Mud, sweat and cheers
Benefits of the sport
Ben, who is an ACU affiliated coach (Auto Cycle Union – the British governing body of motorcycle sport) and first aid qualified, cites ‘self-discipline, structure, health, fitness and fun’ as being just some of the benefits for children learning to ride.
“Kids often benefit from structure in their lives and these lessons give them something to look forward to and focus on. And because not all children are academically gifted, this offers them the perfect opportunity to excel at something outside of the everyday school curriculum,” he explained.
As well as racing competitively, Ben enjoys teaching the sport’s young rising stars.
In order to ride well, a bike needs to be in the best condition possible and this requires the rider to be self-disciplined – after every ride the bike needs to be cleaned and maintained, and before every ride various safety checks have to be completed.
Motorcycling also promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle in terms of physical and mental health, and attitude. “Riding is a very tiring activity, both physically and mentally. This is why I encourage all my pupils to eat, drink and sleep well in order to be able to keep up with the demands of the sport,” Ben said. “I’ve also noticed that when the kids adopt healthy eating habits they cut down on the amount of additives and preservatives that they consume and this has helped a few to control their energy levels and mood swings.”
This advice is mirrored at a professional level – and helps racers cope with the inevitable ups and downs of the sport. “As well as the highs, there are lots of disappointments that come with racing. If something goes wrong or I make a mistake on a lap, I can only blame myself; I have never blamed my equipment or my bike unless there was a serious mechanical failure. But mistakes spur me on to improve and this can only be a good thing!” he added.
- Introduction
- Benefits of the sport
- Family History
- Photo Gallery
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