June 2019 ~ Rider of the Month ~ Isabella George

Fear is not what you should be feeling. Feel brave. And if it gets a little hard, just keep trying, and you’ll get better. And at one point you’ll know: This is what I want to do. This is nice.

That’s the advice June’s Rider of the Month would give to someone who’s interested in BMX but who’s nervous about giving it a try. It speaks to the nearly universal experience of those who have overcome fear thresholds on the way to falling in love with the sport. And it shows uncommon wisdom and insight for a rider who, after all, just recently turned eight years old.

But then, Isabella “Izzy” George is not your average 8-year-old. In fact, she’s not even your average BMX racer. In 14 short months, she’s gone from rank Novice to the Girl’s Expert Class. And six months into her first full season of racing, Izzy has already secured a spot on Team U.S.A. for the 2019 UCI BMX World Championships in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.

What, I asked her, has accounted for her meteoric rise in the sport of BMX racing?

“Family, BMX, and hard work,” Izzy answered.

In terms of family, it’s fair to say that the Georges are all-in when it comes to bicycle motocross. Izzy’s father, Kerry, serves in the U.S. Army, and his duties have taken the family throughout the U.S. Her older brothers Jacob and Christopher started racing in Hampton, VA in 2007. Then the family moved to Kansas, where they raced at Blue Springs and Raytown. That’s also where Izzy’s brother Xander got his start in BMX racing at age four. Next, the family moved to Florida, where they raced sporadically from 2010 to 2015.

Izzy got her own introduction to competition at age 2 ½, racing in the Balance Bike Class in Tampa. But then the family moved to Northern Virginia in 2015, where there was a brief break in the BMX action. A Cub Scout Bike Rodeo brought NOVA BMX to the family’s attention, however, and by August 2017 Xander was back at it and insisting that his little sister join him.

Izzy admitted that the early going was not easy. A hard fall at the gate shook her up physically and dampened her enthusiasm. Xander, however, encouraged her to give racing another chance, and eventually Izzy decided to try again.

The rest is history. With the constant support of Xander and her dad, Izzy quickly improved her skills and confidence on the bike. Wins swiftly followed. Before long, Izzy and Xander – with parents Kerry and Chris – were traveling to regional and national races.

As any racer knows, nothing equips you for BMX like BMX itself, so Izzy has been preparing for the World Championships with a busy racing schedule. Racers under age 13 are banned from using clips in UCI BMX competition, and Izzy has been using flats for local and smaller regional races. At nationals, however, she still uses clips to maintain parity with the racers in her class. Izzy is not preoccupied with the controversy over which option is better, noting she feels comfortable either way and can transition between the two without a lot of drama.

All along the way, Izzy has put in a ton of hard work. When asked about training, Izzy indicated that she pays attention to both the physical and psychological aspects of BMX. Her first priority at practice, she said, is to remind herself to stay loose and relaxed. She uses warm-up laps to prepare her body for hard efforts but also to focus her mind on the task at hand.

Izzy credits her parents and Xander for helping promote her BMX success. She also mentioned racing pal Gigi Milliron – a Rider of the Month alumnus and Team U.S.A. member in her own right – and family friends the Dowdys and the Robinsons. Izzy is a proud member of the Factory Velocity Bike Co. Team and loves riding her custom Velocity race rig.

Besides the fun and excitement on the track, Izzy cited the encouragement she gets from fellow racers as among the things she loves most about BMX. Win or lose, she knows her buddies will always be there to celebrate her success or cheer her up with their clowning around in the pits. Family, friends, community, and good vibes ensure a fun time at the races, whatever the outcome on the track.

Congratulations to Isabella George, NOVA BMX’s Rider of the Month for June. This young lady displays confidence, poise, and determination both on and off the track. We at NOVA BMX are proud to have her represent our track and our country at the World Championships. And we’re glad to play our part in helping her feel brave and chase her dreams.

This rider spotlight was written by our local racer and BMX dad, Christopher Zealand. Photo credits go to Izzy's parents, except the race photo by Shayne Ross.