[[email protected]]

I recommend Jody Weisels excellent editorial on the state of modern amateur Motocross in this months issue of Motocross Action.
Man, does he ever hit the nail on the head in this one.
He's writing about parents arriving at amateur events in rigs you wouldn't believe, with back-up bikes, back-up to back-up bikes, just amazing support for 9-11 year old children for God's sake.
I like how he confronts the living vicariously crap by the parents, it is sickening and is sadly seen in every kids sport nowadays . In my own family by brother in law winds up driving hours, staying in hotels, all for 11 year old little league ?
Particularly disturbing and tragically becoming more and more common in amateur motocross is home 'schooling" for the riders. What ?! Jody slammed that pretty good, pointing out that a lot of this traveling is being done to pad resumes, which "will only succeed in making him more illiterate,less socially adept,and increasingly unemployable as he works his way up the amateur ranks".
He's says "I'm talking about local amateur racing and it's lifestyle of excess and stupidity", and I couldn't agree more.
As I've done more motocross racing this year than I've done in the last 10 years combined, I've unfortunately seen a lot of what he's writing about, and it's really a shame.
What's a shame about it is that it's so true.
Us old guys tend to hang around together, watch this circus with the rolling pit palaces and shrieking parents, shake our heads, then go out and race each other, having a ball.
We share parts and equipment, help each other change tires or whatever anybody needs help with.
You don't see that much with the living vicariously bunch.
Give this article a read if you have it. Doug

[vetteguy]

I could not agree more. Everyone is trying to turn their kids into the next Tiger Woods. My kids are older now, thank God, because it is getting worse and worse. As a parent I don't miss it! Whatever happened to having fun? Guy

[Asmith]

Nice post Doug!!

I coached my Daughter's AYSO soccer team this year and even at that level there are some real nutcases out there.

[uniped]

Man that is sad. I have not been involved in motocross since 86. I use to race at Baylands in Freemont and PAL in Santa Clara. back then it was truly a family sport and very character building. helping each other off the track and beating the living h3ll out of each other on the track. then laughing about it. Sure there have always been the exceptions those with A LOT of money and occasionally a lot of talent too. Motocross has always been a Niche sport but more so for the common or average income. I raced the same YZ80 for four years before I got my 86 CR125 (the second favorite bike I have ever owned) at 16 the last bike my dad bought for me. Don't get me wrong it is nice to hear about a kid having everything he needs to succeed and only needing to build the talent, But an amateur 9-11 can't need two practice bikes christ would you hire a full time mechanic just cause you got the money? Guess it would make sense if your kid is clean'n house at Loretta Lynns every year.
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Extreme Vaporizer

[XGiant]

...And every day I work with kids that only eat when they are at school because we give it to them for free, and raid the lost and found just to have clothes to wear. In every school I go to, I see kids with shoes held together with duct tape. Yet thses families have to flaunt their self proclaimed superiority for the sake of a 10 year-old! Nothing irritates me more than smug idiots that are hypercompetetive. I stopped coaching because I got so irritated with other parents, that I was getting caught up in the same trap. I am all for doing things with your kids, just look at Pat Turner... NOT smug, well adjusted, hanging with his dad and friends, and has a kickin' steed. IMHO, Paul and Pat personify what this sport should be about... and I haven't even met them! So why all the hype with trying to win a National title? Statistically speaking, approximately three in 10,000, or approximately 0.03 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic basketball will eventually be drafted by an NBA team.... and most kids shoot hoops at some point or another. For motocross, think of how many of those RC wannabe's will actually win a National title... I will stick to the trails thank you!

[[email protected]]

Excellemt post XGiant, excellent. Doug

[124]

While I tend to agree with you guys about the "mini-dad" syndrome, I'm somewhat confused about the money deal. I have a friend that is pretty well set with 2 boys, ages 19 & 21. And I'm sure we all know "someone" that has a better financial status, but I think we can agree there is a right way and a wrong way to do things.

The mini-dad syndrome can go though. I've personally pulled aside all of my close friends and told them that if I start to act like that; to kick me in the nuts. But I can't agree to automatically raising my nose at the people that have the means and want the nicer things in the pits. I'm of the school where if you want something, go get it. Maybe I'm a little naive and not as wise as I should, but I would love to be able to provide my son with everything he needs to succeed. And maybe a few finer things for me while I watch...

[KevinM]

You see that in every sport. It's disturbing.

If some kid is talented and truly has found his passion in motocross, I could see allowing the kid to develop that talent.. but the rigs... the home schooling...fleet of bikes... even if you have the money, it's not required and teaches the kid that he "gets" cause he "wants it".. not because he "earned it". yes, it's probably fine to have nice stuff. Nothing wrong with that, but when it's coupled with that psycho attitude... it's sad.

