For Naperville resident Matt Wilhelm, BMX has been a part of his life since he was a child.
“It was something I did as a kid. You know, I grew up way back in the day, like in the 80s. Everyone rode bikes. It was just something that the kids in the neighborhood did. And I kind of had a knack for it,” said Wilhelm.
Learning a signature BMX style
Growing up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, Wilhelm couldn’t practice outdoors year-round.
“Winters are horrible,” said Wilhelm. “And so in the winter we could only ride in the garage, in the basement, in these real tight areas.”
Those tight areas gave Wilhelm his signature BMX style.
“What I’m really known for is the spinning,” said Wilhelm.
That knack for spinning has led him to BMX competitions all over the world.
“BMX has a bunch of different disciplines within it. You got the dirt jumps, the racing, you got vert ramp (sic). And what I do is flatland. So it’s just tricks on the ground,” said Wilhelm.
But it hasn’t always been smooth riding.
“BMX is very humbling,” said Wilhelm. “You fall down, you got to get back up again. When you fall down, you don’t just lie there and wait for somebody to pick you up. And it’s a metaphor for, you know, I got last place my very first year in the X Games, and it was complete and total heartbreak.”
From BMX champion to motivational speaker
Wilhelm did get back up. He went on to win the X Games, and he competes globally. In 2011, he even made a TV appearance on America’s Got Talent, where he made it to the semifinals.
But throughout this journey, he knew he wanted to give back. In 2005, he began speaking at schools where he addresses perseverance and bullying.
“When I started riding, there was no X Games; BMX was not in the Olympics yet. And the bikers and skaters were the, you know, the guys who got picked on a lot,” said Wilhelm.
But with BMX, Wilhelm found a community of kindness.
“BMX is just the best culture because, you know, even the people you compete against, you’re cheering for them,” said Wilhelm.
He takes that message of kindness into schools.
“The main message I talk about is bullying, but it’s more of a proactive approach and a positive spin on it. And when people tend to think of, like, a bullying speaker or a bullying school assembly, it’s always negative and often has a bad outcome. And I think it’s important for kids and adults to see a good outcome. Like, yeah, I went through some things, but someone stood up for me, changed it all around, and here I am,” said Wilhelm.
Wilhelm also hopes to inspire the next generation of riders.
“I hope I kind of like lights that little spark to where maybe they want to get on a bike or a skateboard or just do anything,” said Wilhelm.
An Emmy-nominated documentary
It was during a riding presentation that he caught the attention of a producer at Charter, and the short documentary “Second Run” was born.
“The cool thing is just to see it resonate with people. And, you know, it’s not so much about me. It’s about getting the story out and inspiring others and seeing where it goes,” said Wilhelm.
That documentary was nominated for an Emmy with the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the category, “Outstanding Achievement for Sports Story – Short Form Content.”
The regional Emmy Awards will take place on October 24th in Chicago.
Wilhelm says that while the documentary focuses on his story, he hopes it resonates with others who have achieved any kind of success.
“You have a gift to share with the world, and you can have something to offer,” said Wilhelm. “So take your gift and share it, and you can make a difference.”
And Wilhelm continues to make a difference, one spin at a time.
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