Denaye Giroux Blog: Missing Walton

The 2013 Walton Trans Can should be wrapping up now, Championships will be in the grasps of athletes’ hands, epic battles will be talked about for years to come, and great memories with families and friends will be made.  Walton is a place I look forward to each and every year, being able to reunite with friends from across Canada and put to the test all of the hard work to try and win a Walton Trans Can Championship.

It’s crazy to think about the amount of money parents will spend on their kids for them to succeed and be happy. In this sport there are two types of people, and I’m sure you can all pick out people like this. First are the kids who have parents with a boat load of money, they buy their kids whatever they want. You can see it a lot in the moto world. These kids might be great on a bike, but not often do you see a kid who is given everything to succeed and make it to the top. They just don’t seem to have the same drive as kid #2 who works their butt off to buy a bike themselves or has parents who work endless hours to get their kid to the races.

Kid #1 has the parents who are screaming from the side of the track for little Johnny to ride faster, throwing a temper tantrum because their kid isn’t winning the race and sometimes getting physical if their kid falls over in a corner. Unfortunately, all sports will have those parents, whether it be because they themselves have never reached their own goals and are trying to live through their children’s lives, or maybe because they spend every dime on their kid to succeed and are frustrated from not seeing the results that they want. That’s not what racing is about. It should be for the love of the sport which is something you just cannot teach to people. You can see it on everyone’s face who rides whether they love the sport or not. That drive and desire to be better is what will get you to the top.

Kid # 2 has a full time job to help pay to get to the races, puts every cent he or she has into their racing and lives, and eats, breathes moto. The dedication to becoming a better rider never stops, their parents support them and do whatever it takes to get them to where they want to go.

If you ask any of the Pro riders out there most all of them will have a heartfelt story to go along with their successful careers because championships aren’t given to you on a silver platter, it’s hard work, dedication, and 100% love of what you are doing that will get you to the top.

The Lee Family puts on the biggest racing event of the year. It gives Amateur athletes a chance to showcase themselves to the industry and give them a stepping stone to success. The amount of coverage riders get at this event is huge. The sponsors that have become a part of this race have seen for themselves, the true heart that is put into this sport. This is where true colours shine. Nothing is better than seeing a family reunite at the podium with tears of joy watching their child win their first Trans Can Championship! Or see great sportsmanship at the end of the motos as riders congratulate each other on a hard fought battle.  The two different kinds of people in this sport will stand out at this event. Just ask yourself… which one are you?
Congratulations to everyone who raced the Trans Can, to get there is an achievement in itself.
I will leave you with some amazing news from Sierra Roth who was injured in June leaving her paralyzed from the belly button down. The amount she has accomplished in the past two months is beyond amazing. She inspires me every day!

“Surprise! I am out of the jail cell for good! I must say, it was fastest recovery they have ever heard of. It has been two months and a bit and I am now free! I am a day patient at the Glenrose now and only attend therapy three times a week for a few hours. Once school starts I will be on my own, living in the real world. No people, just because I am in a wheelchair doesn’t mean I am going to play wheelchair basketball. hahah I will, however, find new activities to occupy myself, as most of you know I like to stay busy. I tried swimming last week and man oh man, what an experience, with a few mouths full of water to fulfill it. Driving seems to be in the near future as well. My family and friends have seen the struggles I have went through and every day I seem to find a new obstacle. This doesn’t seem to stop me though and I would just like to thank everyone that has helped in some way. A big shout out to the Phoenix U16 girls soccer club that raised $10,000 last Wednesday at a bottle drive! You guys are amazing!
Xoxo,
Sierra ”

It won’t be long until this girl is back on a bike!

Denaye

What a inspiration Sierra Roth is! Look at that smile.