What Joey is doing for our sport and the riders involved should not and better not go unappreciated. Since BMX has gained some notoriety as the new Olympic sport, it has become painfully clear that we (as a sport and industry) are experiencing some growing pains. Our sport has been thrust into an extremely political and competitive realm. There are many "hands in the proverbial pot", and in my estimation, the rider as an individual can ironically get overlooked.

In 2006, I shattered my femur in competition. Luckily for me, I was the recipient of generous donations from my peers and fans alike. While those donations added up to a finite amount, the affect it had on my spirit was immeasurable. It is no surprise that we participate in a sport in which injury is part of the job description, and as always the question is; "To what extent will the next injury be sustained?" We wear helmets, pads, and some of us now have neck braces, yet none of this protection makes any of us impervious to what could happen. I was fortunate to rebound from my injury physically and financially (with the help of some friends) and I only hope that those who are injured in the future are not left powerless or penniless.

The Joey Bradford Disability Fund is something that our sport needs and to perfectly honest, something that the sanctions and the riders should have set up a long time ago. Furthermore, the creation of this fund not only shows that we are willing to take care of one another; it proves that we as athletes are growing up.

Please do your part. Supporting this fund can inevitably help secure your very own future.

Thanks,

Jason Richardson