go-ride magazine - autumn/winter 2015

britishcycling.org.uk/go-rideAutumn/Winter 2015

DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CYCLISTS

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“... WE ARE IMMENSELY PROUD OF OUR VOLUNTEER WORKFORCE”

Since sharing the summer edition of the magazine, we announced that the Go-Ride programme delivered over half a million opportunities for young people last year. This news coincided with the release of the Go-Ride Annual Report, which provides us with a great way to share all of the really important work that volunteers, clubs and staff have contributed to – not to mention the enormous amount of progress made by young riders.

The report allows us to look back and highlight these successes, but it’s also important to look ahead and focus on what we can all do to support the programme. Whether growing to provide for even more young people or changing with the seasons to offer opportunities come rain or shine, Go-Ride has proved to be sustainable and we know that the programme is effective in identifying talent for the future.

Putting the magazine together it struck me just how much of the content in this issue has come direct from clubs and volunteers - and it’s a fantastic reflection of the innovation that is an integral part of the programme. From successful funding grants to volunteer recruitment and youth action to the Go-Ride Racing series, club development seems to be at an all-time high.

In spring we set out to increase the support available for club volunteers and I am confident that we are approaching the end of 2015 in a really strong position. Whether engaging with those who are new to volunteering or supporting long-serving friends of the programme, we are immensely proud of our volunteer workforce.

My sincere thanks go out to each and every person who helped to create those half a million opportunities. With an Olympic year coming up, I look forward to seeing where we are 12 months from now.

John MillsCoaching, Education and Development DirectorBritish Cycling

If you have any views, comments or ideas for content for the Go-Ride magazine, we want to hear from you! Send your ideas to: [email protected] and you might see them in a future issue.

CLUBAFFILIATION 2016Renew your affiliation quickly and simply online with the Club Management Tool.

Once renewed, your club will benefit from:

Continued registration on the Go-Ride programme

Free or discounted British Cycling membership for new members

Public liability insurance of up to £10million for your club activities*

Club profile on the British Cycling clubfinder Secure online club subscription collection Club activity manager for your

coaching sessions and events Access to the national and regional rankings Support from your regional

British Cycling team

Submit your application by 30 November to get your early renewal discount.

For further advice and information visit britishcycling.org.uk/clubs or email [email protected] *For full details of British Cycling’s club insurance (including important exclusions) visit britishcycling.org.uk/legalandinsurance

EDITORIAL

peloton. Questions ranged from the insightful ‘what is your mindset before a big race?’ to ‘who’s the funniest rider at Team Sky?’ Archie, a young rider from Welwyn Wheelers, called the day “epic!”

A couple of weeks earlier, five young riders from North Cheshire Clarion stumbled across the Team Sky bus after watching the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris. The keen cyclists were dressed in club kit and were spotted by Team Sky staff, who invited them to the VIP area. Adam, Gareth, Hannah, Lachlan and Euan met Chris Froome and Luke Rowe, with Adam saying: “It was an unreal experience to stand next to a two times Tour de France winner.”

Win a Go-Ride goody bagSend us your best club photos (preferably at least 1 MB in size) and be in with a chance of winning a Go-Ride goody bag! We love to see what’s going on at Go-Ride clubs across the country and are always on the lookout for images to use in our publications, so if you want to be the face of Go-Ride, send your best shots to [email protected] or share on facebook.com/goride

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GO-RIDE

NEWS

Get in touch if you have any news you’d like to share with us: [email protected]

Sky Ride 2015Once again the Go-Ride team were at the heart of the action in the Tricks and Tunes area at all Sky Ride events across the country. It was great to see so many keen young riders testing their bike skills and techniques on the challenging Shoretrax ramps.

Over 3,200 riders took part and we even had one or two famous faces visit us, including triple Olympic and double world champion, Jason Kenny.

Close encounters of the Team Sky kindOver the summer, Go-Ride members had some incredible experiences meeting their cycling heroes from Team Sky. The encounters took place at a holiday camp in Milton Keynes with multiple Go-Ride Clubs attending, but also a chance meeting after the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris.

The Ian Stannard Kids Camp took place on 6 and 7 August at the Milton Keynes Bowl, where Team Sky’s super domestique joined a group of young riders to help in developing their bike skills and share experiences from the professional

Aviva Tour of Britain 2015Riders from schools and Go-Ride Clubs dazzled spectators with thrilling bike racing at the stage finishes of this year’s Aviva Tour of Britain.

Go-Ride Coaches devised race formats to make the most of the finish areas, including the Italian pursuit, team time trials and hill climbing. Riders emulated their cycling heroes at Hartside Fell where they competed in a Go-Ride hill climb on the final kilometre of the course. Commentary from Joe Fisher added to the excitement and winning teams were presented with Go-Ride Racing medals on the main podium.

With inspirational performances and highest-placed British rider, Owain Doull from Team Wiggins, in the main race, it got us thinking that maybe there was a future champion competing in the Go-Ride Racing?

Thank you to everyone involved and see you there next year!

Go-Ride at the National Youth and Junior Track ChampsA staggering 95% of the female competitors and 91% of male riders at the National Youth and Junior Track Championships in August started their journey at Go-Ride Clubs. It is thanks to the efforts of trained Go-Ride Volunteers that each participant was enabled to compete on the national stage.

