WTF CSA?

[Spinnekop]

From the press release

 

The General Assembly unanimously agreed to rejuvenate the ‘club system’ and the role the Provincial and Regional affiliates play in the value chain offered to members and event organizers. As such this will be another focus area around which to build supporting administration and develop the sport.

 

In a world of Strava and Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, what is the function of clubs and provincial bodies?

 

If you define these bodies in the 1980’s sense of the concept, good luck.

 

Sport organisation and structures need to wake up to modern trends.

 

I wonder how many people was the National AGM. But you think that having layer upon layer will be well supported.

 

For example, given the current municipal health and safety regulations, no clubs can really sustainably organise events (bar some exceptions). So what purpose do they serve as an official body which virtual and social clubs cannot do.

 

Wake up to realities, millennials do not organise in the way baby boomers did when information dissemination was by way of flyers, faxes and the Thursday club meeting at a local pub.

 

Can the provinces, we do not have that big a country. Can the official and regulatory burden on “clubs”. Where 10 people cycle together, let them not be burdened by paper work to be acknowledged as a club.

 

This continued persistence to control and be controlled is so archaic

We have a couple of clubs in Pretoria and they are all strong in their hundreds.  

Velo

LCC

Select

Cyclelab

 

Is it the correct way to go?  Who knows.  

[Spinnekop]

I would suggest CSA move their focus closer to the professional sportsman.

 

Do away with age cats.  Let the RACE ORGANISERS do their own seeding based on ability.

Do away with provincials and SA's for age groupers.  Nobody really cares who won the old ballie cat every 5 years old.  We know who the strong men are...........no need for a jersey.

 

Sure we as cyclist can pay a nominal fee to keep the professionals/sport body going (Like we currently do with our "membership fees")

 

Focus only on Elites.  Grow the sport.  Let the Elite guys do provincials and nationals and develop them.  Move away from this whole "participation" mentality.

FFS............we only had like 4? TT Elite entrants and had to last minute enter random guys to come compete just so the Daryl can have a jersey and UCI points.  That is just pathetic and sad.

 

Grow the profession first.

 

But what the hell do I know?

[daniemare]

We have a couple of clubs in Pretoria and they are all strong in their hundreds.

Velo

LCC

Select

Cyclelab

 

Is it the correct way to go? Who knows.

So how many races have these organised?

How much value did you get from the formalities of the yearly AGM and the representation on the North Gauteng Cycling Federation.

 

I am not saying a collective of like minded cyclists should not organise, whatever you want to call that. But, how much nicer would your “club” kit be if you do not need to spend on frivolous affiliation fees.

[Dubber]

From the press release

 

The General Assembly unanimously agreed to rejuvenate the ‘club system’ and the role the Provincial and Regional affiliates play in the value chain offered to members and event organizers. As such this will be another focus area around which to build supporting administration and develop the sport.

 

In a world of Strava and Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, what is the function of clubs and provincial bodies?

 

....

Am I correct in saying you are thinking there is no need for Clubs / official organizations for amateur riders?

Not sure I agree with you but open to convincing...

 

On the other hand, looking at countries where cycling is progressing (U.K, USA, Belgium etc) all have one thing in common - a fairly robust club and school  system. 

[daniemare]

Am I correct in saying you are thinking there is no need for Clubs / official organizations for amateur riders?

Not sure I agree with you but open to convincing...

 

On the other hand, looking at countries where cycling is progressing (U.K, USA, Belgium etc) all have one thing in common - a fairly robust club and school system.

I am not saying there should be no organisation, but a club rolling into a province, rolling into a national body is so archaic.

 

Newer generations do not organise like that. My point is, let people organise like they want to. Be less prescriptive and more accommodating. If you want to develop the sport, isn’t that going to achieve it?

 

But I guess without formalisation how do we dish out blazers and go on symposiums on other people’s membership fees

[Underachiever]

I am not saying there should be no organisation, but a club rolling into a province, rolling into a national body is so archaic.

 

Newer generations do not organise like that. My point is, let people organise like they want to. Be less prescriptive and more accommodating. If you want to develop the sport, isn’t that going to achieve it?

 

But I guess without formalisation how do we dish out blazers and go on symposiums on other people’s membership fees

The CSA structure should be organised to what works most efficiently, what promotes the sport and what give the best level of compliance.  It is not about what generation of people prefers what.  

[Jase619]

I am not saying there should be no organisation, but a club rolling into a province, rolling into a national body is so archaic.

 

Newer generations do not organise like that. My point is, let people organise like they want to. Be less prescriptive and more accommodating. If you want to develop the sport, isn’t that going to achieve it?

 

But I guess without formalisation how do we dish out blazers and go on symposiums on other people’s membership fees

So you want the preferences of the new generation to take over in a world where the most club participants aren’t from that generation. . . Interesting, what a great way to alienate the older generations.

