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Over the weekend, South Bend teenager Brett Banasiewicz held the grand opening for his brand new, state-of-the-art skate park in South Bend.
We’ve known for a while that Brett is one of the rising stars in the BMX world. What we’re finding out along the way is that he’s a pretty special kid off his bike too.
Brett Bansaiewicz flying through the air…flipping head over wheels with no regard for his own safety…is a sight to behold! Now you can watch him any time you like, without leaving town.
Brett recently completed building “The Kitchen,” a one hundred thousand dollar skate park on Sample Street in South Bend that’s the largest and most elaborate of its kind in the Midwest.
Brett built the kitchen with his earnings from last summer. After all, a rising icon has to have a place to train right? (The facility he used to ride in was an hour-long drive away).
Brett had to build a park. But he didn’t need to open it up to everyone else. He did that because he cares.
He cares about growing his sport. He cares about teaching young kids. Correction. EVEN YOUNGER kids about the finer points of BMX. He wants them to have an easier and closer avenue into the world of extreme sports than he did. And he wants to be a mentor.
For 12 bucks, any kid with wheels can stop by the Kitchen. And with any luck, they’ll get a chance to ride with the best young star in the business.
Which is exactly how Brett wants it.
“It’s good to see South Bend’s talent here,” Brett said of the hundreds of kids who showed up at the grand opening this past weekend. “I didn’t know there were so many action sports fans in South Bend. It’s awesome. This is all I could hope for…for the progression of these guys.”
His genuine willingness to share what he’s earned and, in the process, maybe groom the next star who will someday take his place, is refreshing.
In a sports society that increasingly promotes the individual…and selfish success, there are hundreds if not thousands of pro athletes out there…grown adults…who could learn a lot from this 16-year-old kid.