After a busy week of racing a new cohort of young riders wrote their names into the history books as competitors, medallists or champions, following in the footsteps of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Laura Trott, and Jess Varnish. Giving particularly impressive performances during the week were Lichfield City CC’s Sophie Capewell and I-Team’s Joseph Truman. Sophie took all three titles from her three events (keirin, junior sprint and 500-metre time trial), while Joe joined her in gaining a sprint hat-trick with wins in the kilometre time trial, keirin and sprint.

Go-Ride Club Survey 2015 Volunteers will be asked to complete the 2015 Go-Ride Club Survey online this winter. The survey invites clubs to share their details and activities, as well as giving feedback on how British Cycling can continue to improve the Go-Ride programme.

The annual survey is vital in assisting British Cycling to understand more about the network of Go-Ride Clubs across the country, including the trends and future aims of junior cycling clubs.

All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw to win a jersey signed by the Great Britain Cycling Team.

Go-Ride to Rio – the countdown begins! August 5 marked one year to go until the start of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Go-Ride graduates across road, track, mountain bike and BMX well into their preparations to compete against the world’s best.

Speaking of his pathway through the sport, double Olympic gold medallist Jason Kenny, said: “I started my journey in cycling at a Go-Ride Club – and couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the sport. Now I’m training hard for Rio with the rest of the team as the countdown has begun.”

Make sure you check back to the website and visit the Go-Ride Facebook page for news on training and competition. While the team know that the journey will be tough, they will be giving their all over the next year in preparation for the Games themselves.

Awards for Astley and Tyldesley CCAstley and Tyldesley Cycling Club enjoyed a terrific night of success at the 2015 Believe Sports Awards, held in early October at the DW Stadium, Wigan.The club claimed the top spot when it came to Club of the Year, which was a great way to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Social Secretary and Assistant Team Manager, Janine Paine, also topped the Volunteer of the Year category. Further honours were given to the club for Team of the Year for the junior cycle speedway team, who came third, and Coach of the Year runner-up, Will Evans. Congratulations to the club on their achievements and for reaching such a momentous anniversary.

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NEW BIKESA-HOY!

FEATURE

In April we announced a partnership with Evans Cycles, with the aim of delivering over two million opportunities for young people to get into cycling by 2020. To help in reaching this goal, Evans Cycles have supplied 1,500 HOY bikes to the Go-Ride programme which are being used across the country by Go-Ride Coaches to deliver sessions.

SIR CHRIS HOY INSPIRES YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO-RIDE

C oaches collected their fleets of bikes from local Evans Cycles stores over the autumn, but

we had our first glimpse of them back in August at the HOY 100 Sportive. We held a Go-Ride session at this mass participation cycling event so that the children of those taking part and young people from the local area could experience Go-Ride.

Over 20 young riders jumped on the new bikes to complete fun skills challenges before being joined by Olympic champion, Sir Chris Hoy, for some Go-Ride Racing. With riders of mixed ages and abilities, Go-Ride Coach, Chris Young, had masterminded mountain bike-themed activities to challenge everyone.

Go-Ride Club members from Bronte Tykes and Ilkley Cycle Club attended the session, but there were also young riders who were completely new to Go-Ride

and several of the sportive riders dropped by to see what was going on. Parent, Clare Potter, whose daughters Jemima (8) and Betsy (11) took part in the session while their dad rode the 100 mile event, spoke of Sir Chris’s commitment to the programme:

“I think it’s brilliant to have such an icon like him; he’s a legend! I mean, my kids are really excited at the prospect that they might even see him, let alone that he’s part of this whole project to try to engage and inspire them.”

With four hours of riding and racing complete, Sir Chris handed out goody bags and signed autographs for the crowd of parents and young people that had gathered. The 1,500 bikes bearing his name will now be in use by Go-Ride Coaches across the country to help inspire a new generation of cycling enthusiasts.

We’d love to know what you think about the new bikes (and we’re sure Sir Chris would, too), so get in touch on [email protected] or comment on the Go-Ride Facebook page. Even better, why not send us a photo of the bikes out in their natural environment!

“It’s not just about trying to produce champions of the future, it’s about exposing kids to this great sport and giving them a chance to enjoy it.”

Sir Chris Hoy

Before Sir Chris Hoy left the session to recover after his epic 100 mile ride at the HOY 100, he talked to us about his range of bikes

and how important cycling skills are for young people.

“It’s the first time we’ve seen the new ones [bikes] out and being used in the public and the kids seem to be enjoying them. It’s just great to be involved with such a fantastic initiative really; Go-Ride has done so well over the years and I’m proud to be involved with it now.“We’re trying to build bikes that are enjoyable and easy to ride for the kids; making them as light and easy to handle as possible. We’re looking forward to

some feedback, but also just seeing kids enjoying them as the whole point of this is getting kids into the sport and giving them a chance to try it. It’s not just about trying to produce champions of the future, it’s about exposing kids to this great sport and giving them a chance to enjoy it.“It’s not really about how fast you go on a bike at this age, it’s about the skills. It’s about developing things you can use for your whole life when riding a bike. So you see the obstacles they are going over today? To be able to use those skills - I mean, I did it through BMX - but whatever means you can learn the balance, the agility ... you just don’t forget that. It’s too easy to focus on going as fast as you can and getting the fastest bike and straight line speed, but it is all about skills and they’ll learn those skills here and hopefully practice them on their own at home as something they will have forever!”

Funding from the Bicycle Association’s Bike Hub Fund also helps to extend the reach of the Go-Ride

programme and provide even more opportunities for young people to sample the various cycle sport disciplines, helping them to enjoy one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.

