Joe Wiggins BMX Racer. From the Hood to the Podium.

⭐Champions are born, not crafted.⭐
I was recently asked by a guy that I think is a great human and very dedicated BMX Racer at the Weekend Warrior level, if I would train Him. As flattering as this request is everytime that I hear it, the answer is the same in my head, "I would love to pass on the information and techniques that Iearned over the years, but there just isnt anything in it for me anymore." It's one thing to get up everyday, spend the entire day doing everything nessasary to train for victory, while holding down the job that allowes you get to the places where you can apply what you leared and trained for the week before, then go home analyze the lessons learned on the track from that race, then do it all again starting on Monday.
It is an entirely different thing to get someone to recognize the insane amount of effort that it takes to accomplish the goal of becoming a Champion and then do ALL of the work nessasary.
There is actually a million lil things that I did not list that makes winning possible.
Add what I listed, what I did not list, then multiply those things by 10 thousand and you will be ready for your first Expert level National Main, where you will repeatedly get your ass kicked until you learn, by this experience, how to get your first win.
Some are simply born with this Drive, some are close enough that thier physicality can get them there, but to be on the absolute top, you have to have all of these things.
So, will you train me? Sorry, if I were interested in being committed enought to manage your efforts, I would still be racing BMX myself.
No disrespect intended, but as far as I can tell, I have moved on, atleast for now.
*In the old days we raced EVERY chance that we could, sometimes at a different Track every night of the week, regardless of the distance.
You NEED the brutal beatings on the Track that you have to litterally seek out, in order to apreciate what Winning means and the true value of being #1, and I do not mean the petty lil numbers that they just hand out for litterally nothing these days, running #1 Plate used to litterally mean exactly what it said, YOU were #1, unfortunately the number has lost its value completely, but EVERYONE knows when a true Champion is on the gate, be that guy.
Paying a Trainer is great if it is your first season, after that, if you are truly dedicated to winning, just race every day, nothing can replace the experiance that you gain under race conditions, NOTHING. OR you can do what I did/still do, in the racing that I do now, call out the baddest racer in their district, talk mad s**t to their face, then know that if you do not do every single thing that it takes to win, you'll just be another joke that talks s**t and never makes it.
Lets be honest, everyone loves to hate a winner, it makes them feel important by pretending that they are on the same lever by saying derogatory things about a racer that they could never in a million years equal, so why not use their hate to fuel your Championship, I did. 😎

I just watched a Documentary on Micheal Schumacher, Foumula One Icon, there is something so inspiring about watching a Champion fulfil their destiney against all odds.

Anolog v Digital
Anolog Life can be easily stolen.
Digital Life is the process that makes the Anolog function.
An Anolog Pirate can never take a stolen Anolog Idea to its fullest potential.
* to be continued.

Thank you Dale Riley for sharing this.
This is a list of my District #1's.

⭐Where it all started⭐ Chapter 1
I remember sitting on the Edge of the road, 55th and Shartel, at the enterance for the place that every Okc BMX kid spent most summer days at, Su***de Hills. This is where most of our friendships started and all of the smack talk was spoken. We were just regular kids, doing regular BMX kid stuff, some rich, some poor, but when we were there, we were all the same. ...except for Rodney, he couldnt hide, nor try to hide the fact that he was rich. Lol
It's really sad that the name of our favorite place on this earth, actually ended up being two of the key players in my youth's destiney. R.I.P. Joe Edwards and Wayman Dearing.
Joe Edwards was the guy that always did a new Trick first in our group, he is most likely responsible, regaudless of what "The Hater" says, for the first South Side Back Yard Quarter Pipe. Joe was the real deal, he would wake up at the crack of noon everyday and set out to set the BMX Freestyle World on fire, sometimes litterally, so he wasn't allowed to have matches around us or at Su***de Hills.
As I remember it, Joe Edwards started Back Yard Freestyle on the South Side of Okc. He would be very proud to know that his s**tty ass ramp made history. Good job Joe, I'll make sure you are remembered in BMX History my Friend.
I'm not going to lie, writing and reliving this part of my jouney is sometimes very painful, but making sure that these people and events are talked about is more than worth the pain generated by the memories. Joe Edwards, Wayman Dearing and Mark Sumpter were all that I had when I first moved to Okc and all three of these guys left me with something that made me a Champion.
Joe was the best Frienemy that I ever had, we were the first person, outside of our house that we seen everyday, we would bicker and fight all day everyday about who was the better rider, or who knew the most, I odviously never admitted that Joe was way better than me. We would get so aggravated with each other, then do it again the next day. Joe taught me dedication, he would not stop trying until he got it, as long as it was BMX related, this guy could figure it out. He taught me how to do that. I'll always remember him for this.❤️

