CSA and Grassroots Development

[Gen]

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!

Yep..

 

And well done with that..

 

It has to come first..

 

No matter how talented a child is, anything can happen, an injury or a crash could end their sporting careers and then what.. education must always come first.

 

I have the same deal with my kids..if the marks are shite the sport stops..and the eldest would really like to carry on after school, fortunately when it comes to hockey if you want to go further in the sport in SA, varsity is the way to go ..so that helps with academic motivation.

[Gen]

As for development

 

We can not rely on CSA to do jack.

 

I donno maybe academies like they have with football academies is an option, but will come with great costs again.

 

My nephew is in one, they do their schooling through distance learning and then owner of the academy has contacts in the states and some players get scouted and end up playing varsity football in the states.. not sure if any of them have made it to the MLS ..but something like that may be an option?

 

 

Obviously you would need a facility and someone who has serious connections in Europe..

 

 

Not sure enthusiastic parents are always a good thing..they honestly don't have the knowledge to develop kids at the correct pace..and often tend to want to push the kids to go faster and further too young.[emoji2368]

[Rolling Stone]

Yep..

 

And well done with that..

 

It has to come first..

 

No matter how talented a child is, anything can happen, an injury or a crash could end their sporting careers and then what.. education must always come first.

 

I have the same deal with my kids..if the marks are shite the sport stops..and the eldest would really like to carry on after school, fortunately when it comes to hockey if you want to go further in the sport in SA, varsity is the way to go ..so that helps with academic motivation.

Hi Gen

 

I think you have the answer, or a form of it at least.

All forms of cycling need to be a school sport. MTB, Track, Road and BMX.

School coaches need to be trained and assisted.

From there it will automatically become popular at varsity. The Varsity thing seems to be getting a bit of traction. 

Follow the same model as swimming and you have a winner, it is easier to get kids on bikes than to build a new pool for a school that does not already have one. At some schools like Randburg High the cycling is doing a lot better than their swimming team (imo)and they have only been participating in the Spur league for a year or so.

 

The link between cycling clubs and schools will automatically grow and it may just give a new lease of life to the cycling clubs out there. Regions and CSA should assist with  guidance to coaches (teachers) and parents alike.

 

As CGC we have realised this and have started working closer with the likes of the Sports Trust and Schools MTB league guys. Still a long way to go though.

[Patchelicious]

Hi Gen

 

I think you have the answer, or a form of it at least.

All forms of cycling need to be a school sport. MTB, Track, Road and BMX.

School coaches need to be trained and assisted.

From there it will automatically become popular at varsity. The Varsity thing seems to be getting a bit of traction. 

Follow the same model as swimming and you have a winner, it is easier to get kids on bikes than to build a new pool for a school that does not already have one. At some schools like Randburg High the cycling is doing a lot better than their swimming team (imo)and they have only been participating in the Spur league for a year or so.

 

The link between cycling clubs and schools with automatically grow and it may just give a new lease of life to the cycling clubs out there.

 

As CGC we have realised this and have started working closer with the likes of the Sports Trust and Schools MTB league guys. Still a long way to go though.

 

Nice one!

 

[Gen]

Hi Gen

 

I think you have the answer, or a form of it at least.

All forms of cycling need to be a school sport. MTB, Track, Road and BMX.

School coaches need to be trained and assisted.

From there it will automatically become popular at varsity. The Varsity thing seems to be getting a bit of traction.

Follow the same model as swimming and you have a winner, it is easier to get kids on bikes than to build a new pool for a school that does not already have one. At some schools like Randburg High the cycling is doing a lot better than their swimming team (imo)and they have only been participating in the Spur league for a year or so.

 

The link between cycling clubs and schools will automatically grow and it may just give a new lease of life to the cycling clubs out there. Regions and CSA should assist with guidance to coaches (teachers) and parents alike.

 

As CGC we have realised this and have started working closer with the likes of the Sports Trust and Schools MTB league guys. Still a long way to go though.

I think is is great that you are getting involved.. is this at high school primary school level?

[Andrew Steer]

Erm, interesting all the CSA bashing... you guys do know one of the biggest driving forces behind the Spur Schools series is Deon Steyn from CSA? Through creating the league, which he was heavily involved in doing, SA Schools cycling also came about - the structure behind it all...

