What is CSR & The CSR CREW?
In defining what is the CSR CREW lets first start off with a quick definition of CSR. CSR stands for Community Sports & Recreation and is a public charitable non profit organization founded within Wayzata, MN & functions throughout the State of MN currently within the twin cities metro area. Its purpose/goal is to develop programs within communities that focus on key areas and may grow further in the future, those areas are, teen/youth leadership, peer mediation, skills development & enhancement. We focus on the areas in 3 different categories such as 1-traditional sports & recreational programs, 2-alternative sports and recreational programs, 3-extreme sports & recreational programs. Not all programs are in the sports area, some programs including future programs have a core focus on teen/youth leadership, peer mediation, teen/youth volunteer programs, and in the future older adult programs. The organization founded in October of 1998 is supported through private donations, corporate donations, & grants. And governed by a community board.
The CSR CREW was originally started for the purpose of finding people that were good, and people that have the potential to be good and in the future sponsored, The CSR CREW is a broken up into different groups of people & activities from around the twin cities. These groups help coach one another to become better at their sport. This group is broken into bladers, boarders, bikers, snowboarders, paint-ballers, jugglers, and a video production/tv crew group. Sometimes they build a team within their own groups (chocbox, triads, tcsc, & more, tcsc is not affiliated with csr however some of our crew members were put on tcsc).
There are those pockets of skaters who tend to ruin the image of other skaters (tcsc), and with this in mind our crew has a goal to promote a better image of the extreme sport of boarding & blading. Bikers tend not to have as bad a rep within the community, just that they ruin ramps more. So one goal is to have a CSR Park one for each sport. In all The CSR CREW is a council and group of riders of the extreme sports & alternative sports who come together as a group/club and do their thing. This creates a group with great diversity and everyone shares a common bond, a camaraderie, and a common goal. To do their sport, become better, maybe get sponsored. One of our goals is to have a partner facility or our own facility..... and the process for that is happening right now.
Crew members may also enter competitions on behalf of the crew & for those who make the demo team may participate in special demonstrations/performances for people on behalf of the CSR. Crew Riders are considered fully sponsored by CSR.
Sponsorships?
Being part of the crew can be one step closer to being sponsored, a lot of riders that are good and have tons of potential may not make it to other sites until they achieve a certain level. We give all crew members the option to have their pictures & videos on our site. And that gives a great sense of pride, and self esteem boost to our crew members. This is a partial sponsorship. In our crew we have levels that determine your level of sponsorship.
CSR CREW Members have 4 levels.
Level 1 - CSR CREW
Level 2 - CSR DEMO-FLOW TEAM/CREW (Demo-Flow)
Level 3 - CSR DEMO TEAM/CREW (Demo)
Level 4 - CSR RIDE TEAM/CREW (Riders - within our own park building)
There are 5 levels in skill development, and all levels take part in the csr crew.
These Levels are...
Beginner
Intermediate
Expert
Pro-am/Am-pro (am = amateur)
Pro.
Level 1: CSR CREW - Welcome to the crew, here you have the opportunity to participate with the group and develop your skills whether its blading, boarding, or biking. You also have the opportunity to help raise funds, and as a voting member of the youth board you get to decide how that money is spent from funds raised or from donations to the crew. Whether you decide to spend it on new equipment, access to skateparks, planned trips or road trips. You are part of the decision making process. And you get to ride with other crew members from all around the state that will also help you become better, and who knows you may teach them a thing or two, it has happened.
If you Love your sport, want to skate with a group of other skaters of all skill levels, from all around the twin cities at parks, street, contests, & more, then this entry level to our crew is good for you. Ages range from 7-20+ and in the world of extreme sports age is not an issue/factor your skill is. This is a TWIN CITIES WIDE CREW, people from all over the metro take part in this group. This group has a goal in promoting a better image of extreme sports (skating etc.) by taking part in service projects and by volunteering to help others in a variety of ways in addition to skating. Funds raised or donated to the crew is used for transportation, trips, special events, events, apparel wear, & more. As your level increase or if spotted you may be asked to or get bumped up to the demo-flow or demo crew.
Skill Levels for the Crew are from Beginner to Pro.
Level 2: CSR DEMO-FLOW CREW - Not yet fully on the Demo Crew, this group of riders show that they have the potential & skill to in the future move on and in the future become a pro-am or pro. & YEAH you have to be a good skater/rider to make it to this level. Demo-Flow Crew follows above described activities as the CSR CREW. CSR Demo-Flow Crew may be asked to participate in demo's with the CSR Demo Crew, Demo-Flow Crew competes in as may contests or competitions as they can. CSR Demo-Flow is a low level partial sponsorship. Perks - Free Movies, Apparel, Skate Sessions & more from sponsors.
Skill Levels for the Demo-Flow Crew are from Beginner/Intermediate to Expert.
Level 3: CSR DEMO CREW - At the Demo Level we tend to spend more funds on you. Demo Crew also follows above described activities as the CSR CREW. CSR DEMO CREW will appear weekly somewhere around the twin cities or at affiliate or partner skate parks for a Demo Session and maybe some on the spot lessons. To be on the Demo Crew you have to have potential and skills to move up and step up to someday be pro-am or pro. CSR Demo is a partial sponsorship, perks from demo-flow and more awarded.
Skill Levels for Demo Crew are from Intermediate/Expert to Pro.
Level 4: CSR RIDE CREW - This Level is reserved for fully sponsored crew members & will be announced when csr opens its own facility, Demo & Ride Crew Riders will ride free to our facility.
Skill Levels for Ride Crew are from Expert to Pro.
How to be tested for skill levels:
Through competitions held by CSR or affiliate parks such as RideXP, The Fort, 3rd Lair (G-Shock competitions do not count). Your entry level at a competition and your standings after the competition help to determine your skill level. Before a competition your skill level may be determined by judges, the youth board, or other crew members. People with a lower skill level but show that they have potential may be placed on the demo crew, or asked to participate in demo's.
Crew Requirements: X-Treme Sports
Ride Hard, Practice, Promote a better image of your sport/crew, take part in volunteer projects..
Parents can get involved in the process too
CSR is governed by 3 types of boards, which as a group is called the community board.
CSR Board of Directors
CSR Advisory Board
CSR Youth Board
Parents can take part in the advising, directing, promotions, & funding by becoming part of the CSR Advisory Board. This group is made up of groups of parents and even crew members that are 18+. This group is responsible for advising the director, taking charge in certain projects such as fundraising, and helps with the community support campaign. For any info email us at csr@csrcommunity.org (some emails have been disabled due to spam)
In The Mission to Develop Skills, Develop Leadership, Promote Volunteering & help curve the use/abuse of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, & violence I have found a few struggles in opposition that has created a tainted atmosphere among those we serve and myself and only in the non traditional area. Learning is a way of life and a step by step process and I've learned that I can't be everywhere at once & the overall goal in creating this is to help people. Depending on home & life situations in those we have serve in the non traditional recreation we have seen an increase, decrease & no change in both the use of tobacco/drugs & alcohol. (Depending on friends chosen, places "hanging out", & Parental Involvement both positive & negative, while some think they are creating a positive they in the long run have created a negative etc). To learn more contact me I'll be happy to talk. Due to my involvement in taking & destroying drugs/tobacco etc products the so called "competition" has promoted a negative image, in the end we have still 90% support vs the 10% non support. I'm happy to talk when time allows.