So its interesting that JMart mentally willed himself to that win yesterday, because on friday I was listening to the live motocross podcast with Ben Townley and JT and they both mentioned how Chase has all the skill, speed, and tools he needs to beat Jett, the only thing he is missing is a mental coach or a mentor to help him with his decision making/confidence/etc.
They brought up how Jett has Johnny O, Jorge has hired Chad Reed, Tomac has his dad who is a world class athlete and multi time champ, but who does chase have? JT mentioned how chase is always chasing the next thing, the next bike, the next shock, the next setting, but none of that is going to change what his real problem is. Hes as fast as anybody out there and only needs that .5%. I think that theyre right that if chase could get a sports psychologist or a mental coach that could definitely help him a lot towards getting that final piece of the puzzle he needs to bet jett.
25:12 is where JT gives his perspective 26:48 is where Townley talks about mentorship.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-live-motocross-podcast/id1504…1000716731713
I'm sure he's been told just about everything under the sun. He's worked with HRC, now DeCoster.
Jett is just too good at the moment, and a mental coach ain't gonna change that.
Chase mopped the floor with the field yesterday.
With the exception of the 18, and 96.
We can all hope he can close the gap.
But reality may dictate otherwise.
And don't think for a minute that the sudden escalation of the winning margin, doesn't coincide with Chase's return.
A message is being sent.
Chase, Is the next fastest guy after the two fastest riders in the world right now. One of which might go down as the greatest to ever do it someday. He was the only one even close to their speed yesterday. Oh and he has won a few 450 titles.
Maybe he makes mistakes because he is willing to push it to the max to try and beat them? Jett has had two silly washout crashes all by himself in the last 3 motos. If that was Sexton, people would be saying it's because he isn't mentally strong and needs a better coach. Jett is just so much better that he can make those mistakes and still win most the time.🤷♀️ Sexton probably has to ride closer to the edge to go the same speed as Jett and as a result mistakes might be more common and harder to recover from.
Or maybe he should just be mentally strong like jmart, who I am a huge fan of, but who has also spent the majority of his career crashing hard and being hurt.
Plus how does anyone know what he has and hasn't tried to prep for races?
He's too tight, he has no swagger or self confidence. He seems very mechanical and practical. Never smiling, loose, fun. Everything is done in practicality and systematic. Living like that makes you press. Reminds me a lot of Forkner. Done by a system rather than confidence and putting your own "sauce" on it a time or two.
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I think helmet tap, helmet tap, point to sky, squeazy arms & ROARRR on the gate has and always will be the only mental cheat code needed. Just wish the other 39 on the gate would domit too.
I would say that you need a mental coach. You are trying to tell a professional athlete what do on vital... that's mental
The last part is key. Jett has been pressing harder since Sexton came back. He has made as many mistakes in those 4 motos as the rest of the season combined. The gap to the rest of the field has also grown significantly sense Sexton came back. I think Jett knows Sexton is his biggest threat right now and going forward
Funny how the bike and team that were not good enough for Chase is good enough for the Lawrence brothers now. Come to think it wasn't good enough for Roczen either.
I guess Ill add it to the top thread but I got the idea for the thread after hearing ben townley talk about him needing a mentor on his last podcast.
Go to 26:48 its a great listen. Actually what JT says before that part is really good too.
Its not me saying it, its other ex pro’s in the industry who know what theyre talking about like BT and I think its a valid point. It cant hurt thats for sure.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-live-motocross-podcast/id1504…1000716731713
As long as you are willing to listen.
But with Sextons endless searching for new bikes and different setups it’s clear that he thinks that he is not the problem here and then it will be hard to gain anything from the mental coach.
Or maybe he just needs Chad Reed to slap some common sense in him to like he is doing with Prado.
Remember that time McGrath pulled off the track and lost the title "because he let his ego get in the way?" Was he a professional athlete?
I don't agree that Chase has what it takes to beat Jett regularly if at all. Jett is the next level from where we have been. I also think that Honda has found the magic again and that combined with A talent like Jett is obviously unstoppable. Hunter I think is benefitting from the situation as well. Hunter can run with and beat the two guys we thought were moto gods just a couple of summers ago. Chase will likely continue to have his ups and downs and great days and head scratchers.
I’d be surprised if either Roczen or Sexton would say HRC wasn’t “good enough” for them. Probably just not the right fit, in the right places at the right time.
I mean Chase left Honda and won two 450 championships. Wouldn't say the choice to move brands wasn't a good one with those results. 🤷♀️
Like we heard on the broadcast, or a podcast.
The two brothers are huge allies with each other as far as helping to get both bikes set up.
Similar set ups, full cooperation, less head scratching for the mechanics.
Has any other team, ever had that advantage ???
Sounds like we agree…
If he thinks hes not the problem though thats what sports psychologists are for, no? What are regular psychologists for? They teach you to let go of things that are outside of your control and focus on the things you can fix. I think thats exactly what he needs.
