McAlinney ’17 Gives Up Dirt Bike Racing
To Learn Machine Tool Technology
At a time in life when it is common
for kids to be spending large amounts
of time playing video games, Brian
McAlinney, a machine tool technology
senior, didn’t know the difference be-
tween Call of Duty and Madden Foot-
ball. He was usually outdoors — riding
a dirt bike.
McAlinney’s passion for riding dirt
bikes, and racing them, began when his
father, Denis McAlinney 8W8, bought
him a small 4-wheeler at the age of
three.
“I loved it right from the beginning,”
McAlinney says. “My father liked riding
dirt bikes and wanted to share his hobby
with me and my brother. It’s something
we have always enjoyed doing together.
We have had many good times riding
together.”
At the age of five, he moved up to his
first dirt bike. It was small and not real
powerful, but it was satisfying to him
and helped him continue his passion.
“I was riding all the time. I just loved
it. I like going fast and hitting jumps. It’s
exciting.”
He began competitive racing at the
age of 12 and when he was 16 his dad
bought him his first full-sized bike. At
that point, he was really hooked on his
hobby.
Not long after getting his first full-
sized bike, he began saving to purchase
his next bike. “You outgrow bikes pretty
quickly when you are young and there
is much wear and tear on them so they
don’t last as long as you would like them
to. There is also a constant desire to get
a bike that is faster.”
McAlinney has had seven bikes over
the years and his favorites are KTMs. “I
have two. They are expensive and a lot
of work to maintain, but they are good
bikes.”
He raced from the age of 12 to 18 and
in that time won five championships
and twice finished in the top three at
the end of a year’s series. He also has re-
ceived more trophies and plaques than
he knows what to do with.
In the races he competes in there are
between eight and 13 races in a series
and you earn points for each race. At
the end of a series, the person with the
most points comes in first.
He mostly races in Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, but
has gone as far as New York and South
Carolina.
Most of his series have been with
NEOC and ECEA, though he has raced
in other organizations and occasion-
ally competes in several races without
completing a series. He has even trav-
eled to South Carolina to race because
he didn’t want to wait for the weather to
get warm in the north.
McAlinney enjoys racing so much
that he usually races 30 weekends a year
and he says his goal is to win. “My father
taught me an outstanding work ethic. I
never settle for the least; I want to do
my best. I have brought that attitude
with me to Williamson. I always want
to do my best because you get more out
of whatever it is you are doing when you
do your best.”
Because McAlinney always wants to
do his best in everything he does, he
stopped competitive racing when he
became a Williamson student. “I miss
racing a lot, but I knew I could not be a
competitive racer and a good student. I
made the choice to be a good student. I
know graduating from Williamson will
9
Brian McAlinney 1W7 with his ‘pride and joy,’ a KTM dirt bike.
pay off in the long run. I do miss it and
plan to start racing again as soon as I
graduate.”
As a junior, McAlinney received the
Sons of the American Revolution’s Wil-
liam Yearsley 4W1 Award for Outstand-
ing Citizenship, an award that goes to
only one outstanding junior, and he was
recently inducted into the prestigious
I.V. Club, membership that goes to se-
niors who have demonstrated leader-
ship and a commitment to Williamson’s
core values.
At Commencement, he received the
John D. Beccaria Memorial Award for
reflecting the values of Williamson, the
Academic Honors Award for attaining a
cumulative average of 3.5 or better, and
the Good Citizenship Award for receiv-
ing no disciplinary points in three years.
He says he plans to race as long as he
can and says there are racers as young as
three and over 80.
McAlinney’s dream job is to work
for a company that makes parts for dirt
bikes. But, whatever he ends up doing
as a career, you can be sure he will give
it his all — and find time for racing.
Founder’s Day Honors Isaiah Williamson
Continued from page 5
going to Williamson.”
W. Bruce Hustis, first vice president of
the Sons of the American Revolution-
Philadelphia Continental Chapter, pre-
sented the SAR’s William Yearsley 4W1
Outstanding Citizenship Award to Ar-
senio Kerr 1W8 [see article on page 11]. The Artisans led the singing of the
“Star-Spangled Banner” to open the
program and closed it with the alma
mater. Rev. Mark Specht 7W7 gave the
invocation and benediction. The eve-
ning closed with a buffet dinner in the
dining room prepared by Tim Burbage,
food service director, and his staff.
for Commencement.
He said, “I enjoyed my time here, espe-
cially my interactions with the students
and John Beaudry. I’m very satisfied
with all of the lives I’ve helped change in
my 22 years here. When alumni return
to campus and I see how well they are
doing I get great satisfaction out of this.” five presidents, many board members,
administrators, staff, trade instructors,
academic faculty and over 2,000 stu-
dents who have graduated from Wil-
liamson. The memories, relationships,
and stories are etched in my mind and I
thank all of you for them.
“Yes, I will miss Williamson, espe-
cially the faculty and students, but it is
time to move on. My hope and prayer
for Williamson is that they will never
lose the dream, the passion, and the
reason Isaiah Williamson established
the school.
“This will only be achieved if we follow
Isaiah’s wishes in seeing students gradu-
ating that have ‘learned a mechanical
trade, is truthful, honest, frugal, tem-
perate and industrious, is certain to
succeed in life and to become a useful
and respected member of society.’
“May God bless this institution, all
those involved, and especially the stu-
dents in the years to come.”
Departures Continued
Continued from page 8
SEG, checking out the instrumenta-
tion of the new burner controls and the
small steam turbine, and the installa-
tion and v erification of the North Drive
circuit recloser, to name only a few.
James Schell, PE
Schell was extremely involved with
SkillsUSA for 13 years and went to most
of the competitions, including districts,
states, and nationals. For four years he
was the Artisans’ advisor and for the
last six years handled the audio systems
Joseph Vaites Jr., AIA,
Joseph Vaites Jr., AIA, Drafting/
Construction Technology In-
structor
“Over 30 years ago, I was the lead ar-
chitect in the design of the Restall Sport
Center and that started a relationship
with Williamson that included a num-
ber of jobs, roles, and responsibilities up
until this year.
“I continued designing many new and
renovated projects on campus, became
an adjunct instructor, construction/
facility manager, facility architect, and,
finally, full-time teacher. I’ve worked for