Taking Kids Racing, Part 6: Top 10 You Are Doing It Wrong If…

Taking Kids Racing, Part 6: Top 10 You Are Doing It Wrong If…

© 2020, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. By John Ulrich.

Part 6 of a series, reprinted from the April 2011 edition of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology Magazine. Copyright 2011, 2015, 2020. All rights reserved. www.roadracingworld.com


 

Taking Your Kid Racing:

Top 10 You’re Doing It Wrong If…

By John Ulrich

10. You don’t have comprehensive medical insurance or group coverage for your kid.

9. You’re spending money you don’t have—such as going racing instead of paying the rent or mortgage—and are betting on your kid becoming a successful and wealthy professional motorcycle racer.

8. Your kid thinks that responsibility for your family’s future financial well being rides on his or her young shoulders.

7. Your kid isn’t attending school and hasn’t earned (and isn’t going to earn) at least a high school diploma.

6. Your kid has no Plan B in case his or her dream of becoming a well-paid motorcycle racer does not work out.

 

Jake Lewis (85), Miles Thornton (72), and Hayden Gillim (right) during a USGPRU Moriwaki Honda MD250H race during a CCS weekend at Summit Point in 2008. Photo by etechphoto.com.
Jake Lewis (85), Miles Thornton (72), and Hayden Gillim (right) during a USGPRU Moriwaki Honda MD250H race during a CCS weekend at Summit Point in 2008. Photo by etechphoto.com.

 

 

5. Your kid isn’t willing to behave at home and do well in school as a pre-condition of being able to race.

4. Going motorcycle racing is not the most fun your kid can imagine, and is not your kid’s favorite family activity.

3. You’re yelling at your kid in the paddock, and/or your kid is crying as the result of something you said or did at the races.

2. Your kid believes that your support and love for them is conditional on good racetrack results.

1. Your kid is racing with an injury that affects his or her judgment or ability to control their motorcycle.

 

Melissa Paris (13) was already a young adult when this photo was taken during a USGPRU 250 GP race during the same CCS weekend at Summit Point. She started on her own and had to do everything for herself, but didn't face the kind of parental pressure that derails many racing kids. She is now a MotoAmerica racer and team owner. Photo by etechphoto.com.
Melissa Paris (13) was already a young adult when this photo was taken during a USGPRU 250 GP race during the same CCS weekend at Summit Point. She started on her own and had to do everything for herself, but didn’t face the kind of parental pressure that derails many racing kids. She is now a MotoAmerica racer and team owner. Photo by etechphoto.com.

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