My wingman and I at Monster Jam on Saturday February 4th, 2023 at the Amica Mutual Pavillion in Providence, RI
Now, I’m pretty sure that all of you have deep passions about something. These can range from healthy passions to passions that may otherwise be detremental to your well-being. If you have known me for so long, you’ll know that I have a passion for Disney, Travel and the National Football League while also being a devout NASCAR fan for many years.
But there is something else that I am deeply passionate about and that is Monster Jam. You see, I’ve been a follower of Monster Jam since I was 8 years old and have been attending Monster Jam events since 1997 back in the days of trucks like Bear Foot, Monster Patrol, Carolina Crusher and Bigfoot driven by guys like Gary Porter, Fred Schaffer and of course, the original Monster Jam GOAT, Dan Runte.
This past Saturday, I attended a Monster Jam event at the Amica Mutual Pavillion in Providence and it got me thinking about something: why would I, someone who is neurodiverse and sensory friendly be passionate about something like Monster Trucks?
I mean, Monster Trucks are loud, overstimulating and something that would want to keep someone who is neurodiverse away. If you are a fan and would much rather watch from a distance say on YouTube, then props to you. But what about those of you who will do whatever it takes to get to be there in the atmosphere? You have to ask yourself, am I willing to get out of my comfort zone to be involved in something I am passionate about?
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Keep in mind that Monster Trucks are just like any other forms of sports. It is no different than football, baseball or basketball. There will be diehard fans who will go to great extremes to show their passion. The one difference is that Monster Jam is very subdued in terms of how they approach and inspire their fans.
In fact, I do consider Monster Jam drivers as role models more than popular sports stars like Tom Brady or Michael Jordan. You never hear about them being involved in scandals, in embarrassing situations or what else have you.
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I also think that Monster Jam tends to be a very structured sport. You get racing, skills and freestyle and most of them are run within a two hour time range. It’s not like you have to be involved in something that can drag on for a long time like a baseball game. You can go, take in the excitement and go home saying that you experienced the thrill of Monster Jam.
But it’s important to remember to take these passions into your own style such as wearing headphones, taking sensory breaks if needed, etc. Just like any other large scale sports event, Monster Truck drivers understand what is best for their fans because who knows? Someone who is neurodiverse might be working within their ranks.
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Catch you all later!!
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