A lot has changed since then.

Now a professional rider competing all over the country and beyond in USA BMX events, Propheter returned to his home track on a beautiful Tuesday evening to host a clinic for young riders.

“I started here at Charlie’s in 2006. I think that was my first year of riding.” said Propheter, a 2014 graduate of Jamestown High School. “One of the guys that I used to work for at the action sports camp I used to work at, he used to be a professional rider and he would travel the country and do stuff at tracks like this. I took part in one of his clinics here way back when, I think that was probably my second year racing but then I started working for him as an instructor at the camp.”

Experiences like that early clinic helped push Propheter towards his current career as a professional factory rider with the Richmond, Virginia-based team Factory Powers Bike Shop, and now he is taking advantage of the opportunity to give back.

Propheter turned pro last year, and is currently competing as an “A-pro” one step below “AA-pro.”

“I consider it professional but there are two levels of professional racing. There is what I am, which is just technically ‘A-pro’ and then there is ‘AA-pro’ which are the elite riders who are the Olympic riders and stuff like that,” he said. “I’ve been to Canada and I went and rode in France a couple of times, stayed out there for a week and did something similar to this out there as well.”

Tuesday evening’s clinic started out with a session of stretching and pre-riding preparation, before Propheter got into some of the key pieces of technique that riders need to master if they want to succeed in competition.

“We went over how important it is to have the proper form and to stretch out. We went through a dynamic stretching routine where we were moving and getting loose,” Propheter said. “Then we went through gate form, proper gates, stuff like that. Getting down the first grate, how important that is. Most people who get to the first corner first end up winning the race, a good majority of the time. Within the corners we got them comfortable being next to another rider as well as even making a little bit of contact, and then just corner positioning as well.”

Riders of all ages and skill levels were in attendance at Charlie’s, which also hosted a race shortly after the conclusion of Propheter’s clinic.

The Southern Tier was well-represented among the riders as well, with team members coming in from South Towns BMX in Hamburg and Drake Well BMX in Titusville, Pennsylvania as well as Lake Shore BMX in Erie, Pennsylvania.

More riders from around the area will return to Charlie’s on Aug. 10 for the state-qualifying race at 7 p.m. Charlie’s holds practices on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. and holds races every Saturday with registration from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and racing starting at 7 p.m.