Signs of change

About 80 Little 500 riders spoke in unanimous opposition to an IU Student Foundation initiative that would prohibit nonstudent coaches from being in the pits on race day. \nAlmost 60 riders attended a meeting Wednesday and about 20 attended a meeting Thursday to address the IUSF "Student Coaching Initiative." The rider's forums were hosted by alumni coaches -- individuals coaching Little 500 teams who are not undergraduate Bloomington students.\nThe IUSF initiative only permits undergraduate Bloomington campus students to coach in the pits on race day. The new rule takes effect for the race this spring.\nThe riders in attendance Thursday signed a petition that will be sent to IUSF requesting a review of the rule.\n"(W)e do not endorse the 'Student Coaching Initiative,' as it is for the 2007 Little 500 season for the sole reason that we the competitors of the event have not been consulted in the creation of this initiative," the petition read.\nIUSF Director Jenny Bruffey said a petition will not change the foundation members' minds.\n"Being quite frank, we're not going to not implement this initiative this year," Bruffey said. "In our minds, it's not something that's up for discussion."\nThe coaches called the meeting to hear rider opinion about the ruling.\n"The No. 1 thing we thought about is what you guys think," said Tom Schwoegler, coach of Kappa Alpha Theta. "We don't have a constitutional right to coach in this race. It is your stewardship that keeps this race going."\nIUSF asked the coaches if the foundation could attend the meeting but was denied -- something that troubled Bruffey.\n"It was definitely upsetting we couldn't come to the meeting because it's one of those things where people get fired up," Bruffey said. "I'm not saying they're getting misinformation, but I don't think they're getting all the correct information."\nSchwoegler said they decided to keep IUSF out of the meeting because the coaches wanted the students to comment "candidly and openly."\nIUSF respected the wishes of the coaches by not attending the meeting. Little 500 Race Coordinator Lucas Calhoun said IUSF will have meetings next week to explain the ruling to riders.\nOne major concern riders voiced at the forum was the lack of knowledge a student coach would have about the Little 500. Bruffey said an Alumni Coaching Advisory Board is being created so alumni coaches can mentor student coaches and teach them about the race. Also, student coaches would be required to take classes about the race.\n"Even with this class, they aren't going to be able to understand the race," said Sigma Alpha Mu rider Drew Kushnick. "You want the coach to know what he is doing, and you don't want to deal with a new coach on race day." \nSome riders believe Courtney Bishop, the former Team Major Taylor coach who received a lifetime ban from the race in 2005 for allegedly giving scholarships to riders, is the cause of the rule change.\n"I think it is the foundation covering itself from Courtney," Phi Kappa Psi rider Erik Styacich said Wednesday. \nBishop attended the meeting Thursday night.\nAdditional concerns the riders discussed included the difficulty of keeping independent teams together year to year without a coach serving as a constant fixture of the team and finding students to volunteer for the job.\nAt the end of both meetings, bracelets reading "Taking Away," a reference to the Oscar-winning Little 500 movie "Breaking Away," were distributed to promote a new Web site, RidersDeserveAVoice.org, that will be launched if IUSF rules against the petition.