Teenage Kiteboarders? Where are they?

[buckidge]

Where are the youngsters out kiteboarding? It seems odd to me that there aren't more youngsters out on the water with us, high school kids especially.

Think about it... during the school year, they are done with class ~3pm, right when the wind is ready (spring/fall). Then during the summer, they have no school and maybe no job or just part time. Seems to me like the perfect match to get out there and kite regularly. Maybe even have high school freestyle or racing teams. Or at least teenage kite clubs that compete against each other.

Now I know that it's an expensive and dangerous sport, but you can't tell me that there aren't plenty of other activities that kids are doing that are expensive (golf/snowboarding/hockey/etc.) and there are plenty of rich parents in the bay that a few grand for kid's hobby isn't a big deal. I imagine there are a lot of dangerous activities teens do too these days, but I won't go there.

College kids seem like they are 'missing' too. But classes seem like they could get in the way... except in summer.

Instructors - are teenagers taking lessons? Parents do your kids kite or want to? Is the sport just too young? Does this age-group get more into windsurfing?

[MehYam]

I'm guessing it comes down to cost. Tell a kid he can have 2-4k to spend on kiting vs. anything else (i.e. towards a car), see what answer you get.

I see some kids out there, though. I wonder how the teen <=> adult ratio stacks up to something like skiing or snowboarding. It could be the same ratio, it's just that we have such a small sample size we're working with that the numbers are small.

[Aloha]

Playing Farmville

[Col.kiteman]

Lets face it. Due to cost, and large investment of time, its not as popular amongst the younger crowd. Its also a sport that isnt controlled by your desire and ambition alone, but on the weather conditions as well. Throw that into juggling soccer practice, football, baseball, hanging out with friends, and before you know it, the time with good wind is limited, desire fades.
I thought it was fascinating however when i was in maui last week how different it was out there. Im going out on a limb here and would estimate that of the active kiters at teach beach and at old man beach, id say 20% were under 21. Pretty damn cool to see the kids having fun with their parents and friends too. Over there its just a different culture as far as interests go, different vibe, and consistent weather. There is Probably posts on forums out there of "why isnt soccer more popular". So i guess location plays a part too.
Thanks to kitenaked hooking my son up with a small trainer kite, we now have a six year old with some serious stoke. Its little bitty and i shortened up the lines a bunch, and now its manageable for him to mess with. I also got him a xxxs harness i found onlIne that was backordered in the uk for a month and made a little swing out back for him, teaching him about the chicken loop, donkey d----, (which i still dont know what to call it), quick release.....etc. Its pretty awesome to see him swinging and spinning around having a good time, and at his leisure at that.
Guess it boils down to time,interest, influence, and geography. Hopefully in a few years my son will still be interested and ready to get in the water, but till then he'll just be doing all the little novelty activities that makes him feel like hes part of the community. Its cool, he can go down to the local kite spot and tell the locals his "fish stories" about how he gets air on his swing, or how he flies his kite, or how he has a harness. I just need to spend more time with him and the trainer kite, but since i got that blade fat lady and the light wind is here, ive been able to get out in 10 mph on a 135x44. No bs! Damn you kitenaked:-)
Anyhow, just my rambling 2 cents.
P.S.: props to maui mike on all of the tips, ins, and outs of maui. It kept my wife happy as she doesnt kite........yet.

[Col.kiteman]

PSS: dont anyone freak out. My six year old in not hooking in to any kites for at least a few years. This is a sport with consequences and im fully aware of that.

[le noun]

No, they are out there.
I just gave a lesson to a teen this Thursday.
Bruce's daughters both ride.
Shaun works for boardsports too.
I think KGB has young instructors as well.
But yes, I think the gear cost is the main issue.
I can't imagine a teenager dropping $2,000+ on equipment. So you need the parents to drop the money for them.
And since they've been switching from one activity to another every year, I don't think most parents want to drop that kind of money in a sport that one is dangerous, and two is so expensive.

Also, I saw a kid at Pismo during the kite expo. He must have been 14, 5'4" and less than a 100lbs and he was doing pretty well considering the conditions this year

[tgautier]

Not just cost. Teenagers aren't the most respectful to the things they have. I should know. I was one a long time ago.

Kites do not exactly fall into the 'indestructible' category. It can be done but breaking skis or snowboard or bike or skateboard is a lot more difficult.

Also it's not like where we kite is easy to access. When was the last time you pulled in to your fav kite spot from Muni or rode your bike? You kinda need a car too which not every teen has access to.

[kingfisher]

I know when I was a teenager my parents hardly bought me anything. I had to buy my own stuff. Snowboard, surfboard, ect... So I learned very early about working for a living to buy the things I wanted.

[Col.kiteman]

"i know when I was a teenager my parents hardly bought me anything. I had to buy my own stuff. Snowboard, surfboard, ect... So I learned very early about working for a living to buy the things I wanted."

+1 on that. So true.

[le noun]

However, judging by the grammar and orthography of a lot of people on this board (including myself) we have a bunch of teenagers here. :mrgreen: