Tyler Sparr, a former Milton High School graduate, enjoyed returning home this past week while performing BMX stunts before several area schools.
“It feels amazing to be back home after performing up north,” Sparr said
Click here to view a photo gallery of Creative Action Sports BMX performance at Chumuckla Elementary
Sparr is part of Creative Action Sports, an entertainment performance team based out of Indianapolis. The three members performed BMX stunts before the students at Chumuckla Elementary School on Thursday afternoon. The groups is also scheduled to perform at Jay Elementary School and King Middle School on Friday.
“The fact that I am going to be in the community with kids that are going to be growing up around this area…that real important to me,” Sparr said.
Danny Carnley, the principal of Chumuckla Elementary School, got involved with show by sitting on the BMX ramp while a BMX performer jumped over.
“It’s always fun when the principal gets involved with something like that,” Carnley said. “I’m always good sport.”
Carnley said the afternoon event fit into the school’s participation in National Literacy Week.
“Reading accelerates success,” he said.
In addition to performing stunts before students, the group also incorporates a influential message to the students.
Ryan Davis, the group’s team manager, said part of the message is inspiring students to find their passion and make a career out of it.
“We try to encourage ideal lifestyle design, to follow your passion, find what excites you and make a life out of it,” Davis said. “Instead of picking those prescribed methods from our grandfather’s era, where you would find a good career and stick with it for 30 years. Today is a lot different, the world is a lot different. You have a lot more opportunities find what you love and do it.”
Davis believes the message got across to the young audience at Chumuckla. After their performance, group members answered questions from the students.
“I think it resonated well, based on the questions the kids were asking. These were some of the best questions we had yet,” he said.
Several of the students asked the performers how and when they got into BMX.
“They are exploring who we are and hopefully using that as an example,” Davis said.
Sparr is currently working with the city to potentially open the doors for youth actively interested in performing BMX stunts within the county. Although the city does offer a skate park, those wanting to use a bicycle are not allowed to do so on the premises.
“Skate parks and bikes coexist everywhere else,” he said. ‘Right now, (the city) has the land for it. We are trying to figure out what kind of track and what obstacles are going to be put there.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa County schools get taste of BMX (PHOTOS)