“I’d like to be a World Champion and wear the rainbow jersey. It’s really hard to do and is maybe 10 years away, so I’ll keep racing and training for it and do the little things to build up to it,” Ivy said.
Ivy is proof that you’re never too young to start working towards what you want with the right mindset. Here are her top tips on how to save like a champion.
1. Set your goals
Have an end goal in sight and work backwards. Ivy’s success didn’t come overnight and she worked her way through each stage of BMX racing to get to where she is. “I started BMX riding 3 years ago. I had to set new training goals to learn the skills for BMX racing and have kept improving the whole time,” Ivy said.
Along with becoming a World Champion, Ivy also wants to save for a car and has opened a Smart Saver Account to watch her savings grow. “I get my money from winning certain race rounds and I save it up for things that I want, like buying presents for my family and eventually a car when I’m older,” Ivy said.
2. Stay motivated
Along with encouragement from her friends and family, Ivy likes looking at her winning jerseys as a reminder of what she’s achieved and what she’s working towards. “I like when I look in my gear bag and see all my different jerseys that have the number 1 on it, it makes me feel good,” Ivy said.
Being organised can also help keep your goals on track. Ivy often juggles her racing with school commitments, but plans ahead to keep on top of things. “I just have to be a bit more organised and be ready for days when I get picked up from school early to go to training,” Ivy said.
3. Work hard
Success for Ivy didn’t come overnight. She trains 4 times a week and often has to sacrifice doing things other girls her age do to race on a weekend. Her talent and dedication mean she often races girls and boys that are older than her, but Ivy says it’s worth it. “It feels really nice to win and it gives me an advantage to compete against fast people. It makes me feel proud after putting in the hard work,” Ivy said.
She’s also very frugal with any prize money she wins, knowing how hard she worked for it. “You only win prize money at bigger competitions, so I don’t like to spend it on junk,” Ivy said.
4. Have fun
Making new friends and travelling around are some of Ivy’s favourite things about BMX racing. It’s all about balance and Ivy said that her dad and friends encourage her and inspire her to achieve all her goals – on and off the race track.
“I like meeting new friends and doing all the skills. The BMX community is like a family. My friends and dad inspire me and make me want to race more,” Ivy said.