The Bicycle Association is a trade body representing all of the major manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers of bicycles, parts and accessories in the country. The Bike Hub fund is a voluntary levy scheme, which engages Bicycle Association members and independent bike dealers across the country in making a contribution to a national fund to ‘safeguard the future of cycling’.

Get up close and mechanical with a HOY Bonaly, to take a look at the great kit that Sir Chris has combined to make a lightweight and durable bike:

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FEATURE

G o-Ride Club Contact, Louise O’Reilly, told us all about the club’s successful funding bid

and offered tips on completing your own.“Being awarded Go-Ride Clubmark

status was a great way to start the year and we decided to use this as a springboard to apply for funding. A key part of the Clubmark application process was to produce a Club Development Plan and outline the direction we want the club to go in, which was really helpful as we used this to structure our funding bid. The club’s focus is now to attract more juniors as well as increasing the number of riders aged 16-24, particularly over the winter months.

“The whole process of applying for funding was very fast; we made the decision to apply in March, started

FUNDING FORA BUSY WINTER

filling in the application form in April and found out that we had been successful in May! We received the money in our club bank account in June.

“Our Regional Development Manager, Anthony Gill, was very helpful throughout the process of applying for funding, writing a letter of support which I think proved very influential. Having the backing of strategic bodies that can assist the club with its development aims is very important.

“We have also been well supported by the East Midlands Go-Ride Coach, Steve

2015 has been a great year for East Midlands Club, Beeston RC. The club achieved Go-Ride Clubmark status in January and secured Sport England Small Grants funding to develop their coaching sessions.

Crosland, who supports our club coaches and has been instrumental in helping to grow the club. Steve has been particularly successful in encouraging more girls to come and ride at the club by working with the local schools and teachers to engage with female riders.”

“It was actually very easy to apply for funding; Sport England includes guidance notes for every section of the Small Grants application form and if you provide evidence for everything they ask for, you can’t go wrong.”

Over the autumn, a newly developed series of fundraising workshops was delivered to volunteers from over 40 Go-Ride Clubs. The three-hour workshops had a focus on Sport England Small Grants and included tips on completing funding applications.

If you have any funding success stories, we would love to hear them! Email [email protected] to share your successes.

BEESTON’S GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL BID

To keep riders engaged over the winter with structured indoor sessions, the bid included:

turbo trainers and rollers a laptop and projector new bikes for juniors

with cyclo-cross tyres Level 2 coaching qualifications

Louise’s tips when applying for Small Grants funding would be:

use your Club Development Plan to structure your bid

include a copy of the plan with your submission

seek letters of support from British Cycling, your local authority and local schools, explaining how funding will make an impact and increase levels of participation

SMALL GRANTS TO HELP MAKE BIG CHANGES

PARENTEERSGROWING YOURVOLUNTEER WORKFORCE

G o-Ride Clubs rely on volunteers to provide a fun and safe environment for young people

to ride and race their bikes. According to Join In, a charity for local sports volunteering, each new volunteer makes a huge difference - typically giving a club the capacity to welcome 8.5 more members.

Penge Cycle Club in South East London recently held a volunteer information morning to help recruit more helpers. We caught up with Yvonne Wright, Volunteer Coordinator at the club, to hear how it went and what impact it has had.

How did the volunteer information morning come about? “Our club has 40 junior members and each Saturday morning we generally see around 25 riders with differing levels of ability. As such, we felt the need for more coaching groups to provide variety and a greater challenge to keep riders engaged.

“Like clubs across the country, our coaching team has a natural turnover as their children grow up and move on to adult club activities. While some volunteers stay on, others will unfortunately lose contact.

“In speaking to parents, we found they were unsure about the time commitment involved in volunteering at the club, so one of the aims of the information morning was to provide an overview.”

When and where did it take place?“We decided to link our Saturday morning sessions up with the meeting so that parents could attend and new faces could see the programme in action. Holding the meeting in the primary school hall meant parents could drop their kids off and come straight in. It also made it possible to use the school’s multimedia facilities for a presentation and kitchen; a hot drink on a cold morning tempted a few more parents in, I think!

“We did a short presentation to explain the key volunteer roles and then had some time to answer questions and chat with

the coaches. The event also took place just before the Go-Ride Conferences so that they could act as an additional incentive for people to get involved.”

Who else was involved in the event? “As volunteer coordinator, I spoke about the process involved in volunteering such as the training required for specific roles. Our head coach, Jonathan Burns, spoke about coaching and our membership secretary, Louise Thompson, explained some of the other positions people could get involved with. Luke Anderson, our regional development manager, came along to tell people how British Cycling support volunteers, too.”

How did you promote the event?“We used our club’s Facebook page, but also worked with other local community pages to raise awareness and reach local cyclists and parents who might have thought about bringing their children to the club. We also used the club website and I spoke to as many parents as possible to spread the word and encourage them to attend.”

Has it made an impact on your volunteer numbers? “We have already had four new coaches apply for training and several people have expressed an interest in helping out at future events. The morning was useful to

meet local people, generate interest and identify those with specific skills such as photography and first aid – great skills to have at events and races!

“Perhaps most importantly, we have managed to plant the seeds of succession at the club. Previously it tended to be the same two or three people doing the majority of the planning work and there was a danger of things getting a little stale. Though recruitment may not be immediate, we have a number of new faces willing to step forward and get involved in running the club.

