ST. LOUIS — Brooklynn Schuetz has a need for speed.
The 17-year-old is able to speed around the pump track in St. Charles without pumping the pedals.
“Here it is all arms and legs,” she said.
She called it different from her normal BMX racing. Yet when the opportunity to earn a chance to race against the best in the world presented itself, she went for it.
“I’m like, let’s do it,” she said.
Schuetz ended up out-pumping everyone else in her category.
“I knew her brother said that she was fast. But I never dreamed she was that fast,” her dad, Mark Schuetz, said.
She took first place at the Red Bull UCI Pump Track world qualifier at Kinetic Park in St Charles.
“I just had to get a good time,” she said. “It was amazing,” added her dad.
But to truly understand just how amazing her ride was, you need to know her when she wasn’t in such great shape.
“I was probably around 265,” she said about her previous weight.
Her physical transformation did not happen overnight.
“I can’t even explain the physical work. I train every day, every day after work,” she said.
The main thing driving her is her desire to go faster.
“I just put goals down and put them on the fridge,” she said.
“You got to be willing and have the drive to do it,” Mark Schuetz said.
The drop in pounds has translated into more speed.
“That 100 pounds off you, you’re gone,” she said.
In October, she will be in Portugal with all of her expenses paid to compete in the world championships.
“It’s just crazy to think that it’s happening. So mind blown to the fact that I am going,” she said.
She has received recognition from St. Charles County officials and from officials in Wentzville.
“BMX has done a lot in my life,” she said.
The successes stemming from her need to go fast.
“It takes commitment, hard work and confidence,” Mark Schuetz said.
He believes his daughter’s confidence will lead to more opportunities.
“As long as you’re determined and willing to do it, you can do anything in this world,” he said.