Doug Snyder: I’m Doug Snyder, with a special edition of Inspiration Acceleration.
Ashley Fiolek is a 19-year-old two-time motocross WMA National Champion. She is also profoundly deaf. She was born deaf and had to overcome many obstacles to achieve success at such a young age.
She’s launching her brand new book, Kicking Up Dirt. It’s an autobiography, and it’s extremely inspirational. I’ve read it, and I think it’s fantastic. And I think you should all go out and get it too.
Ashley Fiolek: Yeah, I’m really excited. You know, I can’t believe it, you know, it’s like a book. It’s pretty amazing. I grew up, you know. I read different books about athletics and stuff that we’re inspirational and stuff like that. And now I have my own book. It’s really cool.
You know, I practice a lot. You know I can feel the vibrations on the bike. Like if I over—if it’s over-revving, I can feel that. And then I know I have to shift. I started off on a 50, and they didn’t have a shift. I didn’t have to do that. It was automatic.
But then they moved me to a 65, and I had to learn how to do that. And I was really frustrated at first. But you know, I learned how to do it. My dad taught me, he rode with me. And now it changes a little bit for each bike. But I can do it. It’s really natural.
My family is—you know, believes in God. And we always—you know, when we’re racing, we always say prayers before we race. If I didn’t say a prayer, you know, I would be lost. I know I work hard. And then at the start of a race, I give it to God. You know, whatever is going to happen is going to happen. I feel safe. I feel calm, you know, after I say my prayer. So it helps me through the race, I think, because I know He’s going to be with me.
I think in a sport like mine, you have to know God’s with you, because it’s dangerous. I have a Bible like—not really a Bible, but it has like Bible verses in it. And before every race, I read them. My friend circled one that was really specific to me. So I always make sure I read that before I race. And it just kind of brings me peace and helps me to be calm and really helps me a lot. And I think without my faith, you know, I don’t think I’d be able to race. It really helps me.
Yes. Yeah, I grew up racing with boys. But now with the women, it’s just women are separate, you know. But now it’s kind of my goal, you know. No women have qualified with the men. It’s kind of a goal right now. It’s a big challenge. I’d have to work really hard, you know. But maybe someday, I can. I just keep trying. I just keep trying my best.
There are some people I look up to, you know, and I think it’s cool that—to know that people are looking up to me. And if there’s any way I can help them, I—you know, I think I try to tell people, anything is possible. This is—you know, people think of this as a hearing sport.
But my parents always encouraged me. I always had God behind me. And I try to tell people that too. You know, people email me and say, oh, I can’t do this. Or this is wrong with me. Or that’s wrong with me. But I try to let them know, you can do it, you know. I try to motivate them. I try to—they motivate me too, because I know people are out there looking up to me. So I try to give it back to them. Like I try to—I go to deaf schools too and give them inspirational speeches.
Well, I would say, you know, anything’s possible. If you’re handicapped or—it doesn’t matter. If it’s your goal, if it’s your dream, and you have God in your life, and He’s with you, and you work hard, you know, and you have the right people around you in your life—your family, your friends—you can make it happen. Anything’s possible. Just find something to motivate you and set up your goals. That’s what I did. And you do it too. Anybody can.
Doug Snyder: Thanks, Ashley. And whether you’re a motocross fan or not, Ashley is such an inspiration. Her autobiography, Kicking Up Dirt, is in stores now. Check it out.