“We’re also planning another information morning in autumn in the lead up to our local Go-Ride Racing League, in an effort to sign up volunteers to help with the events.”

What advice would you give to other clubs in the same position?

Don’t be afraid to be direct in asking for help - and spread the word beyond the club’s immediate circle of friends.

Offer specific roles and be clear about the club’s expectation of the volunteers.

Be ready to answer questions like ‘who will pay for the training?’

Make the next steps for potential volunteers really clear.

When organising an event, share the workload and assign a project manager.

Go for it!

Volunteers can offer a wide range of skills and support events such as Go-Ride Races

FEATURE

PLATINUM BLOG

B ritish Cycling’s Young Leaders programme helps existing Gold Volunteers to further their skills and

take their volunteering to the next level by leading on activities, to achieve their Platinum Award.

In this edition, we hear from Young Leader, Megan, about her experience of getting involved with the Women’s Tour.

Go-Ride at the Aviva Women’s Tourby Megan Kendall

I had the wonderful opportunity to help Alison Lilley, Mark Wyer and Nigel Hampton at the girls-only Go-Ride Racing team event which supported the Aviva Women’s Tour as it came through Stevenage. This event was really enjoyable!

I did sign on in the morning, helping all the teams from different clubs get their bibs. This was really good fun as I managed to meet all the riders and get to know them and the team manager a little.

Once the racing started I was given a GoPro and asked to film the racing with it. This was quite challenging as I had no idea what the coaches wanted, so I just used my initiative and hoped that what I filmed was what they wanted. It was very good fun however!

One of the riders crashed but like a true cyclist she got straight back up and carried on for her team, she had a few grazes but when I asked her how she was she insisted she was alright. Once the racing finished we had a prize presentation where all the riders got a goody bag with a bottle, wristband, pencil and certificate, with the winners getting medals too.

Overall it was a very fun and rewarding day. I now know what it is like to manage an event like this, and I hope that I will be able to do something like this again as it was a great morning and all the girls who took part had a very enjoyable day.

To view all the latest blog posts from Young Leaders, please visit bcyoungvolunteers.wordpress.com


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YOUTH ACTIONIN PROGRESSBuilding on some fantastic work over the previous two years and bringing fresh inspiration to the group, this year’s National Youth Representatives have well and truly hit the ground running.

During the first meeting in June at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, each of the reps quickly settled into their specific roles before getting straight to work deciding on aims for the year.

THE THREE AIMS

Kelly Burdett and Rowan Ardill from the development team were at the meeting to guide the group and share British Cycling’s aims, with a particular focus on supporting the Go-Ride programme. The reps then identified their three goals:

Raise the profile of the National Youth Forum

Provide opportunities for people to get involved with volunteering

Get more children involved with cycling from a younger age, to enjoy the sport and keep them engaged as they get older

The 2015/16 National Youth Forum. From L-R back row: Alex, Becca, Will W, Tilly, Will B, Sarah, Josh, Hannah. From L-R front row: Katy, Fran and Dan, with Molly absent from the photo


PROGRESS ON THE PATHWAY

F or a second year the Level 4 Sainsbury’s School Games saw a rush of

young volunteers supporting regional teams from across the country. There were opportunities to get involved with running team Twitter and Instagram accounts, support the recruitment of young people in the build-up to the event and for those who were qualified, coach riders as part of integrated teams.

In addition, two of our Team Attaches from last year’s games stepped up into Team Manager and Team Coach roles. We would like to recognise Jason Pitt for his role of Team Manager for the Central team and Jessie Ansell for her role as Team Coach for the West Midlands team. Jessie has also recently started a course at Derby University in Sports Coaching, in which we wish her all the best.

Top image: Jason Pitt as team manager for the Central team. Bottom image: Jessie Ansell and the West Midlands School Games cohort

T he next job for the forum was to look at each of the aims and consider whether any funding

would be needed to support their work. This meant that the representatives learnt about funding sources and how to complete a funding application: important skills to master for club development.

Finishing a busy first day, the group was asked to take what they had learnt away and continue to work on the aims. Being based across the country with reps as far away as Devon and Newcastle, much of their work and discussion takes place online which allows the group to stay in contact between meetings.

Coming together for a second time in August, the group met in Birmingham for a ‘Dragon’s Den’-style challenge. Three sub-groups pitched their ideas to the dragons after a morning of training on effective persuasion and influencing techniques.

Each of the reps played their part in explaining why they felt their project was needed, the lasting impact that it would have, how they would make it happen and measure success. This was followed by a grilling by the dragons on the finer details. The most watertight projects were then taken on by the reps to be developed over the course of the year.

What can you do?If you are interested in developing a club youth committee, we’d love to hear from you. Young people have great insight when it comes to club governance and there are many ways to incorporate them into club activities.

The National Youth Forum has put together a flyer with pull-out poster to help clubs engage with young volunteers. This can be found on the Young Volunteers section of the website -britishcycling.org.uk/youngvolunteers or we can send you a copy. Email: [email protected] more details.


“I was asked to come along and help as an assistant coach on one of the disability sessions and we had some handcycles available. There are two things that I always think of about trying one out. Firstly, it

was hard work going around the track using nothing but your shoulders and your arms. Second; it put a massive smile on my face and it was just fun! It’s still the freedom of riding a bike so that was really good.”

