Posts
325
Joined
7/24/2016
Location
Edgewood, NM
US
Edited Date/Time
4/10/2018 7:06am
I was bored at work and figured I would have a little fun. We all have stories about 50 dads. With that in mind I thought why not make a manual for new 50 dads for the track. This way you can be yelling at JR properly in no time. I already looked to see if this thread had been started , I was unable to find anything. I also completely understand if this makes the trip to the Dumbgeon.
Do's:
1. Make sure to follow your kid all over the track , yelling at the top of your lungs for them to go faster.
2.Be super aggressive with your kid in the pits,that way all the parents around you know that you are serious about your kid winning.
3. Constantly remind your kid that they must win today.
4. Talk to any friends you brought with you about "that one time on your 450 in the desert".
5. Try to get your kid to jump on their first ride. That way they can win of course.
Dont's:
1. Have fun were not getting paid to do this anyway.
2. Allow your kid to decide when they have had enough.
3. Tell your kid you were watching them , and they looked good.
4. Ride with your kid and allow them to see you fail as well.
5. Take the time to show your child how to develop skills,with the understanding that it takes time to get better.
I have a million more of these , but I want to see what everyone else thinks as well.
Have fun
Do's:
1. Make sure to follow your kid all over the track , yelling at the top of your lungs for them to go faster.
2.Be super aggressive with your kid in the pits,that way all the parents around you know that you are serious about your kid winning.
3. Constantly remind your kid that they must win today.
4. Talk to any friends you brought with you about "that one time on your 450 in the desert".
5. Try to get your kid to jump on their first ride. That way they can win of course.
Dont's:
1. Have fun were not getting paid to do this anyway.
2. Allow your kid to decide when they have had enough.
3. Tell your kid you were watching them , and they looked good.
4. Ride with your kid and allow them to see you fail as well.
5. Take the time to show your child how to develop skills,with the understanding that it takes time to get better.
I have a million more of these , but I want to see what everyone else thinks as well.
Have fun
Make sure people know that you have "sponsors".
Protest anyone and everyone.
Buy the biggest camper that you can find.
The Shop
My dad treated it like most every stick/ball sport. He helped me line up at the start. He whispered a few words to me about being safe.
Throughout the race, I'd see him giving me the "WFO" throttle hand sign to me each time I'd go by.
Then I'd get 12th place and he'd ask me in the pits, "Was that fun or what?" (not really - I was 3rd in Texas at Rio Bravo and got 10th at Ponca).
He never asked me about technique or where I could do anything differently or how I could have been more aggressive - it was just basically: "Did you have fun? COOL!" and that was it. And then I'd go cheer on my friends and we had a blast. Just zero pressure.
I stuck with it competitively until about 14 when I discovered girls. :-(
I've got a 12y old now with a 65 (that he's outgrown) and he tries to murder that bike with his speed so I'm afraid that as a dad, I try to actually keep him away from it for fear of him going for the 90' triple. :-)
-Practice your encouragements so they roll off the tongue more easily. Some examples would be:
"If you don't win, I'm selling your bike tonight!"
"If you can't win, at least don't get beaten by that girl over there!"
"Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about!"
-Yell discouraging epithets at other people's kids if they try to pass your kid.
-Write up a race resume on your kid's behalf. Make sure potential sponsors know that quitting is NOT an option for him.
-Learn how to hold your cigarette in such a way that you don't drop ashes down into the spark plug hole while changing it. Always keep a lit cigarette around children at the races.
-Make sure you present the largest, cleanest and most intimidating truck in the pits. Same goes for your forehead.
How many Gen. Y parents will be able to afford to take the kids racing? I'm guessing Boomers and Gen. Xers as a whole had more purchasing power and the means to take the kids racing.
It would be interesting to look at mini participation in 1990, 2000, 2010. and 2020 to look for trends.
Also, isn't KTM working on a e-bike that is 50 sized?
Pit Row
2.Carry a stick on Track walk so you can smack him on the knuckles when your pointing out the Cheater lines on the back part of the track and he's not paying attention!
3. Dont let him have fun between motos,make him watch the starters technique of every moto so he can pull a holeshot.
3. Do Not allow him to fall asleep on the way home. He needs to hear your lecture on what he did wrong for the next 75miles!
Remember it all is a reflection of you Bro-Daddy !!!
My kid will only ride if she wants to. She'll never hear me bitch as long as she's having fun. She will be disciplined if she acts out inappropriately ( throws helmet, yada yada) but she will never be disciplined if she doesn't get a certain position.
Frown and yell some cuss words at em and tell them if they don't go faster you're going to sell the bike.
I ask my son every day if he wants to ride followed by "are you sure"? Its about 50/50 and no interest in racing im happy with that.
I teach him technique purely for safety purposes.
His speed is his own skill but when he’s riding safe in his mind he can go that bit faster.
Go as a family get mum involved.
DRINK BEER.
It may be a tough pill to swallow for Gen. Z.
Let the little ones enjoy being a kid because adult life is no picnic! Also, the generational turnover come 2025 may not be good for the economy. If Boomer spending stops and the slack isn't picked up, our consumption based economy may be in trouble. Economic Band-Aids can only do so much.
Let the good times roll!
In all seriousness, do these idiot parents ever look in the mirror and go "What the hell am I doing this for?". Seriously, do companies really like seeing blatantly canned crap like that, is it some sort of ego trip for them or something? Do the parents feel empowered or something by stealing any sort of creativity and individuality from their kid? I see this crap all the time and I swear I want to throw my damn phone through the nearest wall/window/unsuspecting bystander. . .
Mom has to have a stop watch too!! Dad's on the other end of the track with his stop watch.
add that mom and dad are using hand signals while yelling at the kid all the while they are yelling at each other.
then. the kid falls. mom sprints past a cheetah gathers up the kid on the run, picks the bike up, plops the kid on the bike and yells GO!!!!!.
On bigger tracks they use their phones to talk strategy and of course yell at the kid at the same time.
Of course this is a wednesday practice day on the kids track with the kid on a KTM adventure.
when asked................... the reply was this is important practice he has a qualifier this weekend..........................
of course buying a motorhome, hitting 4 different regions, and regionals, only to end up being an alternate, running out of money by june and back to practicing for then next season.
Yep see this damn near every year, sometimes 2 or 3 times a year (different prodigies)........... next stop. personal trainer, and then training camp for half a year.
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