Trevor Pearson, a George Elliot Secondary student and motocross racer, is celebrating the middle of summer by heading back to physio therapy.
The talented young Lake Country competitor is coming off a major injury from the spring and is keen to get back on his bike and restarts his quest to attend the biggest amateur race in North America next year.
Pearson, 15, has been competing and practicing on a motorbike since he was 10, following in his family’s footsteps.
He progressed quickly enough to seriously consider the Loretta Lynn Championships, the top amateur race in North America. Named after the original sponsor, country music legend Loretta Lynn, the race has grown to a series of area and regional races leading up to the main event.
During spring break in Hawaii earlier this year, Pearson had the opportunity to compete in an area qualification race for the Loretta Lynn. Pearson is a sponsored member of TeamGreen, Kawasaki’s sponsored racing team. That team sponsorship allowed Pearson to borrow a bike from a Hawaii local and take part in the races.
He earned a second place in one race that would have sent him to regionals. It was a huge step in the amateur race world.
One week later, Pearson decided to try another Loretta Lynn area race, this time against faster riders, just over the US border in Washington State.
“I wanted to see if I could compete at that area race. I heard there were a lot of fast kids at the race and I wanted to see if I would qualify against them,” explains Pearson.
Day one of that weekend was a split for Pearson. The first race wasn’t great, but he came back to win the class in his second race.
Day two saw disaster strike. After a large jump, the bike went one way, Pearson went the other. He was falling head first until he put out his hand to cushion the fall.
The result was a wrist that suffered a multiple centimeter dislocation off his growth plate and a pulverizing fracture.
The Grade 10 student is grateful the break was on his left hand, not his writing hand for school.
Now that the casts are off he is using his love of piano to help rebuild coordination and strength in a hand with limited mobility and some numbness issues.
“My left hand is smaller than my right hand now,” he said ruefully. “I have limited mobility in my wrist and can’t ride a bike again, yet.”
Pearson is intent on getting back on his bike and going after a trip to the Loretta Lynn again.
Physical therapy looks promising and his sponsors have stuck by him. There is tremendous interest in his budding riding career, with YouTube videos of his races having well over 25,000 views.
“I am so excited to get back to riding my bike again. It won’t be long now.”
