Can Morris Handle The Pressure?

Nick Morris rides into the 2018 British Premiership Speedway season with a point to prove after being named the Swindon Robins Captain by manager Alun Rossiter over the winter period. However the question still remains, will Morris be able to handle the pressure?

Joining the club in 2012 as a reserve rider in the eventual title-winning team, Morris’s rise through the ranks at the Wiltshire club has been impressive, but now being entrusted to take over the captaincy reigns from Jason Doyle the young Australian will have to adapt to a more unfamiliar role.

Last season’s trophy winning success saw the twenty-three -year old endure his best season in Robins kevlars yet providing backup to then number one Jason Doyle, consistently being a high-point scoring rider and crucially helping to secure their second League title at Wolverhampton last season. And after being chosen to remain in the side at the expense of current World-Champion Doyle, the new skipper will be in for his biggest test yet.

An ever-present and well-respected personality in the pits made Morris the obvious pick to lead line for the 2018 title charge and with a relatively unchanged team, the foundations are firmly in place for the young Australian to have a successful debut season as skipper. And after finishing last season as the third highest scoring rider in British speedway Morris is now tasked with the challenge of balancing his new leadership role alongside top scoring performances.

Whilst the majority of the action takes place on the shale the real preparations happen in the pits, and it will be the mental side of the sport that Morris will have to perfect in order to reach his full potential. When confidence is high his performances are excellent and regularly put him into contention for Grand Prix spots, but when struggling to find form the Swindon rider is often too critical of his rides and finds it difficult to pick himself up again. But with added responsibility this season, the Captain will have to find a new mental approach of keeping spirit high in the squad for the entirety of the season.

Fierce competition means this year will be the most intense League battle there has been in recent times and how Morris will take to his new team role is yet to be seen. However one thing for sure is that with the 2018 British Premier League action just weeks away, this will be certainly be the biggest year of the Swindon Captain’s career so far.