FEATURE

GOLDEN GIRLTRIUMPHANT

KIERA TRIUMPHS AT LOS ANGELES SPECIAL OLYMPICS

K iera is a regular face at the Greater Manchester Disability Hub, held at a closed road cycling circuit

in Tameside. Riding and training at the venue, she has been involved in cycling for over five years after first joining Go-Ride Club, Eastlands Velo, at the age of 11. Now 16, Kiera used the disability hub in Manchester heavily this year to help in her preparations for the Special Olympics:

“The coaching sessions really helped me gain valuable skills such as changing in a group and race technique. They also helped me to progress into public training sessions at the velodrome and take part in the track league. Thanks to the Go-Ride Club I learnt about British Cycling-led holiday coaching programmes, Club Clusters of Training, Rider Development Sessions and para-cycling sessions as part of the disability hub.

“The most helpful thing about the disability hub sessions is that there is time for the coaches to spend with riders. It gives me the time I need to digest and think about the feedback the coaches are giving me and practice new techniques”

Over the summer, Kiera represented Great Britain at the Special Olympics in

Los Angeles and brought home three gold medals. Her events went fantastically well and Kiera had a very successful trip, racking up her three gold medals in the 10km and 15km road races as well as the 10km TT.

“My big goal was to represent Great Britain at the Special Olympics - so to win three gold medals was fantastic! The volunteers in the Go-Ride Club - along with the disability hub coaches - have helped me design warm ups and sessions specifically to suit my learning style. I have also attended workshops run by coaches from the Performance Pathway to help prepare, with nutritional advice from Tim Buckle.”

Go-Ride Coach at the disability hub, Simon Wilson, commented:

“I am delighted for Kiera and winning three gold medals is an amazing achievement. She has been to nearly every disability hub

session and rides as part of activities involving many other riders such as handcyclists, amputees and people with cerebral palsy who all want to improve their cycling. Not everyone is winning medals on the world stage, but they are all developing their riding

and driving each other forward - Kiera’s achievements are testament to that.”

When asked what she was going to do now Kiera replied: ”I have had the support of lots of people including my personal trainer, Jade, Go-Ride Coach, Joe Malik, cycle buddy, Matt Rotherham, and all the coaches at Eastlands Go-Ride Club and the disability hub. I obviously want to continue riding but me and my dad have now done the Level 1 coaching qualification and so I can now help others as well.”

For more information and to find your nearest hub, please visit: britishcycling.org.uk/disabilityhubs

“My big goal was to represent Great Britain at the Special Olympics so to win three gold medals was fantastic!”

A t a recent disability hub session at the Tameside track in Manchester, filming

took place towards a video that the BBC will use on its Get Inspired activity guide. This short film will act as a really simple way of introducing disability hubs to new audiences and share all of the cycling activities available for people with a disability.

A core value of British Cycling’s vision has been inspiration to participation, to get more people riding their bikes for sport, recreation and utility. The inspiration component ultimately trickles down from the fantastic performances of the Great Britain Cycling Team, with impressive results acting as a catalyst for more people to cycle. Participation naturally follows, but the BBC’s help in promoting the video will make a real difference to who the Go-Ride programme can reach and improve accessibility for new riders.

GO-RIDEGETS INSPIRED

“These disability hubs are a great place for aspiring athletes to come to, whether they are interested in improving their fitness and confidence or training for a place on the para-cycling Performance

Pathway. I think it’s also important to lend a hand and pass on some of the coaching tips I’ve picked up during my time as a coach – and as a rider on the Great Britain Cycling Team.”

Megan Giglia Great Britain Cycling Team

John Wych Level 2 Coach and volunteer

We spoke to the coaches, volunteers and riders on the day to ask what the disability hub meant to them and how they had first been inspired to get involved. Here’s what they had to say:

“I was in hospital for a long, long time and getting your confidence back to ride again is not easy, not easy at all. I’ve been coming for about six months and the people are fantastic - they really are!

“I’m trying to get back to my fitness again – that’s the hardest part. I perhaps did one [circuit of the track] the first time I came, but it was just the achievement of getting back on the bike.”

Peter Kedian Disability Hub rider

“It’s great to see people like Kiera coaching at the disability hub, providing positive role models for others. We are developing our existing group of coaches so that anyone can join in as the sessions get

bigger, with dedicated riders attending week in, week out, already. Coaches and riders will hopefully continue to inspire each other to try more skills, ride harder and ride faster.”

Simon Wilson Go-Ride Coach

Disability cycling hub coaching sessions are not limited to Manchester, with activities available in York, Bath, Aylesbury and Cyclopark to ensure there are local opportunities to get involved britishcycling.org.uk/disablityhubs


GO-RIDE RACING CLUB CASE STUDY

CC HACKNEY

PROFILE

CC Hackney was set up to encourage participation in all kinds of cycling. Steered by Keir Apperley, the club manager, the club initially organised club runs but it was the series of open grass track races aimed at attracting youth riders and families that made a big difference in new club members.

One of CC Hackney’s youth coaches and event organiser, Neil Irons, told us how the Go-Ride Racing league became an established part of the local sporting calendar and is a key factor in the development of the club.

How was the league set up? “At first a competitive cycling league for primary age children was a strategic piece of planning tabled by the Cycle Sport Development worker at The Learning Trust (Hackney’s education authority). But it really got going when CC Hackney became a Go-Ride Club and started working in partnership with Go-Ride Coaches, additional primary schools and volunteer coaches, alongside The Learning Trust. Young Hackney, a local government youth department, also help to promote the league to the wider school network.

