but he got up and started pedaling. I probably hurt more than he did."
      While Diment remains appreciative of those early riding tips, he isn't about to let students school 'Mr. Diment' out on the track.
      "I can hold my own." Diment wryly noted, commenting about teacher/student practice races. "Believe me, I get ripped about too many things already to get smoked by my students."