FORMER Glass House residents Ros and Kerry Smerdon knew they had to make plenty of sacrifices when they packed up their macadamia farm and moved to the other side of the world to help their sons Adam and Noah chase their motocross dreams.
They admit it’s been a bumpy ride to get to this point but they’re now as optimistic as ever with youngest son Noah going toe-to-toe with some of the best young riders in the United States.
Today, August 3, Noah will compete in the 125cc B/C and schoolboy sections at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship (Loretta Lynn’s) at Loretta Lynn’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
The race is the biggest of the year on the amateur motocross calendar, with riders having to first make it through area qualifiers and regionals to make it to the final 42.
Ros said it had been quite the journey up to this point.
“Both Kerry and I are very proud of Noah and all he has achieved to date,” she said.
“The last four years have not been easy with plenty of bumps in the road, but he has kept on going.
“Noah won three Australian Junior Motocross Championships and it would be amazing to see him bring home Loretta Lynn’s championship, the most coveted amateur title in the USA.”
The Smerdons have certainly had to deal with their fair share of injuries along the way, with Noah suffering a broken wrist in 2020 and a traumatic brain injury in 2019.
His older brother Adam, who raced in America until the start of this year, also suffered a number of serious injuries that eventually forced him to give up the sport competitively.
Despite these experiences, Noah still wants to make a career in motocross and Ros said he had the family’s full support.
“His dedication is second to none,” Ros said.
Noah will move up to 250cc after the Loretta Lynn championships. He will race at the Amateur National Day, with his first race in 250cc at the Pro Motocross round at Ironman Raceway in Indiana.
“His intention is to race the 250B class through to Loretta Lynn’s in 2022, move to the A class for the following year and turn pro following Loretta Lynn’s in August 2023, when he will be 18 years old,” Ros said.
Sporting success isn’t anything new for the family. Noah’s aunt and biggest fan Ally is preparing to represent the Sunshine Coast and Burnett District Ladies Golf Club at the Meg Nunn Salver Queensland golf tournament in September.
Ally’s dad Alan has also been recognised as a life member of the BeeGees and the Sunshine Coast Football Association.
Although sport is at the centre of the Smerdon’s life, they certainly do miss home.
“Our eldest son Will stayed in Australia when we moved and is working and going to university,” Ros said.
“It has been hard to not be able to see Will as often as we would like and not to be part of his daily life.
“It has been difficult for all of us to leave family and friends and start again in a new country. We have started a business in the USA and that in itself has been a challenge,” Ros said.
“We look forward to when we can see our family and friends again and look forward to coming back for a proper Christmas where it’s summer instead of winter and we can go to the beach and eat prawns and mangoes!”
