Life In The Fast Lane

The No.1 Amateur in USA BMX doesn’t get much sleep. It’s not because he has sleep apnea, insomnia or any weird disorder. He’s just so focused and nonstop that he doesn’t have time for it.

“I only sleep about five hours a day,” Kevin tells us with a grin. On a typical day, he’ll get to bed around 1 am after a full nights worth of homework. “I have four AP classes this year,” Kevin explains. “I just want to get a jump on college, so I decided to not take any electives this semester.” At the time of this interview, his GPA was 4.15, and at home, the payoff is a stack of scholarship offers from every single cycling college in the country. “They’ve been talking to me for quite a while, but ultimately I am trying to get into a four-year mechanical engineering program at a University. I’d really like to go to Vanderbilt in Tennessee - because it’s 20 minutes away from Music City BMX. That’s my favorite track.”

When he graduates next June, Kevin should be able to pick and choose whatever school he wants. “That’s how I’ve been raised - school has always been my number one priority,” he explains. It’s quite an incredible statement, as so many riders in our sport think that you need to fully dedicate your life to racing in order to make it to the top. Not so, says Kevin. “BMX is super fun, and it’s what I love to do. But I have a deal with my parents that as long as I keep my grades up, I can race.”

We asked his parents - Joey and Marfi, if they’ve ever had to ground him because his grades were down. They laugh. “I don’t think so,” his mom states. “We’ve never had a problem with the school letting him go to races either, because he’s always kept up with the schoolwork.” He’ll do homework at the airport or on a plane, coming or going to a race but “I never want to do homework in the pits,” he tells us. “When I’m at a race, I’m there to race.”