 Levi Younkins Joel YounkinsHigh Performance Coach High performance isn’t something you talk about — it’s something you live. Every routine, every decision, every race weekend is part of the blueprint. This is how we’ve started building it for Levi. I want to preface this blog with a couple things before opening up the playbook.
I didn’t write this to boast about my son. This is simply my perspective as a High Performance Coach and a dad, sharing how I’m approaching racing for my son Levi, and eventually for my daughters, Lia and Launa, when their time comes. Early Years Like most kids who race, Levi hopped on two wheels pretty early. Santa brought him a Strider balance bike for Christmas just before he turned two, and he quickly got the hang of it. That next summer, he got a Stacyc and fell in love with it instantly. By three, he was riding his 12-inch BMX bike, hitting little wooden ramps in the driveway. When he turned four, we got him his first real dirt bike, the classic PW50. We didn’t do much racing early on. Aside from one Viva race in 2023 on Western Reserve's peewee track, a few Stacyc events, and a couple fun pit bike races, Levi had no formal race experience up until 2025. Even though his natural talent showed early, he didn’t yet have that competitive spark. He was just a boy who loved to play and ride and Kelly and I didn’t want to force anything. We wanted him to enjoy his childhood and keep that joy alive before adding any stress to it. That all changed last year when we took him to a local pit bike race at Hamrick’s here in Northeast Ohio. He raced his PW50 and for the first time, I saw something click, that desire to push, to jump everything, and to chase more. He wasn’t quite ready for what he was trying, but that drive was undeniable. Kelly and I talked that night and agreed: if he wanted to race, we were all in. We’d commit to the full 2025 Viva Series. So we picked up a Cobra 50 FWE, a big jump from the PW. Between soccer games in 2024, we squeezed in a few fall rides to get him comfortable. It was a learning curve, but he loved it and I could see that he was going to love the bike more and more he rode it. Over the winter, I took him to several indoor practice days at Route 62 and Switchback — not just to get seat time, but to help him learn how to ride in tighter, more busy environments to learn throttle and bike control. To make the bike fit him better, I had his suspension done by Podium Works. The previous rider's setup was far too stiff. He couldn’t tell, but I could. I also added a ¾-inch washer to his head pipe to soften the hit, which boosted his confidence and allowed him to ride more aggressively. (Pro tip: if your kid’s moving up to a Cobra, this simple change can make a big difference.) First Year Racing Levi turned seven on February 28, 2025. Technically, he’s an “AMA 6.” I could’ve put him on a 50 JR and race in the 4–6 class, but I wanted 2025 to be a full learning year for him and for us. I chose the senior bike so he could learn it early and race against more experienced kids. One dad told me I “threw him straight into Murderers’ Row,” and honestly, that’s exactly what I wanted. I wanted to kill two birds with one stone, learn the pace and learn racing. He entered the season with solid bike skills but very little race experience. You can’t teach race experience, you earn it by lining up. So our goal was simple: race as much as possible. Every round, Levi competed in three classes, 50 Beginner, 50 Senior, and 50 Open, giving him six motos each race weekend. Building Our Culture As a family, we treated this as a team mission. It was all hands on deck. Myself, Kelly, my parents, and Levi’s little sisters, Lia and Launa. We didn’t focus on results. Our focus was effort, attitude, smart riding, good technique, and trying to improve a little bit at each round. Before each race, we had our own little mantra: “Have fun and go fast.” For Levi, “fun” means giving it your all, riding with purpose, passion, and doing your best because when you ride and compete that way, that is "fun." We also emphasized recovery and preparation just like I do with my athletes; consistent sleep routines, solid nutrition, and hydration. That meant not skipping meals, snacks, Pedialyte, Liquid IV, and yes, an afternoon Coke (the only time he is allowed pop) before late motos. It wasn’t about chasing energy, it was about keeping his brain fueled to make good decisions on the track. Levi can run wide open all day, but when fatigue hits, that’s when mistakes happen, and our job as parents is to protect him from that edge. Training for Racing Even with what I do for a living, Levi didn’t follow a structured workout plan. Instead, we focused on movement, fun, and skill development through play. He warmed up before rides, played on equipment in my facility, and spent as much time as possible outside — riding his JKS (20-inch Stacyc), playing soccer, and just being a kid. We also did Tuesday Night Training Classes with Driven MX until soccer season started. My main goal was exposure by getting him used to deep ruts, real track conditions, and being around other young racers. Working with Jason, Clay, and Jeremy helped him refine his technique. I’m a big believer in doing things right before doing them fast. I wanted him to hear from other coaches besides his dad and papa on what he needed to be doing and focusing on his bike. A racer who’s built on solid fundamentals becomes a faster, safer, smarter athlete long term. Outside of Driven MX, we practiced at local tracks (helmet comms included) and ran backyard drills like starts and braking sessions when our schedule allowed for it. How It Went Down This isn’t about bragging, it’s about sharing key lessons from Levi’s first real race season. I'm not a results focused coach/dad, I'm a process focused one. Levi won the 50 Beginner Class, taking every race except one (on a pit bike track he wasn’t prepared for). That class had minimal requirements, essentially no Loretta’s qualifiers, and in my opinion, every non-Loretta’s 50 rider is still a beginner. Titles aside, it was the perfect class for him to build confidence and consistency. He also won the 50 Open Class for the year. Not because he was always the fastest, but because he always showed up. Every round. Every moto. Every