7-year-old BMX rider follows passion to championships

Arya “Arie” Kowal never needed training wheels.

The 7-year-old began riding bikes when she was 2, racing toddler-friendly electric balance bikes.

“It was a little too chaotic (at the track) with big dirt bikes there,” said Arie’s father, David Kowal. “I didn’t really like the atmosphere — a little dangerous — so we found the BMX track” and started on balance bikes.

Kowal, of New Kensington, said it took one race for the then 3-year-old Arie to understand competition, and she hasn’t looked back since. Arie’s talents have taken her to races throughout the country, including ones in Florida, Virginia and South Carolina.

“They’re really fun,” Arie said about the trips.

Her favorite place to travel, so far, was West Palm Beach, Fla.

“I really like the beach,” Arie said. “I got sand in my ears.”

She’s her district champion, state champion and the Northeast Division champion. She’s ranked around 20th in the country in her age group.

“I knew nothing about BMX when we got into this,” Kowal said. “We went out because they had the (balance bike) races.

“It’s funny because you go out and you think it’s just never going to be much, but as you get in the competition of things, it’s crazy how things evolve.”

For Arie, the love of riding is easy to explain.

“I like to go fast, and I like to jump really high,” she said.

Kowal has become his daughter’s travel buddy for tournaments and takes her to practice each week.

When the weather’s warm, they are regulars at the Westmoreland BMX track on Tuesdays and South Park on Wednesdays. They’ve even traveled to Erie, Johnstown and Titusville for practice.

During the winter, Arie practices at an indoor track in Cleveland. Her previous indoor practice facility, The Wheel Mill in Pittsburgh, closed its doors permanently last March.

Arie is categorized in the expert class. She races on a national team called No Xcuses and hopes to race in more national competitions this coming season.

“They’re kind of expensive with traveling and (entry fees),” Kowal said. “But we think she could do pretty good at the national level.”

Kowal isn’t the only one confident in Arie’s potential as a rider. She’s sponsored by RAR Sportswear, received offers to join another national team and an invitation to worlds, where team USA will race, in Denmark.

She was one of the top eight girls in her age group to qualify for the team.

“She would be on Team USA, but I don’t think she’s going to do it,” Kowal said. “It’s a $20,000 trip.”

He said Arie would have a chance to race on Team USA if she qualifies again in two years, when the race is set to be held in Texas.

The young rider takes her training seriously. She participates in a training program called Ride Like a Girl at North Park. The program covers mountain biking and BMX.

Arie’s passion for the sport shines through her everyday routine. She said she and a racing friend helped three students in her second grade class at Harvest Baptist Academy in Harrison start BMX racing.

She and Kowal also helped a young neighbor learn how to ride a pedal bike.

Arie comes with her own cheer squad, as she’s the oldest of five children, and her mother, Lauren, is one of her biggest fans.

When Arie has free time, she enjoys racing her four little brothers, Ellis, 4; Miller, 3; Harrison, 2; and Everett, 2. Arie admitted she tries to take it easy on them since the boys are still on balance bikes.

“I can beat them really easily,” she said. “Sometimes I’m like, ‘this is taking forever.’”

As the oldest, Arie helps her parents around the house. She said she’s learning to bake. Her favorite recipe is for warm cookies.

Arie will be defending her first-place titles this season, and plans to continue following her passion to the race track.