Regardless of age or speed, racing a dirt bike can be extremely challenging and bring many different emotions. Most are positive, as riding brings us such a high level of joy and the feeling of accomplishment. However, certain emotions can be interpreted as negative, and as riders, we wish we could avoid feeling that way. One of these emotions is fear, and trust us when we say that there isn’t a rider on the track who hasn’t felt this emotion at least once in their career. As you get older and gain experience in this sport, you can deal with these negative emotions better, but it can be a real challenge as a young rider. One of our young and talented riders was having a hard time two weeks ago at the Walton TransCan and didn’t know how to deal with their fear at the time. Thankfully, our trusted Medic, Ron Cameron, recognized what was happening and took it upon himself to speak to the young rider. Ron’s account of what happened is a great story for every racer on the track to read about. In sports, just as in life, it’s essential to talk to people when you feel any negative emotions. In this case, opening the lines of communication turned this young rider’s week around, and he ended up having a great time at the Walton TransCan.
Words By Ron Cameron
Photos By James Lissimore
“I’m scared”
Those two words were the bravest statement I have heard from a racer in a long time, let alone one so young.
A rider I have known for a few years was out in Moto 2 and was not riding to his usual ability. I had spoken with their father during the race to ask if everything was okay. Dad was unsure; he said he appeared to be just riding around and not racing.
I stopped the rider after the checkered flag at the end of the race to see if he was okay, and that is when he had the courage to say those two words. I asked what was scaring him, and he said it was the bike. He had lost his confidence in his ability to race it.
He told me they had just gotten a Supermini and had invested the time and money at a local camp to learn how to ride the bigger bike. This helped his riding, and he felt ready to tackle the Walton TransCan, applying new skills and confidence on the smaller bike.
It was during the race that he discovered that was not the case. To say those two words to me took a lot of courage, and I am thankful they did. We chatted for a few minutes, and then he returned to his pit and family.
We have heard Sam Gaynor and Tanner Ward coming out about mental health and its effects on racing and vice versa. I spoke with both Sam and Tanner about the situation, and both were willing to talk with the young racer to help them regain their confidence.
We set up a meeting with the family and Sam, who spent some time with him, giving him some encouragement and support. Speaking with someone with similar experiences made it easier for him to regain his confidence.
I saw him riding his third moto, and you could see him riding more like himself. We spoke after the finish line, and he said he was not scared and had fun in the last race.
Having the courage to say those two words allowed us to help bring the fun back for a young racer looking forward to many years of riding.
Thank you for having the courage to address an issue that many will not.