CSA and Grassroots Development

[Rolling Stone]

It is and I also dont disagree. Again 800 kids at this weekends event in Pta. Awesome!!! Maybe then this is exactly what is needed at grassloots level.

 

My concern would be: If at grassroots level this done, where are these kids feeding into adult cycling?

 

[OK, Alan was a product of Spur schools. Great. Or is it? Are we satisfied that we push a 1000 kids on one provincial meet thus 5000 nationally and then get 1 at top level? Terrible odds]

 

The rest of these riders? What happens to them. Do they become the mass social riders?

 

Are we doing something similar for road? Track?

 

Do we have a proper strategy or are we happy to just let it be?

 

#lovetheSpurseries for what it is doing for youngsters but it must not end there

The spur league here in Gauteng is basically at its end with only the top riders still going to Nationals.

 

This is the perfect opportunity for riders to give the track a go and possibly move onto the road before Next years Spur league starts.

 

We have a youth league running at HNP at the moment.

Then comes Gauteng Grand Prix in November

Gautenc Champs first weekend of December and Nationals in Cape Town Mid December.

 

Go and look under events if you have a youngster that may be interested. There are coaching sessions and rental bikes available. MTB shoes are fine for Youths that do not have Road shoes. The nice thing about the track is that there is an event that suits almost every type of rider.

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/events/event/3319-vwe-track-academy-youth-points-league-series-3/

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/177231-track-cycling-101/

[DJR]

Grassroots development? In my opinion it should be a two-pronged approach!

 

1. Creating a cycling culture

 

This can best be done from government side. So, CSA should pressure central, provincial and local governments to create cycling infrastructure. Like bike paths to allow easy commuting. Bike paths especially around schools to encourage kids to ride to school. Safe bike parking at schools etc etc. Advertise to make riding a bike something cool. Government to part-sponsor school bikes. If you average 75%, get bike for free. Otherwise pay for it by doing school chores like cleaning, painting, picking up litter. If a million kids ride daily, a hundred thousand will want to race, 10 000 will be good, 1000 will be really good and 100 will end up in the TdF, even if you do nothing more. The key is to cast the net very wide.

 

2. Competitive cycling

 

Identify gifted individuals early on. Go to schools, test kids, VO2max, build type, size, endurance, muscle type, select those with the ability. Help them with kit, training, race money. Even sports/cycling school to facilitate training? Do that for 500 kids today and in 10 years we'll win the TdF and a few Olympic medals. If individuals shine without help, pull them in. Sponsor them to go race here and overseas. Do not discriminate against anyone, other than on potential and ability. Zoom in on the few who could be on the podium! The narrow approach!

[ChrisF]

....

 

My concern would be: If at grassroots level this done, where are these kids feeding into adult cycling?

 

.....

 

#lovetheSpurseries for what it is doing for youngsters but it must not end there

 

DISCLAIMER - my feedback is from the perspective of a PRIMARY SCHOOL parent ....

 

 

Even at the tender age of 7\8 years old the Sub-nippers have at least 2 or 3 racing SNAKES !!  Scary to watch those kids blast ahead !!  On a 2km track they lap the slowest riders TWICE in a three lap race.  

 

Yet those very same lapped riders complete their laps, then carry on to ride the obstacle course, then ride some more in the afternoon ....  The LOVE for cycling is nurtured at this level.    

 

 

I take GoPro videos of the event, and see where we can improve for the next event.  For now it is as simple as working on adjusting the front gears.  Dont laugh, 6 months back he did not know which way to go with the back gears .... this is now second nature.  Looking forward to SPUR 2019.  Bit more skill, bit more practice with the gears, and he may well manage not to get lapped ....

 

 

For NOW we are satisfied in creating a love for the sport.  

 

 

But I have to ask - if one of his mates shows real potential ... where to next ?

[The Ouzo]

On the kids riding topic, my nephew is a keen rider. Rides everything he can, but there appears to be a gap in the age groups on the 2 big fun road rides (947 and CTCT) where he is currently to old to compete in the kids event and to young to enter the full race.

 

Even last year when he entered the longest kids event for 947 it was geared more towards the younger kids. The distance was just not long enough for him. At one point he stopped to let his friend drink from his bottle as the friend forgot to bring hydration with, he then still went on to finish 6th in the race.

[ChrisF]

On the kids riding topic, my nephew is a keen rider. Rides everything he can, but there appears to be a gap in the age groups on the 2 big fun road rides (947 and CTCT) where he is currently to old to compete in the kids event and to young to enter the full race.

