Live from the Rust Belt: "Be a Giant: Be a Teacher"

Be a Giant: Be a Teacher

by Josh Paufler

If ya ain’t learning, yer losin’. Sounds like something Mater would say in a “Cars” movie, but it’s become my diecast racing mantra. With all the resources available, there’s no reason not to absorb as much knowledge as possible. The cars that are beating you every race were built by people with tons of experience. Experience doesn’t come easily so it’s important to soak up as much from those racers that are willing to share. While some like to maintain “trade secrets”, there are plenty of veterans out there looking to make the sport more competitive and help rookie racers.

One such veteran is Robby Comeford from Diecast 64. As one of the innovators of adult diecast racing, Robby has seen it all. Recently, he decided to share his knowledge in a YouTube series he calls “The Rookie”.

THE ROOKIE -- Bob (Played by Robby Comeford of Diecast 64) does his best to learn what he can about diecast racing.

In “The Rookie”, Comeford plays a character named Bob who is just getting into diecast racing. The series follows Bob from picking out cars all the way to race day and beyond. He shares tips and tricks as he figures out how to make his cars faster. He also shares resources to get more information and links to buy recommended materials. This is a must watch series for any racer; veteran and rookie alike.

But how does Robby make this information so accessible and easy to understand? The approach to teaching is much the same as raising a child. You must share the information in a way that keeps them excited to learn.

Your job as an educator (or a parent) is to prepare your students for the task at hand. Robby uses this series as an introduction to diecast racing and, because of that, assumes the viewer knows absolutely nothing.

With his wealth of knowledge, he could easily talk down to the viewer and just say “Do this and it goes fast”, as I’ve seen many veterans do. But, instead, he takes on the role of the viewer, acting just as excited to learn.

That excitement goes hand in hand with encouragement. Throughout the videos, Robby encourages the viewer to try new things and see what works best for them.

I think it’s easy to find our own methods and assume “this is the way”. But, realistically, our way is one of numerous ways to do the same thing. When teaching someone, you need to recognize that they won’t learn in the same way you do. So, it’s important to encourage them to keep at it till they find their groove. It’s also important for us to keep learning. Never assume that you know it all. Continuing education, especially into adulthood helps us to grow, not only as builders, but also as people.

But what good is that gained knowledge, if we don’t pass it on? Like Robby, we need to get the knowledge out there into the community. As our beloved sport continues to grow in backyards and basements across the globe, more and more rookies come on the scene with typical “rookie questions”.

Remember, when commenting on a post, you too were a rookie once. Wouldn’t it have been great if someone with the experience you have now helped you out then? It’s easy. Just be a Bob’s Robby. Be that person that someone comes to when they’ve hit a wall. For me, it’s been Nick Deavers and Michael Mathis. These two legends of the sport have been available for any questions I have and give lots of sage, sometimes even unsolicited, wisdom. They’ve both taken it as their calling to help others get faster.

It’s lonely at the top so why not bring others up there with you? Racing is nothing without competition. My son loves playing time trials in Mario Kart because he’s always in first place. I have to laugh, but it reminds me that when there’s no one creeping up in your rear view, you have no motivation to go faster. What kind of satisfaction is there in winning if not for good competition? It’s nice to see a couple veterans helping the community to get faster.

So, as you build, think of the things you do. Think of the steps you take and the techniques that you’ve developed. Is there anything that could save someone else years of trial and error? I realize that standing on the shoulders of giants without gaining the experience to stand alone is sometimes a surefire way to fall, but there are some things we can pick up from those giants, and some things we as giants can share.

Keep learning and stay fast