 Rider: Jeremy Hand Photo: Zachary C. Bako Joel YounkinsHigh Performance Coach Why is it, that some riders just dominate on race day?
Their teammates are on the same bike, the same program, and might even be faster during the week. But when the lights come on, the narrative changes. One rider shows up differently. The world sees dominance. In high-level preparation and performance, we break things down into four main categories:
Each one plays a major role in how a rider performs. But here’s the kicker--you need all four dialed to 90% or above if you truly want to win ("A-Game"). That’s the cost of entry at the highest level. And here’s where things get interesting… There’s an unseen energy that flows between these four pillars. Even when each piece looks dialed in on the surface, many riders are still leaving massive potential on the table and are left scathing their heads on where to improve from. This is where we enter the world of High Performance...This is why racers who seem to be doing everything right, don't put it all together when it matters the most. More Than Fitness Most people see me as the fitness guy in motocross. And that’s fair—it’s the ground floor of what I do. But my real work? It’s turning racers into winning weapons. Not by touching their technique on the bike—but by building every layer around their riding so that when they show up, they are the full package. That means training isn’t just something we check off the list and it’s certainly not just reps and sets either. It’s about how you do it.
It's about learning how to train and prepare like a champion. Culture Matters Every racer builds a narrative around themselves—whether they realize it or not. And that narrative becomes their culture. If you want to earn a different reputation, to earn it, you have to live it. That’s why I build standards into every racer’s approach:
My wife Kelly, our Mental Performance Coach, goes even deeper with our riders and families—diving into the real mental and emotional work most programs ignore. While she works from the inside out, I bring the mindset of mental warfare. I help set the tone for battle. We work together to build racers who are confident, grounded, and dangerous. Coming from a football background, I was raised in structured systems—where every play had purpose, and winning wasn’t just hoped for, it was built. That mindset carried into my coaching. Most moto trainers come from cycling or past racing experience, which is great—but that doesn’t mean they understand how to build winning programs. I do. Because I’ve lived inside them. I know exactly what winning looks like, and exactly what it doesn't look like as well. But culture can’t stop with the racer. The parents, the riding coach, the support system—they all need to be aligned. High performance is a team effort. You're ceiling is as high as the people around you. Lifestyle I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Winning is a lifestyle. You don’t win because you twist the throttle harder. You win because your life supports it.
Champions aren’t born knowing how to do these things. They’re built from years of repeated choices, learned behavior, and high standards. It’s not just what you do—it’s how you do it. Rider vs. Bike Everyone in motocross knows this truth: The bike obviously matters, but the percentage of rider/bike ratio is a known standard that the rider outweighs the bike when it comes to performance. And here’s the problem--most riders try to fix the bike before they fix themselves. “We need a faster motor.” “We had the wrong suspension setup.” “Should’ve gone with a different tire today.” All of that stuff matters. No doubt. That’s tactical preparation. It’s a piece of the puzzle. But the rider? That’s the engine that actually wins races. And in my opinion, not enough people are having real conversations about improving the rider. It’s not just about getting stronger or fitter or thinking more positively. It’s about bringing their entire program together—physically, mentally, tactically, emotionally—so that when they show up to race, they know how to win. And more importantly, they believe they can. So What Is High Performance in Motocross? It’s not a buzzword. It’s not something you can fake. High Performance has every layer of your program aligned. It’s being intentional. Structured. Confident. It’s building the complete racer as a winning athlete. And when all those pieces come together—you stop hoping for the win and start expecting it. This blog is dedicated to Maria Margala Weller, a JYT client whose journey and spirit will always be with us.
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