There's a kid at our track that's seriously fast. He doesn't have a spare practice bike, there's no $250,000 rig with a bogus race team name on it... there's none of that crap. What he DOES have is a great attitude. He's polite as can be, he maintains his own bike and as I understand it, he actually has an education. He also has a lot of talent. He may make a national one day.. but if he doesn't or isn't the "next RC", this kid will still ride, still enjoy it and probably do very well in whatever he decides to call his profession. It's too bad more parents don't approach it the way his do.

[uniped]

People that have a lot of money aren't specifically a target for any one here. having those funds happens to be the the factor wich allows these people to go to such ridiculous extremes with their kids. I believe the main point is that a huge percentage of these kid swill never see any outside support (unless dad owns the business) and despite how good they may be on the local circtuit will most likely never be a pro mx racer. This isn't spacific to motocross It is an unfortunate result of the sport becoming more mainstream as well as another way for people to live vicariously through there children. When this sort of thing comes up I have to wonder how much the child enjoys what he is doing and how well he understands the situation. Naturally most kids are gonna love having such toys but after all the money and a few years go by is the support gone if the kid just doesn't have it.

Scott
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Panic disorders advice

[124]

I guess I get the point that it depends on the attitude and circumstances. I don't see any problem with having the cheese to go out and buy a nice setup so that everyone can be comfortable. I'll be glad if my kids love to ride and are polite to the people around them (off the track ofcourse.. ). After that, who cares...

[KevinM]

lol... yeah... polite off the track.. but on the track.. no mercy.

I tend to agree 124 on the money thing. I have a new RV and box trailer. 5 bikes and only my son and I ride. btw: my '05 250X is for sale..

There's nothing wrong with nice stuff. If you have the means, by all means, get nice stuff. It's that other aspect of the mini-Dad that's over the top.

[nedirtbikr]

I guess I'm sure glad I'm poor. We haul two bikes in the back of a filthy '99 Ford Ranger and love every minute in the woods or on the track. Believe me, if I could afford a multi-$$$ setup, you can bet I'd get it.

Over funded, under "socially adjusted" people can sure contribute to the downfall of a community. I skydive here and there. I am licensed, but still a beginner. I see it in that community too. You have these jokers that have a helluva lot more money than they have talent, brains, personality, or common sense/courtesy. They fly with their $8k rigs while I'm still renting mine. They think they are hot $hit even though I might me able to fly circles around them. It's just the way it is.

These types end up feeling they "deserve" what they have. Therein lies the problem. It's not the "things" that ruin sports communities, it's the people. What it boils down to is the parents keeping their kids grounded. I know several guys with decent rigs and multi bikes and they're great people (along with their kids.) A couple of them even took their kids OUT of motos/races for not being sportsmanlike. It's one thing to ride competitive and another to be an arrogant dirtbag.

When faced with a $hithead kid, remember...it was his $hithead parents that made him that way. Not the schools...not "society"...the PARENTS. They are the ones that need the kick in the balls!

[uniped]

I absolutley agree there is nothing wrong with having nice things. I would love to have Toy Hualer and most likely will someday my girlfriend and her two kids will all have bikes(quad for the uh.. girlfriend as she has no interest two wheels[thought best not to ryme) and as a family thing even excess can be cool. but to single out or focus that ecess to me can be a negative experiance most likely for the one who is meant to get the enjoyment out of it. I have heard horror stories of some of these poor kids with every thing given to them being yelled at and driven to the point they just explode or loose interest in the sport all toghether. If I had the bank roll I would make sure every one in my house hold had all the toys we could enjoy, thats what we work for isn't it?

Scott
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Lamborghini Gallardo

[KevinM]

The root of Jody W's issue seems to be that the kids are being taken for a ride by parents wishing they could be on that kids bike. If that's whats at work... then shame on the parents. If the kid has real talent and you have the means to enable that choice for the kid. Great. If the parent is unwittingly setting the kid up for failure or never meeting some lofty goal, then the parent is doing a bad job of parenting.

So I guess it isn't really about the toys. No doubt we'd all like the cool toys if we could swing it. Most of us have $10,000 to $20,000 in bikes and gadgets. Imagine if some golfer spent that on irons? We'd think they were nuts. So It's all relative I guess.

[MotoZack318]

At our local track last summer, Jake Weimer came by and raced. He was the nicest person I've met in a long time. It was before he got his Honda deal and was still on factory amatuer Suzuki. He drove with his dad in a mid-90s Chevy truck that he had purchased. He was easily twice as fast as the fastest kid there, however he slowed down and showed some of faster people some really good lines and really helped them improve a lot. His dad sat by their truck in a lawn chair drinking a beer and watched from a ways away. His dad was really supportive but didn't push Jake. With everything that kid has going for him, he is sure to succeed and I'll be rootin' for him.