Your second part sums it up great tho. I think Chase really just has his dad as his mentor/life coach/parent…etc. Theres nothing wrong with that, but I think sometimes you need the perspective like a Johnny O, or Reed, or DVwho has been there and done that. Chases dad could tell him to shut up about the bike, but Chase could say you dont know what I’m feeling. I think a former champion who has been through exactly what hes been through before could help him work through the steps to get him to the point where he accepts that you have the bike you have and you need to win on what you got. I mean Chase literally looks the best hes ever been overall and AP has been slaying on that KTM, so it shouldnt be too hard right?
After Redbud Chase said “I had more left in the tank.” I thought sheesh, you just motivated your competition to go work on their speed for a week.
Pit Row
Yeah, that’s what they are for, and people that seek help from them have realized and accepted that they need help,
And unless if Sexton is seeing one without telling us, I’m guessing that he is not mentally ready to make that step yet and if he is not, he won’t change his mind.
But he might be seeing someone. I feel that since he came back he is talking more about building a foundation and not stressing in to things like I never have heard him talk before. Classical things you get told from a psychologist after being burnt out.
I think that the 23 season was pretty hard on him with the outdoors and SMX outcome. Yes he won the 24 outdoors title but then at SMX Jett and Eli was back and beat him directly.
When both Jett, Hunter and Eli went out of the SX championship this winter I think that Chase saw that title as a done deal and probably more or less broke down mentally when he got beat by Webb and at the first outdoors at Pala both Eli and Jett was back, beating him again in qualifying.
if you look at how many titles he has lost now with just a couple of points, I understand if he has found him self in a dark place mentally always being soooo close but not sealing the deal.
It’s a shame tough because he comes off like a humble and likable person.
Isn’t that the whole point anyway? Everything they’re doing is to make them faster, longer from point a to point b.
I said that about Tomac and eventually ET finally figured the mental aspect out and became the big dog for quite a few years. At one time if a competitor showed ET a tire and he became his own worst enemy throwing it away.
I said in another post that Chase just stopping racing for no apparent injury reason for a few weeks was to get a sports psychologist to work on is head. He definitely seems a bit better now
I wouldn't put Hunter about guys like Gajser, Coenen, or even Chase. I suppose once Chase finds his groove, he'll be beating Hunter.
Roczen is as much of a nut about 'the bike' as Sexton is. But of course, it's much easier to blame the bike than yourself.
If he isn't already working with someone, that is absolutely insane in my opinion.
Not necessarily for Chase, but if anyone is looking for a mental coach, Alan Goldberg is literally the best in the business. He turned one of my swimmers completely around. Now he is top 100 in the country for his age group, and this was the only change we made. He has worked with Olympians, and many professional athletes, including the best and brightest upcoming amateurs across many sports. - https://www.competitivedge.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoreRBsfpqlHkOj8Tqn70QtzwM5ztzAoOK9Q9ztQ7WcC-txtd3YW
Get ready to pay an obnoxious hourly rate though. Im pretty sure its $350-400 per hour. If you have the money, it is well worth the investment.
"He turned one of my swimmers completely around. Now he is top 100 in the country for his age group, and this was the only change we made."
Just out of curiosity, where was he ranked before the mental coach?
Yeha maybe nicolettit can give him a call on the way to nova scotia
Agreed on Jett knowing Chase is the biggest threat outside of Hunter. Redbud moto 2 when Jett was coming through the pack with Chase in tow, Chase caught up to Jett in one section when Jett had previously had about a 4 second gap on him. Jett was looking back quite a bit to see where Chase was. You can tell the Lawrence brothers know Chase is the only one with speed to match or beat them (once he's fully up to speed). Will he? No clue. But they know it, Chase knows it, and the other riders out there know it. All I know is, when it comes to fantasy picks, Jett and Hunter will be my top 2 picks every race from here on out and have been the last 3 rounds. Zero reason those guys don't continue to dominate. My expectation is for Chase to keep working on his speed and work up to the pace of Jett and Hunter, possibly beat Hunter straight up and if Jett gets a bad start or falls early on, then win a moto. But his main goal is getting back up to speed for the SMX playoff rounds.
Hmm I havent heard this theory yet, but that would be awesome if thats the real reason why he took some time off! Youre definitely right that he does seem to be in a better head space since hes been back. That could be due to taking a break, or it could be due to something else.
It doesn't matter that much. If you have some experience and common sense, as Chase has you know how to fix it. Sure it can help to get other perspectives but he knows what is working and not.
Its not mental, its his riding style and setup and if he changes that he ain't going to be fast.
Tomac is not exactly a good example of someone with a mentor, that helps when it's difficult. Neither is Prado, at least not yet.
He didn't figure shit out mentally. He learned how to setup his bike. Tomac had never (more or less) gone backwards when he has had his bike setup properly. Of course until recently.
He went backwards because he couldn't push it because he got armpump. He held on for as long as possible hoping it would be enough but when he was passed or caught he backed of because it wasn't worth the risk since he wouldn't be able to hold people off for so long that it made a difference. 4th, or 7th he didn't care at that point and it became the 8th or 9th also.
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