“We raised a team capable of delivering and progressing this opportunity for school pupils, providing a quality cycle racing league for the borough. Its accessibility normalises cycle sport for many young people and encourages riders to carry new skills forward into their teenage years.”

Which funding sources did you use?“Young Hackney became interested in providing funding after a change in government guidelines meant funds could be spent on sporting activities for primary school-aged children rather than just secondary schools. The funding has been used to pay for delivery and administration of the league, for equipment, transport and venue use such as the Lee Valley Velopark. In addition, Young Hackney provide staff to assist in the set up and running of events and liaison with the Parks department.”

How does the league work?“The league is open to any primary school in the borough to enter a team of riders, comprising up to six boys and six girls from years 4, 5 and 6. The teams compete in monthly events spread over the academic year, starting with a hill climb, then mountain bike and cyclo-cross, roller racing, circuit races and ending with grass track racing in the summer.

“The riders come from all backgrounds with a range of abilities; Hackney has one of the most diverse populations in the country! Some participants have their own bikes but most use bikes either provided by their school or CC Hackney.”

How has the league progressed and what impact has it had upon the club?“As Young Hackney work closely with most schools in the borough, the number taking part and wanting to join has increased greatly. Events now regularly have between 60-80 riders taking part and the league continually brings in new youth members, introducing hundreds of young riders to cycle racing.“We have also increased the number of club volunteers as many enthusiastic parents help out, with some going through the coaching qualifications. Holding the sessions in a local park helps to increase awareness of the club and our activities to engage more riders and volunteers.”

How has the Go-Ride programme helped?“The programme has been a great influence and registering as a Go-Ride Club kick-started the whole thing. The events are registered as Go-Ride Races and British Cycling supply us with medals, prizes and certificates which provide rewards and incentives, spurring the riders on. Last year’s Go-Ride Tour t-shirts were particularly sought after!”

Are there any challenges?“Communicating with schools can be a real challenge! They are very busy places with so much going on that messages quickly get lost and members of staff move on frequently. As such, it’s important to keep in regular contact with schools. We are currently involved in eight after-school cycling clubs.”

Do you have any tips to share with event organisers considering their own series?

Start small and keep the races simple for the riders to understand. Programme your events for the whole year in advance and be prepared to change events/dates.

Rain shouldn’t stop races from occurring, but in really bad weather we have a roller racing system ready as a backup.

Find members of staff keen on cycling at the schools you are targeting and keen parents too; once they’ve experienced an event they will keep it going at their end.

To hear about the race league, visit: po.st/HackneyPSCL or check out CC Hackney’s website for their latest news: cyclingclubhackney.co.ukTo get started with Go-Ride Racing: britishcycling.org.uk/go-rideracing

Prizes and resources Year-round, clubs delivering series of

two, four or six Go-Ride Racing events qualify for bespoke prizes – and there are even more available if the series includes a girls-only race. For the winter season, the prize packages will include full fingered cycling gloves to help riders tackle the colder conditions.

In support of clubs making Go-Ride Racing part of their winter schedule of activities, British Cycling is also offering a set of 40 red or blue bibs at a discounted price:

£25 for clubs delivering up to three events

FREE for clubs delivering four or more events

Go-Ride Circuit Racing EventsGo-Ride Clubs participating in the offer are invited to enter exciting closed circuit Go-Ride Racing events in April 2016.

The two meets will feature expert coaching from Go-Ride Coaches, before giving Go-Ride racers a chance to ride together and compete as a team alongside other clubs.

To really challenge the riders and so that they experience something new, the day will consist of:

a skills zone – to test technical ability and decision making, while riders accumulate points that will go toward the overall club result on the day

circuit racing – races for girls and boys on the main circuit, plus a club team relay.

This fantastic opportunity is open to riders under the age of 12 who are British Cycling members. Go-Ride Clubs participating in the offer are invited to enter a team of six riders and teams must include at least two girls.

It’s easy to get involved; let us know about any events you are hosting from October to the end of March or complete an event registration form.

For more information and to sign up for the events, please visit: britishcycling.org.uk/Go-Ride-Racing-Winter-OfferEmail the Go-Ride team at:[email protected] or call 0161 274 2019


CC Hackney Timeline2007 The club is founded by Keir Apperley and a group of like-minded cyclists.2010 Became a Go-Ride Club2011 Achieved Clubmark status and established the Young Hackney Primary Schools Go-Ride Racing league

Open to clubs hosting events between 1 October 2015 and 31 March 2016, this offer will help you get kitted out for an action-packed season.

BRR ... ILLIANTWINTER OFFERS

G o-Ride Racing is the exciting entry level competition programme offering local

competition to novice cyclists under the age of 16. It’s been a great year so far, with a packed calendar of Go-Ride Racing events delivered by clubs across the country.

To carry momentum through to the winter months and ensure young riders are continually able to develop, the Go-Ride Racing winter offer is back! The offer provides Go-Ride Clubs with prizes, extra

resources and, new for this year, the chance to enter some new and exciting closed circuit race events.

The winter months provide lots of opportunities for clubs to come together and race, with seasonal themes such as Halloween, Bonfire night and the festivities of Christmas.

This year, the offer comes in two parts to give clubs all they need to hold a race series, while also including exciting events to look forward to once Spring is upon us.