 

Even last year when he entered the longest kids event for 947 it was geared more towards the younger kids. The distance was just not long enough for him. At one point he stopped to let his friend drink from his bottle as the friend forgot to bring hydration with, he then still went on to finish 6th in the race.

 

Actually, I DREAD the thought of CSA getting involved with kids cycling ....  

 

The Fedhealth event is CSA sanctioned, and kids are strictly restricted in distance according to age ....  According to these rules Maritz can enter a 1,5km ride (or is it 2km?).  In any event, Maritz typically rides an 8km trail, then wants to ride some more after his milkshake.  The CSA events (short distances) will frustrate him to no end.

 

 

Looking at the fun-rides we are faced with 5km or 15km rides .... The latter being a tad too far, though we have done 2 of these already.  And yet we see many families where the little onse struggle to finish the 5km ....

 

 

RESPECT to the organisers of these events !!!!  It must be absolutely impossible to please everybody.

 

 

As much as we ENJOY the SPUR events, at each event I have been ASHAMED at the behaviour of some of the parents - each time 1 or 2 parents that simply refuse to believe the rules apply to one and all ....

[Rolling Stone]

On the kids riding topic, my nephew is a keen rider. Rides everything he can, but there appears to be a gap in the age groups on the 2 big fun road rides (947 and CTCT) where he is currently to old to compete in the kids event and to young to enter the full race.

 

Even last year when he entered the longest kids event for 947 it was geared more towards the younger kids. The distance was just not long enough for him. At one point he stopped to let his friend drink from his bottle as the friend forgot to bring hydration with, he then still went on to finish 6th in the race.

How old is your nephew?

[Rolling Stone]

Grassroots development? In my opinion it should be a two-pronged approach!

 

1. Creating a cycling culture

 

This can best be done from government side. So, CSA should pressure central, provincial and local governments to create cycling infrastructure. Like bike paths to allow easy commuting. Bike paths especially around schools to encourage kids to ride to school. Safe bike parking at schools etc etc. Advertise to make riding a bike something cool. Government to part-sponsor school bikes. If you average 75%, get bike for free. Otherwise pay for it by doing school chores like cleaning, painting, picking up litter. If a million kids ride daily, a hundred thousand will want to race, 10 000 will be good, 1000 will be really good and 100 will end up in the TdF, even if you do nothing more. The key is to cast the net very wide.

 

2. Competitive cycling

 

Identify gifted individuals early on. Go to schools, test kids, VO2max, build type, size, endurance, muscle type, select those with the ability. Help them with kit, training, race money. Even sports/cycling school to facilitate training? Do that for 500 kids today and in 10 years we'll win the TdF and a few Olympic medals. If individuals shine without help, pull them in. Sponsor them to go race here and overseas. Do not discriminate against anyone, other than on potential and ability. Zoom in on the few who could be on the podium! The narrow approach!

On the culture thing some of our CGC Exco are currently talking to dept of roads. The initiative came from their side so I have hope that we can make big progress. We have presented some ideas and the ball is now in their court. They tend to want to hold big bashes  that makes a lot of political noise where I believe that a one or two year project with weekly or monthly smaller initiatives in the communities will have better results. Lets see how that goes.

 

The second stage is a bit further down the road for us I think, but definately needs to be done as soon as we can get the cycling culture a bit more established. Schools cycling is ging to help us here. We now have the single speeds racing spur series in Soweto and that will build the enthusiasm. We vwill need to make a plan for funding though.

[ians H2Sport]

DISCLAIMER - my feedback is from the perspective of a PRIMARY SCHOOL parent ....

 

 

Even at the tender age of 7\8 years old the Sub-nippers have at least 2 or 3 racing SNAKES !!  Scary to watch those kids blast ahead !!  On a 2km track they lap the slowest riders TWICE in a three lap race.  

 

Yet those very same lapped riders complete their laps, then carry on to ride the obstacle course, then ride some more in the afternoon ....  The LOVE for cycling is nurtured at this level.    

 

 

I take GoPro videos of the event, and see where we can improve for the next event.  For now it is as simple as working on adjusting the front gears.  Dont laugh, 6 months back he did not know which way to go with the back gears .... this is now second nature.  Looking forward to SPUR 2019.  Bit more skill, bit more practice with the gears, and he may well manage not to get lapped ....

 

 

For NOW we are satisfied in creating a love for the sport.  

