Goals for Next Season
Next season holds only high spirits for racing. My goal is for a few top five finishes and I would also like to see a few top 15 or so in the national overalls. I want to learn more about riding like a girl, I want to bump bars with the best and I’ll do anything to get there.
GNCCs are not the only thing on my schedule, though. I'll be racing the winter snowscrambles in upstate New York as well as the local AMA District 6, Penna State, and Northeast Harescrambles competing in Production B ranks. District 6 Motocross as well as Evansville Supercross are also on the agenda. I'd like to win the Women's class in both Motocross and Supercross and place top three in the Production B harescrambles classes.
What inspires you to compete?
A lot of things inspire me to compete, I don't think I could pinpoint just one or two. My family is number one. My parents give up a lot so that my brother and I can compete. I also work one-two jobs depending on the time of year on top of school to help pay for it. I don’t mind working for it, it’s worth it. It inspires me. I don’t think about calling out or skipping class- I want to race, I need to race.
Being a girl has also inspired me. Now you may be thinking "Wait..what?" Well, it has helped and hurt. There are ALWAYS going to be those people that are going to tell me, "You can't race- you're a girl," or the famous, "You ride like a girl." Yes, I do ride like a girl, I AM one. Riding with Traci Cecco last summer taught me a lot- most of all that I need to embrace the fact that I am a girl and ride like one.
I think that you can find inspiration anywhere, if you just look. Whether it be people telling you that you can't do it, or something as simple as a butterfly. For me, I just try to keep my head up because I know that there are people that believe in me and I know I want it bad enough- I'll get there. My favorite quote is "Rome wasn't built in a day." This inspires me greatly because, for example, Bill Balance did not become the national champion for years running over night. It takes hard work, dedication, and a little determination.
Do you train? What’s your schedule look like?
My schedule? Booked full! We are ALWAYS at a practice track or in the garage. A weekend without riding is a true rarity in my life. I love the feeling of finally nailing a jump, finally getting up the courage to try the ‘big hill,’ or just riding with friends. This year I skipped Prom, Homecoming, our Bucket Game, Senior Night, the Senior Bonfire, and Pep Rally for races- I would not trade it for the world. I have my priorities straight and I know what I want, I know what I’ve got.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
When I grow up, aside from a professional factory racer, I'm going to be an elementary school teacher. I graduated from high school with Honors in June and currently attend East Stroudsburg University, of course, leaving time for racing! I love helping people and I like being around little kids. In the summers, between work and racing, I volunteer at a local daycare and I have also done volunteer work at my school elementary building, helping children who were struggling to keep up. I don't think it is a matter of what you want to be when you grow up, as much as who you want to be when you grow up. You can be anything that you want.