YOUTH OF A NATION
March 30, 2007
We may well be a small island, but we’ve accomplished some huge things in our history, particularly when it comes to sport. We invented football and we invented cricket, and if we were completely honest with ourselves we’ve massively underachieved in both of them. We also invented scrambling, although the French came up with the word ‘motocross’ and that’s one sport where we have achieved and optimised our potential. Britain’s catalogue of World Champions might not read as long as the Belgium’s, but our success at the Motocross des Nations down the years suggests we’ve been turning out world class talent since the day ‘motocross’ was born.
However, a look at the recent record books would indicate that we haven’t really churned out a generation of real world class riders for sometime. During the 1980s and rolling into the early 90s there was over a handful of British born riders that could win GPs and a few genuine contenders for a world Championship. Of course a couple accomplished that ultimate goal, Neil Hudson (1981 250cc) and David Thorpe (1985, 86, 89 500cc Champion.) Then there seemed to be a slight lull in the depth of talent coming through. Without question James Dobb cannot be criticized for lack of talent as he won the World 125cc Championship in 2001. Paul Malin and Rob Herring could’ve and maybe should’ve won world titles but they didn’t and after them who were really regular and consistent world-class performers? The same can be said of today, realistically Britain’s hope for a World Champion lie in the hands of Billy MacKenzie and Carl Nunn in the MX2 class. James Noble is a solid performer and should be admired for his work ethic, but he’s got a long way to go before being Champion of the World. Crockard got close, but has to do it all again with a beaten and battered body.
One rider who maybe doesn’t have such a long way to go is Tommy Searle. He is possibly and already touted by many as ‘our’ next World Champion. We hope that to be true and only time will tell. If this dream does become a reality the ACU will be able to take a certain degree of credit and praise for that achievement, just how much only Tommy will know, as right now it’s all pie in the sky. Tommy is a graduate of the ACU’s BYMX training academy that has been running for several years – like the French and Italian federations, the governing body of British motorcycle sport are investing in the future of motocross in their country. Maybe not as much as our European cousins but investing none the less. So who has been in put in charge of the nation’s bright young things? Someone with the experience of a winning a World Championship? No, maybe better still. Someone who by his own admission made mistakes on his journey through schoolboy to pro motocross rider and is now aware of the pitfalls, the blisteringly fast Justin Morris.
So how did all this come about? How did Justin end up with the future and cream of the UK’s young motocross talent under his wing? “I was working with Steven (Clarke) anyway and Rob Herring decided he didn’t want to do it anymore for whatever reasons. So Steven’s dad who was on the BYMX committee suggested I started taking the coaching and it just went from there” explains Justin. It turned out to be a pretty successful first year in charge for the thirty-one year old from Gloucester as he’s quick to point out, “Steven won the World 85cc Championship and we had three British Champions that all came from the academy. Rob left a great foundation. The ACU are happy and I’m happy, they’ve given us twice the budget for this year and every opportunity to bring these riders through.” So talking of budgets I asked Justin what kind of budget we’re talking about here. “We’ve got £18,000 for the year, that may sound a lot, but when you compare it to what France and Italy have it’s a minuscule amount really. Hopefully with the continuation of it and the breeding that we’re bringing through, the ACU will see there’s a little more to invest in the riders. The Italians have a budget of £134,000 and Andrea Bartolini coaching them. They were given £18,000 just to go to California for a month.” Certainly an interesting statistic, and with the likes of Cairoli and Philippaerts showing the rewards of good investment Justin knows the benefit of what the academy can bring. “I wish I had these type of things when I was a kid. I could never jump or corner as good as these kids do but that’s the level you have to be at now because there’s no stepping into the GPs and learning the curves as you go, you’ll just get swallowed up with the rest of the group.” With a long GP career already behind him Justin can see where it went wrong for him and appreciates how no rider is the same and needs the best bringing out of them in a different ways. He doesn’t stand there like a drill Sargent shouting to he’s blue in the face, it’s not that regimented way that he feels will work. These kids are exactly that, just kids and it’s something ‘Boris’ (as he’s affectionately known) is fully aware of. “Every rider is different with different goals. I’m not a regimental person. I get on with the kids immensely and I don’t think they look at me as they would they’re schoolteachers, there’s definitely a mutual respect. I’m their mate and they can talk to me about anything they want 24-7. Motocross is not just about what happens on the bike or at the weekend, it effects your whole life and if you want to succeed you have to have things working for you outside the sport. It’s serious but fun, that’s what motocross is about. I’ve learned a lot from my mistakes in the sport and away from it and I’d like to think I can help steer them for certain pitfalls. I’ve been criticized over my career for doing things but what that does give me is the benefit of looking at myself and realizing where things didn’t go right and then guide the kids away from the same mistakes. Not all of them but hopefully most of them. Girls they’ll have to figure out for themselves, I don’t want to go through all that again, still can’t figure them out myself!”