effort. That’s what I’m most proud of, his attitude, work ethic, and willingness to give his best every time he lined up. Consistency creates champions, and I wanted him learn and live that experience whether he won or not. In the 50 Senior Class, he finished 2nd overall. Again, not because he was the 2nd fastest kid all of the time, but because he kept showing up and competing with heart. He respected his competitors but never feared them, that balance is gold. Some 50 SR & Open races, he shined and even won some races, others, he struggled to contend. But each one taught him something different, lessons only racing can teach. Learning Curve When it comes to development, planning, and putting people in the best position for success, there’s always some kind of learning curve. Whether it’s individual differences, new environments, new challenges or a mix of all three, you have to be aware of blind spots. I’ve been around racing my entire life in a lot of different capacities. But being a parent in the 50cc class with my son racing presented a whole new set of challenges to solve. I asked a lot of questions when I didn’t know the answer, and I made it a point to return the favor by helping other parents who were just trying to figure out this whole “moto parent” space. I’ve learned in my coaching career to never be afraid to ask questions when I need more clarity or understanding, that's how you learn. And I'm not afraid to ask the question more than once to verify the answers ;) In amateur motocross, the tempo of the day is always different. Some promoters run things slightly differently, when rider meeting happens, how the track is prepped, how the schedule flows, so each round presents something new to adjust to. On top of that, figuring out how to help your kid rest, play, and get ready for their next moto during long days at the track is a constant process of trial and error. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that during any learning curve, patience is everything. You have to let people come into their own. That’s especially true with youth athletes. As a dad, I had to remind myself often to be patient with him. The more patient we all were, and the more we simplified things, giving him just one or two small areas to focus on, the better he performed. When they’re beginners, there are a hundred ways they can improve. But the caveat is, as beginners, they can only absorb one or two coaching ques at a time. We had to remember to not get ahead of ourselves by sharing too many things and over talking. We had to speak with a very short reminder. One example at the end of the year, was saying "stand up and be aggressive" and that's it. Another thing that we all learned as adults, and with the help of Kelly and her work, was remembering and realizing their mental cognitive and emotional development. For example, we would tell him things like, "go inside on that corner." And he wouldn't know to speak up right away. So after telling him multiple times, he would eventually say, "what's a corner?" He only understood that it was called a turn. So learning how to communicate with a 7 year old was an important reminder to speak to your athlete at their developmental level. The Next Step The 2025 season ended just three days ago. I already have a general sense of what’s next. Levi needs to become a more aggressive racer, developing his speed through better technique, track vision, and confidence. Levi still respects his bike and is still getting comfortable on it. The next path is getting to a point where he has no respect for it, all while maintaining proper technique and mental focus. For now, we’re taking a short break from riding to reset and prep his bike for indoor season, which helped him massively last winter. We’ll double down on that this year and start honing in on some things for him to improve upon. With that said, we’re still letting him be a kid. He’ll likely play soccer again, maybe even football, and who knows what other passions he might discover. As parents, our role is to support where they’re at now and adapt as they grow. Outsourcing One thing I believe deeply, if we can’t provide something ourselves, we find the people who can. My good friend Aaron Florek is our go-to mechanic for big jobs. It saves me time and ensures a professional eye is on the bike. I can handle basic prep, but I’m not a full-time mechanic and I believe in bringing in specialists who see what I might miss. Again, Frank Rice at Podium Works handles Levi’s suspension. Not because he needs “factory stuff,” but because confidence and safety matter more than lap times. When your kid’s sending doubles and charging fast rough sections, you want to know the bike is working properly for them as peace of mind. We’ll also continue working with Driven MX, likely a mix of group sessions and one-on-one coaching to really target his weaknesses. Group classes build exposure, but one-on-one work builds precision and I’ve seen firsthand how much faster that accelerates development. See You in 2026 Next year, it’s Lia’s turn. She did her first small local race last month and showed that same spark. She’s following a similar path — early start, steady progress, and tons of enthusiasm. The plan is to get her in the PW class next season to get those first gate drops. As for Launa, she’s on her own timeline, a little later to bikes, but fearless when she decides to go. Right now, she’s tearing up the yard on her 12-inch Stacyc, hitting the same wooden jump Levi and Lia learned on. Time will tell how it all unfolds, but one thing’s for sure, this journey is wild, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Final Thoughts This season wasn’t just about racing. It was about practicing what we preach, showing that high performance starts with family culture, consistent effort, and a love for the process. Whether it’s in the gym, on the bike, or in life, that’s what this blueprint is all about.
1 Comment
Wendy Wagner
10/20/2025 08:28:58 am
From beginning to end, I enjoyed this blog! The first of many I will be reading about Levi and learning from a spectators view! You are an amazing coach and dad Joel, And with Kelly on your side, you two make the perfect Team, not only for Levi and your family, for other athletes as well! Leave a Reply. |