For many athletes, sports have been a constant in their life since they were young. It is no different for sophomore BMX bike rider Austin Martin, who has been riding since he was very little. 

“I was about five or six,” Martin said. “My dad had a friend named Chucky, and I always saw how good he was and it kind of motivated me to do it.”

Martin started off within his BMX career riding dirt tracks, and racing with his family. After a few years doing that, he switched from racing to freestyle, a form of riding that is rarely recognized. But for many who do it, like Martin, it is not only a sport, but it is also a great way to form friendships that go beyond things such as school.

“The [friends] I make with BMX, I feel like me and the person have more that we can relate to than in school,”  Martin said. “Like I can go talk to someone [at school] about a trick I’m going to do and they’re going to be like ‘Oh, yeah, that’s cool,’ but like they have no idea.”

In addition, Martin explained how riding had been a good outlet for him. He spoke about how as a teenager, riding has kept him out of trouble that many others fall into within high school. Much of it had to do with diverting emotions caused by outside forces and turning them into positive work within BMX riding.

“When I’m like mad, or when I’m upset or something, I go ride,” Martin said, “And when I start riding, I feel like nothing can really hit me. I could feel like I’m myself in my own world, I guess.”Although much of BMX riding has been positive for Martin, there were also aspects that were more on the negative side within the world of freestyle. 

“[One hard part is] staying out of drama.” Austin explained when talking about the hardest part of BMX,“Because there’s a lot of people that are just going to hate and talk trash no matter how you do something, no matter where you do it, no matter how fast you do it.”

Along with the drama, another hardship Martin faced were the injuries that freestyle BMX riding comes with. Many of those who ride park or ride street find themselves with long term damage from concussions or such from spills they take when doing tricks. 

Martin himself has suffered from a broken collarbone so far within his time of riding. This, when it happened, was one thing that made Martin consider not riding anymore. 

“I was like ‘I’m never gonna ride again,’ because along with this, I broke my frame and I didnt ride for like a year,” Martin said. “And when I got my bike again, I was like ‘Man, I missed how much this gives me.’” 

Overall, one can see through Austin Martin’s passion for his sport that this life has a place within his future 100 percent. It’s students like him that inspire others to continue through hardships and rough times within their passions to commit to doing something they love.

“Do what makes you happy,” Martin said. “Don’t do it to make other people happy. Don’t do it just because your friends are doing it. Do it because you want to do it.”