So what of the kids and who are they? Well the list of Boris’ boys certainly has names if you haven’t heard much of already you will do soon. Steven Clark, Ashley Greedy, Lewis Toombs, Daniel Arnold, Sam Davis, Connor Walkley, Connor Butler and sadly absent on this occasion Josh Waterman. Morris has a good batch to work with no doubts but what do they think of it all. “It’s a lot better than getting out there and doing motos on your own, that can get boring. It’s about time the ACU started kicking schoolboys in their rear end and getting them motivated like the Italians do. They have a motocross school that they go to for a year and it would be awesome for us if they did the same thing in this country.” reckons Clarky. Sam Davies is a small skinny kid but what he lacks in kilos he makes up in confidence. He too thinks it essential and also rates Justin highly. “Justin is a brilliant teacher. He teaches you things that you’d think wouldn’t make sense but once you try them on the bike and get used to what he’s be telling you it all starts to come naturally. He doesn’t beat us with a stick or anything like that but he does get frustrated when we don’t listen and start chatting to each other. If we all put in the effort he wants us to then he lets us mess around during the breaks but on the bike we need to do what he tells us and listen. I think we all are and I think we’re all getting better.”
For most kids it’s never easy to listen to your parents, because let’s face it, we always think we know best. It’s not until further down the line you realise nine times out of ten they were right. Getting advice from a rider that has been there and done it is something most of these kids appreciate and find easier to grasp than hearing it from their family. Lewis; “My dad was never really any good at motocross and never really knew what to do. He’ll love the fact I said that! But Justin has done GP’s and picks up on all the things I’m not so good on at the minute, like gearing and braking. He can spot where I’m going wrong like maybe my Dad can but he knows how to explain it better and how to fix it. That’s helping me improve loads and riding with all the others is pulling me along.”
By this moment of our day, photoman Fuller had tipped the boys off about my unbridled hatred of Big Brother and all of the lads were trying to wind me up. Trying to catch them out I asked them if they’d rather be training than watching a dozen or more sycophants dramatise an otherwise perfectly normal situation. Ashley Greedy didn’t fall for it. “I’d rather go training no doubt about it. I’m with you, I really can’t stand those idiots. Too many people sit at home and do nothing. You won’t achieve anything in life doing that.” Daniel Arnold who was also stood by follows Ashley’s lead. “I’d go training with Justin no question. We’re kind of like the big brother house, all together riding, but we ain’t saddos like them!” Ashley continues, “It’s a laugh. If you can’t do anything he say ‘c’mon you know you can!’ but he tells you like a mate would and you know what it’s like when a friend tells you to do something. You have to do it to shut them up.”
Not sure how the selection process for getting into the academy works I asked the boys to find out more. “I got chosen by the ACU and had to have an interview and everything but some of the others got chosen by Justin.” explains Ashley. Daniel was one of those others. “We got a letter through the post and we had to go up for a day, about twenty of us and have trials. Luckily he (Justin) picked me. It’s like fame academy only much cooler!” When suggested that the lads are all pulling together and maybe the academy has a feel about it similar to the England football team in Germany they agree. “With me and Steve, I’m chasing him down but he’s got the edge at the moment but it’s bringing us both on and we have a friendly rivalry. I guess it’s like trying to convince the manager to play you in the team.” reckons an enthusiastic Ashley.
The group meet up on average three times a month and the two Connors believe it’s a format that should stay, maybe even increase. “I think there should be more support for the schoolboys because we are the ones that will be in GPs next. If you don’t push them no one will ever be as good as Everts or Townley, not from this country anyway.” Strong opinions from master Butler and young Walkley feels the same. “I think you need a bit of a push because sometimes you can’t be bothered and you slow down, start watching TV, stuff like that and getting lazy. If we don’t keep pushing Justin will be able to see that when we turn up here. It’s like not doing your homework, you can only get away with it for a while!” So it seems the kids like the challenge and appreciate the work it’s going to take to make the grade as a pro. It’s like a child being given a better education, realistically there’s more chance of success. “Justin has been a pro and I want to be one. My schoolteacher hasn’t got a clue and can’t help me with that can he? Motocross is getting bigger and more popular I think, so it’s important that the ACU are doing this. Hopefully we’ll all make to pro level, there’s certainly more chance of me making it with Justin’s help.” A good analogy from Connor Butler.
This group of riders and Justin himself are obviously grateful to the ACU and stress they should take an enormous amount of credit. “It’s not a long time coming but maybe it’s been overlooked before.
The ACU have academies for road racing, speedway, trails, pretty much across the board. Out of all of them we had the best results from last year and they rewarded us with the increased budget. They should take credit for that. They could’ve of easily said ‘ok well that’s working then’ and just left it the same but they didn’t. I want results, they want results, the kids want results. If everyone is pointing in the same direction that will happen but it only with the help of the ACU and they are already seeing the benefits of their investment.” believes an excited Justin. And what about the next batch of starlets, how does the system work? He explains further, “It’s all on a three year basis. Ashley and Steven will be going next year and then the other boys will be moving up. Then I’ll be picking some more lads coming off the 65 onto the 85. It’s a cycle, every year someone will leave and someone new will arrive.” It’s certainly a structure that will give Britain more fighting chance of finding a World Champion. Of course that’s the ultimate goal for everyone, particularly Justin Morris and he sees this as his future in the sport that has shaped him. “I want to keep doing this and I think we can really change the face of British motocross and bring us back to the top. Not just with the riders that I working with but also with the structure. If we can have fresh people on the committee and ACU board, people on those places coming through we can make a shout not just for the schoolboys but everyone. If I do something I want the results at the end of it. The sport is evolving and perhaps we haven’t been evolving with it here in the UK but now I’d like to think we trying hard to catch up. I’m determined we’ll do that and I don’t want to walk away from this knowing that didn’t or hasn’t happened. I love the job and the rewards of seeing the kids improve, I mean who wouldn’t?”
Well, as a nation, none of us.
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