Interview – Dvide Team Manager Justus Standley
Hometown?
Born and raised in Stockton, California, and moved to San Diego in 2000.
How and when did you get into BMX?
It all started with us trying to find a place where our son could ride and race his balance bike. We were invited by a friend to visit the local BMX track in San Diego. When my son graduated from racing his balance bike to racing his pedal bike it was not much longer that I ended up joining him in the fun. My very first race was the Silver Dollar National in Las Vegas back in January 2017. That was my first race, first trophy, and first injury. I have been hooked ever since.
Local Track/Scene?
San Diego BMX has always been my home track. It was the very first BMX track I had ever ridden.
What makes San Diego a great place not just for riding bikes and racing BMX but also as a good community for the older riders?
San Diego has been the central hub for BMX in the nation for many years. With five tracks in the county, including two Olympic replica tracks, it attracts riders and elite athletes from all over the world, thanks to its great weather that allows year-round riding. The BMX community in San Diego is known for its friendliness and supportiveness. You might even find yourself riding alongside an Olympian or a world champion on any given day, but they are approachable and down-to-earth. Despite wearing different jerseys and representing different teams, local riders are all friends and act as a single community, known as the San Diego crew. It’s an inviting community that encourages camaraderie, making it an excellent sport for children to learn valuable life lessons that will prepare them for success as adults. Moreover, spending time with family and building fond memories is invaluable. Friendships formed in the BMX community are lifelong bonds.
This year you took on the role of the Dvide / Stay Strong / Source BMX Team Manager. How did it all come about?
In 2022 I moved up to the expert level in racing and had the proud privilege of racing with Doctor Jason Richardson, Erik “Aquaman” Simmons, and Dale Holmes. Throughout the year I was chasing Dale at several State championship qualifiers and I was having more fun than ever. The race events allowed us to connect and talk about BMX and eventually lead to me joining team Dvide. I was so excited about the team and all its potential. It felt like a place where I was going to get recognized and receive great support. Part of that support was in the form of a bike sponsor for the team and I got to be a fly on the wall during that time when the deal was being put together.
I guess our enthusiasm for the team was evident because conversations with others lead to more riders interested in joining. It was then that time Dale asked if I wanted to become the team manager. I was so honored that he asked me because in my mind he was the “GOAT” of team managers, especially with all his work with Free Agent and the premiere Olympians that he managed along the way. At first, I was reluctant to take on the role due to my lack of experience in BMX but I could not pass up the opportunity to try to give back to the sport I love.
So I dove headfirst into the role and did my best to try to bring value to the team. I spent a weekend staying up until 3 am every night building a team app and website. The app was to play a big part in organizing everything, keeping clear communication among the team, and promoting both our riders and sponsors. Then we signed on some of the fastest racer dads in San Diego, some of which turned down full factory rides to come to join us. The sponsors were amazing and exceeded all expectations with their level of support. Within almost 90 days we had a brand-new team with new riders, new bikes, and new race kits all before Christmas.
We debuted the team in January 2023 at the Silver Dollar National in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Our riders showed up full of excitement and energy which led them to a very successful weekend of racing. The riders received so much attention and acknowledgment, Team Dvide had arrived.
The team from the very beginning has always been conduct-based not performance-based.
Our riders are encouraged to have fun and represent our core values (patience, kindness, respect, honesty, and caring). There is no commitment or expectation for them to win every race. We do not even track points. Our riders already work hard and do not need any added pressure from the team. Our team is full of good people who represent the sport well and deserve all the benefits that we can afford them. I believe if we continue with this model moving forward we will see continued success and more opportunities.
One of the things I am excited about this year is launching our Dvide “Club” program.
This program will be introduced to new riders from the “BMX Pro for a Week” summer camp and pave the way for them towards racing BMX. They will have the opportunity to receive sponsorship, mentorship, and potentially even scholarships. We want to make it easier for parents and kids to join the BMX racing community and have a “Club” that supports them.
Why just have fun on a track for one week when you could have fun all year round?
Plus this program allows us to open up sponsorship support to current riders who are not ready to commit to a bigger team. They will receive sponsorship benefits and discounts but have the flexibility to choose their preferred brands of race products and ride the bike they already own.
We always want to drive forward toward bringing value to our sponsors. I think this team and our programs will continue to do that and hopefully soon even attract a corporate sponsor that will allow us to expand this great work.
Who’s on the current team as it continues to grow?
Dale Holmes (51-55 expert)
Ricardo Trujillo (51-55 expert)
Jon Callicott (51-55 expert)
Anthony Byrd (46-50 expert)
Justus Standley (46-50 expert)
Andrew Fisher (26-35 expert)
Andrew Bryson (14 expert)
Christian Fisher (12 expert)
Gus Cruz (9 expert)
Penelope “Peanut” Malcolm (8 expert)
Michael Hecht (56 Intermediate)
The Team has had a great start to the year. What are some of the highlights for you so far?
Seeing everyone smiling and having fun.
Witnessing the progression of the riders.
The encouragement I receive from the team as a rookie team manager.
Alongside TM you also ride and race yourself. How’s your own racing going?
Well, it was going great this year until I broke my wrist in January. This was my first diagnosed broken bone, which is not bad for six years of racing. I have to imagine that sitting on a couch for six years would have done far more damage to me than racing BMX. Now that I am finally healing up I am back on the race track after being gone for over 100 days. It feels so good to be able to race again. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the awesome championship battles over the years and look forward to more.
Alongside the team, what’s your day-to-day job?
I work mainly in business development for three different companies under the same ownership involved in power sports, outdoor recreation, and custom plastics manufacturing.
I guess you can say I am a jack of all trades but a master of none. My experience includes sales, marketing, graphic design, video editing, CAD design, project management, and product development.
Let’s finish up with final thoughts and team sponsors?
It has been an extraordinary year for the team that has exceeded all expectations and has been made possible by our great sponsors Dvide, Source BMX, 100%, WD-40, Stay Strong, ODI, HRP Designs, Toby Wells Foundation, BMX Weekly, and Dale Holmes Racing.
Photos – Kenny Hunter
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