Motorsport Coaching: Paul Caslick on Racing and Culture

High Performance Motorsports Coaching.

I am Paul Caslick.

I am a High Performance Motorcycle Coach.

This journey for me in motorcycle racing started in 1975. My passion for coaching began in 1979 when participating at a motorcycle camp. I was then 12 years old and my coach was Stephen Gall. From the positive experience gained, I knew from that moment that coaching other riders was something I would always enjoy. Little did I realise just how deep and long that passion would burn within. Looking back My Father, also a highly respected motorcycle competitor was my very first coach in his own way. I have also drawn on experiences from soccer and football coaches over the years, and used these in a positive way of learning to grow my own coaching ethics.

Actively involved, I have travelled our beautiful Country, both as a coach and competitor. I have been gifted in meeting some incredibly talented athletes and have forged some wonderful lifelong friendships. My experiences haven’t all been great, from my own choices that lead to my career not flourishing internationally as most expected. Still, I have collected many Australian and state Championships in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, in a career spanning over 42 years. The commitment to health and fitness necessary to become successful in life, including motorcycle competition has been a subject I have researched since my teenage years. Motivated from a back injury sustained when competing at a Super cross in 1983, one week before our final school assembly and our High school certificates were handed to us. I had wanted to pursue a professional career in racing motorcycles, this injury changed my career direction substantially, but gave me the opportunity to realise the importance of not only being healthy, but strong, fit and mentally aware of the sport I was to be consumed with.

From my involvement in my chosen sport, as a competitor and a board member on State Controlling Bodies, National Coaching Commissions and as Chairman on the Dirt Track National Commission, I can be grateful for the opportunities that I have worked hard to achieve along the way. When I could’ve chosen a path of destruction from my own failures, the negatives taught me to appreciate just how this journey of life will be filled with highs and lows, decisions we make and how we choose to make each day a positive experience. As my own coach at this time, this was my motivation that I live by even today. Although I missed the opportunity to full fill my personal dream of becoming World Champion, my motivation and passion drives me to help others achieve their goals.

Motorcycle Competition has many disciplines and each carries its own unique, extremely complex preparation at the elite level. There is the practical bike component to consider as a priority. Unless you have the luxury of being a highly paid professional with factory paid mechanics, and in Australia there isn’t as many as most would think, this component can be extremely time and financially consuming. From testing new parts and engine configurations, ignition settings, tyres, different compounds of rubber, tyre patterns, suspension components and set ups, changing the ergonomics of the machine for better rider feel. When all this is completed, there is usually a practise bike used for improving fitness and technique when not testing.

Through my own career path and what I learned, I chose to pursue and research High Performance Coaching and became involved with the National Coaching Commission. Each year since 2007, I have been involved with conducting Elite Rider Camps at the Australian Institute of Sport. These camps were represented by elite competitors from Road Racing, Speedway and Dirt Track competitors. From these camps, Motorcycle competitors are also now regarded as athletes by the Australian Sporting Commission. Motorcycle athletes around the world are also known as the best cross trainers of any athletes in the world, just to race a motorcycle. It’s not uncommon to hear comments such as “But you only race a motorbike”. A national competitor’s training program would consist of road cycling, mountain biking, hiking, swimming, body weight program, boxing, core stability program, plyometric exercises and different paced running sessions, depending on which part of the season. Some have their own Personal trainers or training partners to share the long cycling sessions with, but also these athletes maintain full time employment or part time employment whilst studying university. Coaching these athletes can be extremely complex, having a coaching relationship with them and helping them understand trust, commitment and learning balance between family, work, training and travel can lead to many frustrations along the way. Each athlete has to be treated individually as there is not one program that can fit any two riders in most cases. Each rider differs in so many ways from their family, personality, ethical, religious and work load tolerance.

Witnessing so many transformations in training principals and programs, seeing how training has evolved from unguided lacing up the joggers and going for a run, a swim or pumping some weights to now being totally guided by coaches, sports science and computer technology. Australian motorcycle competitors now travel the World as professional athletes, the most successful apply these principals in their preparation and understand to be successful they must have a program and become not only an athlete, but a successful international business person, knowledgeable in other countries cultures and systems. The sport has evolved dramatically and stand out performers are now shared across many riders throughout each discipline. Only a few years ago, the smartest and hardest training competitors would be the standout performers, but now with so many athletes employing trainers and coaches to assist them with their own programs, the science and technical aspects of a competitors program has become so individualised and secretive. Research and technology is utilised to adjust the rider, just to ride a motorcycle. I once read somewhere, “it’s not about the bike”.

Professional and International competitors need to consider cultural differences to help them organise travel requirements from one country to another. Australia has professional athletes in England, Poland, Sweden and America and most of these riders will travel and compete across 3 continents in one week of competition, and these riders live in this climate for more than 30 weeks in a season. Their nutritional requirements also need to be considered and organised with research well in advance preseason. A bad choice of food or hydration could be the difference in a World Championship outcome. Along with their competition, a competitor’s accommodation and planning needs to be streamlined to enable them to travel unrestricted from venue to motel, motel to airport without any hassle or unnecessary delay. Although Australia has many professional international athletes, there have been only a few coaches who have experienced travelling abroad, but cultural differences between the coach and athlete, their family’s involvement all lead to the situation breaking down. Understanding different cultures and refining our own approach to suitably adapt to that culture change can provide us with a deeper understanding of diverse alternative to improve all situations, whether it be in life, sport or education. In 2007 a group of Australian Dirt Track enthusiasts and competitors travelled to America to experience racing in the AMA Flat Track Grand Nationals at Daytona Beach. The culture difference I found travelling America, experiencing the “controlling” and “can do anything” attitude. Seeing how Americans embrace talent and knowledge, how they all want to help any up and coming from athletes, to business people. It’s easy and understandable to see how many that travel to the USA could quite easily be influenced because of their positive attitudes reflecting into their high achieving results, they believe anything is possible. But at the same time, it’s easy to see how Australians forge a dislike to Americans due to our tall poppy syndrome, maybe our convict heritage doesn’t help here.

For sporting endeavours and in particular motorcycle competition, Australia is the best country. We are a multi-cultural nation, we have so much freedom and vacant land, forests and trails. Facilities to enjoy are in most towns and easily accessible. Yet the biggest disadvantage in our coaching is the over regulation on our accredited coaches and the coaching system. We have so much knowledge to share but are strangled by politics. Australia has a perfect climate and some fantastic facilities to embrace and promote bringing other cultures to our shores during their off season. Coaching across cultures and sharing experiences brings people together. Bringing people together also heightens our sense of satisfaction, achievement, learning potential and everyone benefits.