 

 

But I have to ask - if one of his mates shows real potential ... where to next ?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next step up from the Spur Schools series is your local provincial XCO events. Although this is a step up, the courses are age appropriate. Not sure about the W.Cape, but in KZN age groups start at Nipper. We do have some sub nippers racing in the nipper races and some are right up there. At this age group the focus should be on fun, I think that is tougher for us parent to grasp than the kiddies who just want to ride their bikes

[Rolling Stone]

Not Sure about the rest of the country, but currently our Gauteng membership looks like this.

Active members 5941

Racing License 898

Club membership indicated 23%

 

I would have to guess what the membership looks like in the other regions. My guess would be between 10000 and 12000 nationally.  Non Licensed members do not need to fill in their club at registration, but I would guess that club membership is below 30% and that  for me is concerning.

 

Gauteng has lost almost 40% of its membership from 2014 when it was at a high of 10 000+

 and we held almost 47% of the total CSA membership. Western cape had 17% and Natal 16%.. I am not sure what the Natal and WC membership is now, they may have turned things around a bit  with all their development initiatives.

[Pure Savage]

Gauteng has lost almost 40% of its membership from 2014 when it was at a high of 10 000+

 and we held almost 47% of the total CSA membership. Western cape had 17% and Natal 16%.. I am not sure what the Natal and WC membership is now, they may have turned things around a bit  with all their development initiatives.

 

Here is a good article, WC is not so lekker. Getting a bit on the old side...

 

http://puresavage.co.za/2017/10/road-cycling-in-the-western-cape.html/

[ChrisF]

 

....

 

The next step up from the Spur Schools series is your local provincial XCO events. Although this is a step up, the courses are age appropriate. Not sure about the W.Cape, but in KZN age groups start at Nipper. We do have some sub nippers racing in the nipper races and some are right up there. At this age group the focus should be on fun, I think that is tougher for us parent to grasp than the kiddies who just want to ride their bikes

 

 

Thank you.

 

There was an XCO event at Bloemendal earlier this year, sadly could not be there.  Will be sure to attend the next one, if only as a spectator.

[Furbz]

When I was a racing junior(and below) it did not matter who the best riders were. Only the son's and daughter's of CSA board members got the sponsorships.

 

I understand our athletes still have zero support.

[The Guy in Pink]

Louis Trichardt is doing grass roots development of young cyclists at an incredible rate .

Mark & Robbie have a primary school group which meets in Hanglip Forest at the foot of the Soutpansberg twice a week in the afternoons, and the high school group is lead by other regulars.

 

Our kids are fortunate, from the high school they can be in the forest in 2 minutes , and from the primary school it takes about 5 minutes. and no one has to ride more than 10 minutes from their home to be in the forest. In the forest there are 100's of kilometres of roads, trails and paths.

 

I have taken part in a few Saturday picnic rides with the primary school group. Kids of about 8-12 years of age  manage a 30km ride on the mountain with almost 1000metres of ascent without blinking .

 

The results are showing : https://www.zoutnet.co.za/articles/sport/48257/2018-09-21/triegies-weer-gekroon-as-top-fietsryskool-in-limpopo

[Patchelicious]

It is and I also dont disagree. Again 800 kids at this weekends event in Pta. Awesome!!! Maybe then this is exactly what is needed at grassloots level.

 

My concern would be: If at grassroots level this done, where are these kids feeding into adult cycling?

 

[OK, Alan was a product of Spur schools. Great. Or is it? Are we satisfied that we push a 1000 kids on one provincial meet thus 5000 nationally and then get 1 at top level? Terrible odds]

 

The rest of these riders? What happens to them. Do they become the mass social riders?

 

Are we doing something similar for road? Track?

 

Do we have a proper strategy or are we happy to just let it be?

 

#lovetheSpurseries for what it is doing for youngsters but it must not end there

 

On the money!!

 

This is why CSA ALSO needs sorting out.

 

Private corporations and citizens can only do so much to help.

[Gen]

On the money!!

 

This is why CSA ALSO needs sorting out.

 

Private corporations and citizens can only do so much to help.

Yep..

 

Thousands of kids play all sort of sport at school and don't necessary pursue it after school.. as the reality is only a few make it as a pro athlete the rest have to go and make something of their lives to be able to support themselves.

[Patchelicious]

Yep..

 

Thousands of kids play all sort of sport at school and don't necessary pursue it after school.. as the reality is only a few make it as a pro athlete the rest have to go and make something of their lives to be able to support themselves.

Absolutely, and the sponsors have a responsibility here.

 

At one point, I was sponsoring a kid while in he was still in school, but the deal was that it was on conditions that he passes all his exams. It is way too easy for sponsors to put pressures on the youngsters for a quick ROMI, but they need put the kids first!