⭐Becoming a Champion(Edit)⭐
Ever wonder why Winners only hang out in the smallest groups, if any? It's true. If you have, you would have noticed that Wannabe's form the largest groups. In BMX it can be divided into this, you either bought the Jersey with your Sponsor's name on it or your Sponsor bought you a Jersey with their name on it.
In one senerio you have done the work and have the Resume to be sought after by a Sponsor, the other is based on your need to fit in. One makes you a Winner, the other makes you a Wannabe.
A Winner doesn't need affirmation from anyone, but a Wannabe will surround themselves with as many like minded racers as they can, inorder to tell each other how well they are doing, even when it's not true. A Winner's mind and body are already prepared before they ever show up to the track on race day, so win or lose, they got what they came for, sometimes its Victory, sometimes it was a Lesson, but either way, this and this alone is the only affirmation that a true Champion needs. These two types of Racers are not the same, a Winner shows up and demonstrates the hard work that they put in, not caring if anyone is impressed by this or not, where a Wannabe will post videos on the internet pretending to be something that they are not, hoping that as many people as possible see it, not knowing that the poser is just a fraud.
I've always wondered why fake affirmation from someone unqualified to give it is more valuble than affirmation from the Racers that laugh at you for seeking it. If flossing your Racer abilities and skill are the point, why not just show up and take your beatings on the track, until you have learned how to give them back. "This is the way". (Mandalorian)
There is nothing wrong with a group of friends buying matching jerseys and heading to the Track to have fun, THIS IS BMX, but be respectful to your friends or the Riders on your Team that have put in the work to become what you are only publically pretending to be online. Win a few Races, then enjoy the actual affimation that you were seeking, trust me, one is way better than the other.
*Champions usually do not fit in, they do not think or act like the majority, if this is you, then you should embrace this, but be prepared, because not everyone likes a Winner, it's mostly the Wannabes that have realized that they will never be a Winner, but as they say, It is what it is.
*David Archibald is the best example of this version of a Champion that I have ever seen.
David holds a ABA National #1 Cruiser Plate, the Pinnacle of what most BMX Racers seek to achieve, David does the work, put in his time and will not wear a single Sponsor's name on his body, unless they paid for that spot, Dave has zero desire to fit in, but in return, he has made BMX History. David Archibald is a Champion's Champion.
*I received a bit of constructive criticism on the Term "Wannabe". I meant no offence by the statement and I was using it as an actual description. I'm not sure this will make it better but here you go.
Wannabe: aspiring to visually be, but not actually are.
Actually are: Actually are.
I might need to work on this a bit. 💁

* Continued.
The third generation of BMX was a great time to be a kid, Things like BMX ACTION Magazine, BMX Plus, the ABA Points Magazine, back when information was scarce and way more valuable, you had to wait an entire month to see if R.L. Osborn was able to pull off the Trick that he hinted about doing in the previous issue or to find out which Pro won the last ABA National, was it Stu or Greg, did Harry Leary sneek one by them? It was a very exciting time to be a kid.
Back in the Day, Bike Shops carried a lot of BMX Parts and Accessories, but the Absolute best bike shops were the low key, family owned and operated, shops like the Iconic "Capital Hill Shop, run by the Levine Family or Tilsons Bike Shop, run by the Tilson Family, or the one that brought the Double Butted Chrome Spoke Cross Five Lace Pattern to BMX in Oklahoma, Spokes Bike Shop, run by the Mesa Family, not only were these the coolest Bike Shops, they also had the coolest Staff, guys like Phil and Derick Lavine. Tilson's usually had the entire family in the shop everytime I was ever in there, but as far as Tech goes, Joey Mesa was and still is the King of Oklahoma Innovation, this guy has had more Ideas and Products stolen from him than Walmart has instock daily, the guy is just a bicycle engineering genius.
Joey Mesa and I started the very first Number Plate Manufacting Company in Oklahoma, we called it "Shop Plate". The John, Joey's Father was the brains behind the concept and Joey, Phil, Daniel and myself cut out and made the Number Plates, it was awesome. Unfortunately things took a wrong turn and like a Rock Band full of Rock Stars, we all quit the Band, except for me, I went on the road as a Solo Act, making number plates. I would set up a Card Table at the Track and custom make as many Plates as I could at every race, it was exhausting, but worth it. When I got older, I always felt bad for venturing out on my own, because the Mesa Family was always very kind to me and from what I hear, I was a handful to deal with.
Sorry Mesa Family, you'll always have my Hart.
As Time passed, several more of Joey's incredible ideas were labled as someone elses and Joey Mesa's role in these Items were never even mentioned, but we all know, maybe that's enough.
*to be continued.

Visualize yourself as a Champion.
Your Mind has no Limits, you can litterally visualize youself accomplishing any physical Goal, winning any Race or Training at any level that you would like to achieve.
You have to learn to depend on your own thoughts to recive the benifit of your own imagination's desire to win.
Learning to count soley on yoursef for direction, comes from seperating yourself from the mediocre herd and realizing that it is ok to be different, if you were not, you would just be a part of every herd, everywhere you go, but, a Champion is different, you realize that you dont fit in, you are not accepted by most herds and not only is it ok, but when you realize your potential, it should become satisfying and comfortable.
Winners can be made, but Champions are born, the two are not the same.
Blue Hair, a Nose Ring, a Jersey with a Company's Logo on it, that you had to buy yourself to be on a Team are all fine, if fitting in is important to you, but a Champion will never need any store bought visual aids to be noticed, you can be easily identified by the way that you Train and Ride, people will be able to notice you by the Place you take on the Podium.