REPORT

AFRICAN‘IDEALS’

This summer, Manchester-based Go-Ride Coach, Joe Malik, travelled to Windhoek in Namibia for two weeks to deliver cycle coaching. The trip formed part of the IDEALS Professional programme, which is a UK Sport initiative offering sport development practitioners a chance to broaden their experience while helping international partners to develop quality sport and enrich lives.

B ritish Cycling is involved with the delivery of the programme and has collaborated with Liverpool

John Moore’s University (LJMU) since 2013 to work towards the project aims. Joe is a former LJMU student, so it was a perfect fit for him to be involved in training seven LJMU students to become Level 1 cycling coaches and work with them while in Namibia.

“A typical day involved me riding to the community centre I was working at which was around 8km. I then worked with

some of the older riders to look at off the bike work, such as nutrition, benchmark testing and year planning - and spoke to some of the Level 1 Namibian coaches to plan for the rest of the day.

“In the afternoon we delivered skill and technical sessions to some of the new cyclists who were aged from five to around 16 years of age, and in the evenings we had a typical Namibian barbeque – called a braai – in the community centre.”

Being a Go-Ride Coach helped in preparing Joe for the demands of the trip:“One of the first things I learnt is that you have to be really flexible and adaptable - and I’m primed for that, being a Go-Ride Coach. The first day arrived and they said “Here’s some riders, Joe! Off you go; we’ll see you in two hours.” I wasn’t prepared for that, but being a Go-Ride Coach means delivering cycling day in, day out, which makes me quite flexible.”

“In terms of facilities, they don’t have that much. We’re quite fortunate in this country as we have lots of facilities, so it was about making the most of what we had out there.”

“One of my main highlights from the trip was running a workshop for about 10 volunteers, with some coming from over 300km away! That was about running a club and basic coaching skills so that, when I left, hopefully they could go back to their communities and set up their own clubs, whilst also delivering some basic coaching skills and activities. Hopefully, these volunteers will be the next Level 1 coaches to come through Namibia’s system.”

Watch a video about Joe’s trip: britishcycling.org.uk/IDEALSNamibiaOn top of Joe’s visit additional British Cycling staff have been involved with the programme, making enriching visits to Namibia and Mozambique to share expertise and promote development. To follow the work of British Cycling and the IDEALS Professional programme, visit:britishcycling.org.uk/coaching or follow @BCCoaches on Twitter.

Skill and technical sessions on challenging terrain to improve bike handling

FROM THE NATIONAL CYCLING CENTRE TO NAMIBIA

TAKE YOUR SEATS

CONFERENCES 2016

The dates for the 2016 Go-Ride Conferences have now been confirmed, with each event free to attend for all Go-Ride Volunteers who are British Cycling members.

T here are opportunities across the country, so make sure you get those all important dates in the

diary as we have some fantastic content lined up.

As part of the Go-Ride programme we work hard to ensure that you feel supported and are provided with training to help your club go from strength to strength. Last year over 500 delegates attended the conferences to undertake training, share best practice, learn about new initiatives and discuss key issues of club development.

The conferences also provide us with an opportunity to say a massive thank you to our army of volunteers and reward the incredible effort put in throughout the year. Once again each conference will culminate in presentation of the Go-Ride Club and Volunteer Awards, so watch out for nominations opening towards the end of the year.

The Go-Ride Conference invitations will be posted out to clubs in December. In the meantime, please use the enclosed poster to spread the word and encourage club volunteers to attend your local conference.

2016 CONFERENCE DATESSaturday 27 February: Radisson Blu, DurhamSunday 28 February: National Cycling Centre, ManchesterSaturday 12 March: Hilton ReadingSunday 13 March: Bexleyheath MarriotSaturday 19 March: Taunton Racecourse Sunday 20 March: Mercure Brandon Hall, Coventry

If you have any questions regarding the conferences, suggestions for content or would like to register your interest, contact the Go-Ride team at [email protected] or call 0161 274 2070


John MillsCoaching, Educationand Development Director

Melanie KnowlesPA to Coaching, Educationand Development [email protected] 274 2072

Colin HumphreysNational Development [email protected] 274 2077

Rob MaceDevelopment Manager:Coaching and [email protected] 274 2078

Jenny NicholsonDevelopment Officer:Coaching and [email protected] 274 2019

Daniel BaconDevelopment Officer:Coaching and [email protected] 274 2071

Stephanie AllmarkDevelopment Manager:Clubs and [email protected] 274 2069

Kelly BurdettDevelopment Officer:Clubs and [email protected] 274 2126

Rowan ArdillDevelopment Officer:Clubs and [email protected] 274 2069

Julia Klinger-MooreSenior Development [email protected] 274 2070

Sarah LewisSenior Marketing & Communications [email protected] 274 2013

New Go-Ride Registered Clubs Beacon WheelersBury Clarion Cheshire Ghostriders BMX East London VeloEast Park Wolves CSC Sotonia CCSouth Shields Velo Cycling ClubSouthend WheelersY-Active Wheelers

New Go-Ride Clubmark ClubsBicester Millenium Cycling Club Manchester BMX Club Minehead MerlinsNewark Castle Cycling Club North Cheshire ClarionNorth Cotswold CCStafford Road ClubWesterham Cycling Club

Renewed Go-Ride Clubmark ClubsBourne WheelersDecoy BMX ClubHillingdon SlipstreamersKirklees Cycling AcademyLyme RCNewcastle Phoenix CCNottingham Outlaws BMX Club Richardsons Cycle ClubTeam DarenthThanet RCVC Londres Welland Valley CCWelwyn Wheelers CCWigmore CC

