Some people are born with a natural passion to pursue something they enjoy from an early age. That’s been the case for Seth LeBlanc, an 8-year-old from Crown Point.
The passion that he has quickly become drawn to is motocross racing.
“He started riding when he was 3,” David LeBlanc, Seth’s father, said. “He would just ride around the backyard mostly. A year later, he said that he wanted to get into racing. We were invited in the summer of 2022 to go racing with some friends, and he did really well.”
As he started racing at 6 years old, it was clear that Seth was a natural. By the time he turned 7, he had been declared the winner of the Indiana State Championship for his motocross class.
David LeBlanc, who started riding when he was 13 years old, has been one of Seth’s biggest inspirations in tackling motocross. Being able to share this experience with his son has been a dream come true for David LeBlanc.
“Ever since I first saw a dirt bike, I just had to have one,” David LeBlanc said. “I knew that I wanted him to ride, but I wasn’t pushing him to race. He’s been a safe rider and has done as well as he could.”
While the success is a great feeling, there’s nothing more important to Seth’s parents than giving him the opportunity to do something that he loves.
“I think it’s important for us to reinforce that winning a race isn’t always the goal,” David LeBlanc said. “Seth plays other sports, and he’s involved in several activities. We just like to see him having fun with everything he does.”
Aside from his motocross journey, Seth spends a lot of time with his parents. He plays baseball and assists David LeBlanc with setting up a motocross track outside at their house.
“We’re constantly working on building things together,” David LeBlanc said. “The motocross track we’ve built isn’t too big, but he likes helping out with putting it together. It’s always an adventure.”
As the person who Seth has learned from the most in this motocross experience, David LeBlanc is always looking to give him more information and help him out along the way. He’s incredibly proud of the job his son has done.
Since Seth is still in elementary school, it can be tough to figure out his long-term plans. However, he does still have a strong appreciation for racing and might partake in something similar over the next few years.
“In a few years, I could see myself going trail riding in the woods with my dad,” Seth said.
While it took a lot of work to prepare for the championship last summer, Seth hasn’t ruled out the idea of competing once again this year. In his preparation for previous competitions, there’s been one thing that Seth has learned the value of more than anything else when it comes to racing.
“I think technique is the most important thing,” Seth said. “You don’t want to make mistakes or get hurt. It’s just about having fun.”