What Are Your Goals?
Our goals for our daughter changed throughout the season. First we were shocked by how much interest in driving the kart she developed after driving it in the parking lot only once. The first time we brought her to the track we had no idea what to expect. She barely was able to make it through the practices, heat races and was extremely slow in the feature. Our first goal for her was basically to make it through the races without getting lapped 4 times. As she progressed so did our goals. Eventually our goal was for her to win. She did win. In her first year of her racing career she won 2 features and had many second and third place finishes by the end of the season.
Next year our goal for her is to learn to develop her driving skills. She needs to mature and learn more of the technical aspects of racing. Hopefully this will lead to more wins. The ultimate goal for 2013 is to have a great final year in kid karts and prepare her for the advancement into the junior sportsman class in 2014. We also have goals for our youngest daughter. She would like to start racing kid karts next year. In 2013 we want her to learn what it's like driving the kart and being out on the track verus watching from the sidelines.
I believe goals are important in many aspects of life. Racing is no different. I asked a few of my Driver Spotlight girls to weigh in their thoughts on this subject. Here is what Katrina Sautbine, Samantha Jansen, and Courtney Atkinson had to say about their goals.
Girls Race 2: Do you set goals?
Katrina: I do set goals. At the beginning of each season my dad and I talk about the goals that we want to accomplish over the summer. After going into each race I also set a goal. This year my goal at each race was to have to scale in each race. That meant placing in the top 3 in the heat races and placing in the top 5 in the feature races. This seemed like a reasonable goal, I like to set goals that I know are achievable.
Samantha: Yes I do set goals for each season.
Courtney: I always set goals. I feel that if someone doesn't set goals they don't really improve themselves.
Girls Race 2: How important are goals for you in your racing career?
Katrina: I think that goals in my racing career are rather important. If no goals are set then you don't have something to work towards. Ever since I started racing my goal/dream has been to get into a sprint car. Now that I am in a wingless sprint my goal is to get into winged sprint car.
Samantha: I think it is important to set goals so there is something to work towards.
Courtney: Goals are very important in my racing career. I feel accomplished when I set a goal and reach it either during the race weekend or at then end of the season.
Girls Race 2: Do you set your goals at the beginning of the season?
Katrina: At the beginning of each season my dad and I will set goals for us for the season. Going into this racing season we wanted to win a race. It wasn't looking like this was going to happen until the last night of the Badger State Championship when I won my first race in a Sprint Car, it wasn't a feature race, but winning a heat race was still a very big achievement for me.
Samantha: Yes I usually set goals at the end of the previous season for the next season.
Courtney: My main goals are set at the beginning of the season. If I have troubles one weekend or make a mistake, I set a personal goal to fix what I did wrong for the next race weekend.
Girls Race 2: Do you adjust them as the season progresses?
Katrina: I do have to adjust my goals throughout the racing season. Something might seem like a reasonable before the season starts but as the season goes on the goal that you set might be to easy of a goal, or might for some reason become unattainable.
Samantha: Not usually. I could see people adjusting them if new opportunities arose.
Courtney: If I am doing very well through out the season we change classes and try something different and set a goal for that specific class.
Girls Race 2: Are your goals small steps or do you go for the gusto?
Katrina: I have some smaller goals like placing in a certain position in a race, and then there are other goals like winning a race that seem bigger to me. I don't go into a season thinking that I am going to win the points championship or anything like that right away but if it were to happen it would feel that much better because it was above and beyond what my original goal was.
Samantha: Usually my goals are within reach but are something that I need to work towards. For Example this year my goals were to get Rookie of the Year and a top 3 finish in the Top Speed Modified Championship.
I believe goals are important in many aspects of life. Racing is no different. I asked a few of my Driver Spotlight girls to weigh in their thoughts on this subject. Here is what Katrina Sautbine, Samantha Jansen, and Courtney Atkinson had to say about their goals.
Girls Race 2: Do you set goals?
Katrina: I do set goals. At the beginning of each season my dad and I talk about the goals that we want to accomplish over the summer. After going into each race I also set a goal. This year my goal at each race was to have to scale in each race. That meant placing in the top 3 in the heat races and placing in the top 5 in the feature races. This seemed like a reasonable goal, I like to set goals that I know are achievable.
Samantha: Yes I do set goals for each season.
Courtney: I always set goals. I feel that if someone doesn't set goals they don't really improve themselves.
Girls Race 2: How important are goals for you in your racing career?
Katrina: I think that goals in my racing career are rather important. If no goals are set then you don't have something to work towards. Ever since I started racing my goal/dream has been to get into a sprint car. Now that I am in a wingless sprint my goal is to get into winged sprint car.
Samantha: I think it is important to set goals so there is something to work towards.
Courtney: Goals are very important in my racing career. I feel accomplished when I set a goal and reach it either during the race weekend or at then end of the season.
Girls Race 2: Do you set your goals at the beginning of the season?
Katrina: At the beginning of each season my dad and I will set goals for us for the season. Going into this racing season we wanted to win a race. It wasn't looking like this was going to happen until the last night of the Badger State Championship when I won my first race in a Sprint Car, it wasn't a feature race, but winning a heat race was still a very big achievement for me.
Samantha: Yes I usually set goals at the end of the previous season for the next season.
Courtney: My main goals are set at the beginning of the season. If I have troubles one weekend or make a mistake, I set a personal goal to fix what I did wrong for the next race weekend.
Girls Race 2: Do you adjust them as the season progresses?
Katrina: I do have to adjust my goals throughout the racing season. Something might seem like a reasonable before the season starts but as the season goes on the goal that you set might be to easy of a goal, or might for some reason become unattainable.
Samantha: Not usually. I could see people adjusting them if new opportunities arose.
Courtney: If I am doing very well through out the season we change classes and try something different and set a goal for that specific class.
Girls Race 2: Are your goals small steps or do you go for the gusto?
Katrina: I have some smaller goals like placing in a certain position in a race, and then there are other goals like winning a race that seem bigger to me. I don't go into a season thinking that I am going to win the points championship or anything like that right away but if it were to happen it would feel that much better because it was above and beyond what my original goal was.
Samantha: Usually my goals are within reach but are something that I need to work towards. For Example this year my goals were to get Rookie of the Year and a top 3 finish in the Top Speed Modified Championship.
Courtney: I definitely set my goals high. I am not sure why I do but I suppose I feel its either go big or go home.
To read more about Samantha Jansen please click here: http://girlsrace2.blogspot.com/2012/08/driver-spotlight-samanta-jansen.html
To read more about Courtney Atkinson please click here: http://girlsrace2.blogspot.com/2012/08/driver-spotlight-courtney-jo-atkinson.html
Victoria: I set goals for myself every year, I feel it makes me a better driver and makes me want to strive for better things.
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