Cycling Award for Young VolunteersBronzeAdam Shea The Cherwell School/ZappiAlex Coates Lyme RCAlex Donaldson Kingston Junior CCAntonia Harrison One Life RacingCallum Loveless Hillingdon SlipstreamersChris White Tiverton BMXDanny Earl Cherwell Club/Zappi’sJames Corfield Gosforth RCJoe Hodgson Barnesbury CCLaurie Dely Rowlandson – Chester Go-RideLeuan Woods Charlotteville RascalsMarco Carraro The Cherwell School/Zappi’s

ROLL OF HONOUR

GO-RIDE CONTACTS

Martha Robinson One Life RacingNiall Monks Derby BMX ClubOliver Bell Leicester F orest CCPatrick Lally One Life RacingRuby Boyes Huddersfield Start WheelersRyley Clarkson Greenwich BMX ClubTom Cullen Otley CC

Silver Amber Dyra Cambridge Junior CCDominic Rutter Cycle Sport PendleGeorge Birch Chester Go-Ride CCJennie Roberts East Bradford CCRyley Clarkson Greenwich BMX ClubSabine Minchinton-Gilley CC PlancoetThomas Bolton Dove House Academy

Gold Alasdair Lloyd Catterick Go-Ride ClubAmelia Matthews Redditch Road and Path CCBoru Pratt McCullagh VC LondresBradley Hill Lyme RCBryan Crossley Goldcoast Dan Martin Thanet RCEleanor Green Chester Go-RideElizabeth Marvelly Hillingdon Slipstreamers Emma Pitt Palmer Park VeloEwan Stark Merton saints BMX ClubGabrielle Gibbons North Cheshire ClarionHannah Dale Mid Stropshire WheelersHarry Bates Hadleigh MTB ClubIorath Bennett Hadleigh MTB Club Jack Gleeson Hillingdon SlipstreamersJennifer McAndrew Witham WheelersJoe Fox Taunton Bike ClubJoe Laverick NEL Lindsey Go-RideJoshua Butson Braintree BMXKareem Akinnibi VC LondresLaura Carter Essex Road CCLucy Evans Kingston Juniors CCMaria Gent Kettering CCMarie Lynn Hetton Hawks CCMatthew Clough Chester Go-Ride ClubMax Holgate Cambridge Junior CCMegan Griffiths Thanet RCMichael Green Chester Go-Ride ClubRobert Staines Hadleigh MTB ClubSallie Birchall Lyme RCSeth Kanaris Hillingdon SlipstreamersThomas Green Chester Go-Ride ClubTyler Johnson-Stenning Team Darenth

PlatinumMatthew Worton Stockton Wheelers CC

TOP TIPSMOUNTAIN BIKE SKILLS WITHOUT A MOUNTAIN

To find your nearest MTB Go-Ride Club, use our Club Finder tool frombritishcycling.org.uk/go-ride

MAY - SEPTEMBER 2015

COACHING

A mountain bike skills challenge involves building a circuit containing a variety of exciting challenges to test technical ability and decision making. Riders can then rotate through the circuit to develop all of the different skills and receive coaching to prepare them for a typical mountain biking environment.

A skills challenge can be held in many locations, whether on the trails or using a school playing

field or local park. It also helps to have some equipment such as cones and flat markers that you can use to illustrate the obstacles you would find on a mountain bike course.

Mountain biking involves lots of different skills, so you can choose which activities to coach. It’s important to provide lots of variety and include varying skill levels to try and challenge those taking part. Having A, B and C lines provide progressive challenges, with ‘C’ being the easiest way to approach an obstacle, ‘B’ challenges being medium difficulty

and ‘A’ challenges being the most difficult. Jack Humphreys, a coach at Red Rose Olympic, explains how he used a mountain bike skills challenge during his sessions.

“This challenge works best if you take riders around the course beforehand as it allows you to show them how each skill is completed. Encourage riders to challenge themselves and to try the more difficult challenges to further develop their skills.

“The skills challenge can also be used to deliver a race for young riders. When doing so, time how long it takes for riders to complete the course with all riders attempting a skill challenge at each station. Develop a reward system such as time allowances to encourage riders to try the more difficult challenges and enhance their skills.”

Over the summer, Go-Ride Coaches from across the country attended a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) day at the National Cycling Centre. The focus of the event was to plan and develop mountain bike skills sessions for coaches to use in school and club environments, so expect to see a skills session in your area!

Great skills to try out include:

Station 1 Use flat markers to indicate an obstacle and ask riders to negotiate by shifting their weight on the bike

Station 2 Set up slalom poles for riders to weave through

Station 3 Link hairpin corners to encourage gear selection

Station 4 Mark out a thin path using cones for riders to balance along and focus on technique

The amazing performances of the Great Britain Cycling Team rely on the support of British Cycling members.

If your club members wish to join British Cycling,membership for their first year is free or discounted,so there is no excuse for missing out on joining the team.

Under 16s receive a bonus joining pack, which includes some awesome surprises featuring some of the biggest cycling stars from the worlds of track, MTB, BMX and road in action!

In addition, membership includes a race licence (if requested) and all the benefits enjoyed by adults such as insurance, discounts and top tips from the experts at British Cycling.

So whether you race, ride or just want to become a part of the team that supports Great Britain’s line-up of elite stars, join British Cycling and get closer to the action!

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go-ride magazine - autumn/winter 2015

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