[daniemare]

So you want the preferences of the new generation to take over in a world where the most club participants aren’t from that generation. . . Interesting, what a great way to alienate the older generations.

Why will “let people organise like they want to” alienate the older guys.

 

They can still get together once a year after a 21 day notice period, with all the formalities of a well constituted meeting, with all the “through the chair” cloaked “uittrap” snide comments.

 

What I am saying is do not make this mandatory for everyone.

 

Not alienating the old guys is important, but what are the numbers telling us? How many clubs vs 10/20 years ago? The older guys are leaving in any case, new thinking not needed for that.

[eddy]

So you want the preferences of the new generation to take over in a world where the most club participants aren’t from that generation. . . Interesting, what a great way to alienate the older generations.

 

I am part of the old generation and also part of three clubs - Two on Strava, one on WhatsApp.

 

No meetings, lots of riding together (and sometimes the same route separately) but we can chat about our rides on-line, on the bike or over coffee whenever two or more are gathered together.

 

Some members are in Cape Town, some in KZN, some in Jo'burg but we can belong to the same club and have the benefit of our membership. We put together tours, teams for Maluti MD90, social rides, some even put on a (gravel) race last year.

 

Thinking things through certainly doesn't  alienate older people, even though some of us still own a blazer.

Edited February 11, 2020 by eddy

[RocknRolla]

I agree Talent Identification using the traditional club structure does not work.

The regionals also in my mind does not work. 

At this stage the only real ground roots talent ID program is the schools leauge. This is also fairly exclusive.

 

Elle Harris, who won her first pro race, was the youngest Zwift academy rider at 20. If CSA got their thinking caps on, they can run a program nation wide to get more people onto bikes, competing woth relative low startup costs.

 

Put a set of 10 trainers with bikes in a trailer, and have qualiy races basically anywhere with a cellphone signal.

[DieselnDust]

So how many races have these organised?

How much value did you get from the formalities of the yearly AGM and the representation on the North Gauteng Cycling Federation.

 

I am not saying a collective of like minded cyclists should not organise, whatever you want to call that. But, how much nicer would your “club” kit be if you do not need to spend on frivolous affiliation fees.

 

 

I think you are looking in the wrong place for examples. The WPCyling Winter league series is a very successfull series run by the regional body with Clubs organising the events. Cyclopaths, Club 100 Cape Town, Bellville  to name just a few are all participating in arranging these events and running them well.

Tygerberg is very active in keeping the WPMTB Commission XCO and XCM series alive.

All of this despite a national body that is in disarray.

 

the CSA is now acknowledging that they need the regional bodies and the relationship that those have with the clubs in their area. WPCyling is just one good example of how it can be done.

 

getting caught up in "how millenials want to do things" is not productive. It may provide a way forward that works for some but ultimately there needs to be open and transparent processes and  structures that facilitates Cycling as a sport. 

WhatsApp groups are not clubs as much as they want to consider themselves that. A funky cycling top does not a club make

Edited February 11, 2020 by DieselnDust

[Pure Savage]

I think you are looking in the wrong place for examples. The WPCyling Winter league series is a very successfull series run by the regional body with Clubs organising the events. Cyclopaths, Club 100 Cape Town, Bellville to name just a few are all participating in arranging these events and running them well.

Tygerberg is very active in keeping the WPMTB Commission XCO and XCM series alive.

All of this despite a national body that is in disarray.

 

the CSA is now acknowledging that they need the regional bodies and the relationship that those have with the clubs in their area. WPCyling is just one good example of how it can be done.

 

getting caught up in "how millenials want to do things" is not productive. It may provide a way forward that works for some but ultimately there needs to be open and transparent processes and structures that facilitates Cycling as a sport.

WhatsApp groups are not clubs as much as they want to consider themselves that. A funky cycling top does not a club make

Some people really don’t want to be clubs either.

[Jewbacca]

Some people really don’t want to be clubs either.

Would you guys be 'Club Pure Savage'..... Sounds like a sandwich

[Pure Savage]

Would you guys be 'Club Pure Savage'..... Sounds like a sandwich

Yeah, we were all keen on it about 3 years ago then had to have a constitution, and AGM give people a say etc etc. Yeah we kept it a team. Team Pure Club Savage

[Patchelicious]

Yeah, we were all keen on it about 3 years ago then had to have a constitution, and AGM give people a say etc etc. Yeah we kept it a team. Team Pure Club Savage

Clubs are too democratic for #BrendasLeg, it is all powerful.

[nathrix]

Insurance for 2020 membership not updated, is there any?

Just asking a friend as I'm being bomabarded with emails to renew.

 

https://www.cyclingsa-events.co.za/