Josh Coppins
April 18, 2007
If ever there was a decent candidate
for the motocross hard knock Oscar
then Josh Coppins is one. Like Doug
Henry, Josh has busted himself up
pretty bad and even picked up a
career threatening injury along his
unfinished journey in the tough
world of motocross. Unfinished
because unlike the former AMA
outdoor champion Henry he has
yet to reach his goal of being the
champion he has a burning desire
to be. It was that desire that saw
Josh come back from horrific leg
injuries that still make him walk
like he has a stone in his shoe to
this day. Josh Coppins is tough
and determined. Fact. Is Josh
Coppins the million-dollar man?
Questionable.
TOP
I’ve smashed my hooter up twice. Well I say I have
but both times it hasn’t been my fault. Once from a stone
and once when my front fork snapped at the Fast Cross
in Italy. Just for good measure I got a concussion with
that too. I also had a concussion from a big crash I had
in 2000 at Roggenburg. I was on pole but got held up
on my lap so I knew I could do better but I blew it and
went down big. It’s the biggest crash I’ve ever had but
after everything else I’ve had I only came away with a
concussion. Either way I’m just about done with getting
busted up. When I eventually retire I think I can say I’ve
paid my dues. Lets hope the list ends there eh?
MIDDLE
I got a hernia from riding in 1993. I
sound like an old man don’t I? I didn’t crash, I just
felt something pop and that was that. Stomach like a
balloon. Going back to the Phoenix crash I broke T-12
vertebrae and a rib. The doctors I saw in US (who were
shit), said it was sweet and sent me on my way. I hit the
gym with my legs in plaster doing back extensions to
build the strength up but I was getting tingling sensations
so I visited my orthopedic doc in NZ. The outcome was
more surgery pretty much straight away. They put two
plates and five screws in my spine and did a bone graft.
I now have a fusion and have since had the all the metal
removed. I’m scrap yard free now.
I broke my right collarbone at Honda Park in 1996
getting ready for Valkenswaard so surely I’m below
average there aren’t I? Now the rest of my limbs. I’ve
had three dislocated shoulders. The one last year at
Honda Park when we were shooting for the MOTO
Fundamentals DVD needed surgery. I hope that DVD
curse doesn’t strike if you’re doing one this year. Stay
away from TC and me if you are! As you know I was
really pissed off when I heard the diagnosis of that one.
I’ve also broken a scaphiod, a thumb and two wrists.
BOTTOM
I broke the growth plate in my right ankle
when I was 14. It was the first real mx injury I had. I over
jumped a drop off and it bloody hurt but I finished the
day because the next week I was off to Australia to race.
My dad said if I finished the day I could still go. I didn’t
go though, so why the hell did I put myself through the
pain? I think that’s the day I learnt to accept pain.
In 97 I went to Indonesia to race the 250 GP. I was
well into the points in the second moto, which was
pretty good for me back then. I washed out on a fast left
hander up hill and broke my big toe. Breaking big toes
are painful. I was in Beiffe boots then, I think I would’ve
had more support in wellies, but hey they were free!!
In 2003 I jumped off my CAS Honda in mid flight
during practice for Phoenix supercross. That nearly
crippled me and finished my career. I broke my left ankle
in five places and on my right foot I dislocated all five
toes and broke it in half. I also broke my back. Needless
to say it’s my most effective crash! They put three pins
and a screw in my left foot, but it’s not too bad now. I
have now had three surgeries and all the metals are out
of there, so no more setting the alarms off at the airport.
That was a tough, long year but i still won the British
Championship and got a couple of GP podiums on the 2
stroke.
Right lets get to my knees. I’ve had eight surgeries
on my knees all before my twenties. As a kid I walked
a bit weird and ran even weirder, like Forrest Gump but
without the accessories. It was something to do with my
knees and it turned out they weren’t to strong for mx. I
know that now because I’ve done both ACL’s and both
cartilages a few times.
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