 

http://www.saschoolscycling.co.za/

[Patchelicious]

Erm, interesting all the CSA bashing... you guys do now one of the biggest driving forces behind the Spur Schools series is Deon Steyn from CSA? Through creating the league, which he was heavily involved in doing, SA Schools cycling also came about - the structure behind it all

 

http://www.saschoolscycling.co.za/

 

Of course there are good people within CSA. Nobody has ever disputed that. 

 

Do you think CSA is an effective organisation? 

[shaper]

Erm, interesting all the CSA bashing... you guys do know one of the biggest driving forces behind the Spur Schools series is Deon Steyn from CSA? Through creating the league, which he was heavily involved in doing, SA Schools cycling also came about - the structure behind it all...

 

http://www.saschoolscycling.co.za/

One man is not CSA when there are 23 on the various boards... to all intense and purpose not doing a lot.....

[JA-Q001]

My 2c on road cycling development. (Seeing as MTB has a lot already going for it)

 

CSA should stop races from only being a money maker. All road races can let kids under 18 race for free. Encourage school teams to bring kids to races, make a schools road league. 

 

Race organisers do not have to make money out of under 18s, in the end its these kids that will support their races when they are older again.

 

And as said before, CSA and provincial bodies can work on a yearly TT series, crit series and even a Hill climb series that can form part of the road league.

 

This has been done before, but as soon as organisers/bodies in charge sees that this is costing them money, they tend to drop it.

[nathrix]

It's not just development, it's cycling in general and getting more people on bikes and to keep them safe. Cyclist are better drivers in general, it force them to be more aware of their surroundings, so the more people on bikes the better for society.

 

Our outdated cycling laws on public roads urgently need to be revisited as there are more and more commuters cycling to work, but our outdated rules of the road only favors motorist. The consequence of hitting a cyclist must be more MUCH more severe. CSA should have been lobbying this. In my books they do nothing for cycling.

 

e.g. some insightful links to kick it off:

 

• It's now legal to 'jump red lights' at some intersections in Paris following an extensive study into road safety in the French capital https://www.freewheelingfrance.com/blog/jumping-red-lights-in-paris.html
• ‘Why do cyclists ride side by side?’ – you asked Google, and we’ve got the answer https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/why-do-cyclists-ride-side-by-side-306024

 

[Rolling Stone]

Erm, interesting all the CSA bashing... you guys do know one of the biggest driving forces behind the Spur Schools series is Deon Steyn from CSA? Through creating the league, which he was heavily involved in doing, SA Schools cycling also came about - the structure behind it all...

 

http://www.saschoolscycling.co.za/

En da vat hy nou.

CSA and schools Cycling have found common ground.

 

An to all the CSA haters, as far as I know there is zero financial incentive here for CSA to get involved, no registration requirements, sanctioning, riders levies etc. So let us use and work with this schools body to grow grassroots development of all cycling disciplines. I like where this thread is taking us.

[Rolling Stone]

En da vat hy nou.

CSA and schools Cycling have found common ground.

 

An to all the CSA haters, as far as I know there is zero financial incentive here for CSA to get involved, no registration requirements, sanctioning, riders levies etc. So let us use and work with this schools body to grow grassroots development of all cycling disciplines. I like where this thread is taking us.

And may I just remind the guys at Schools cycling.

Share your stories here please and keep in mind that not everyone is following your personal or club facebook page. Or web site. 

[Patchelicious]

En da vat hy nou.

CSA and schools Cycling have found common ground.

 

An to all the CSA haters, as far as I know there is zero financial incentive here for CSA to get involved, no registration requirements, sanctioning, riders levies etc. So let us use and work with this schools body to grow grassroots development of all cycling disciplines. I like where this thread is taking us.

 

Do you think this is a fair thing to call people who, by your own admission, seem to know more about CSA than you?

 

Categorising all those who are critical of CSA as haters is a very lazy way of dealing with their arguments, and is telling of how you see all critique of them. 

 

Life doesn't work in absolutes, not everything CSA does is crap, and not everything they do is amazing. 

[Andrew Steer]

Of course there are good people within CSA. Nobody has ever disputed that. 

 

Do you think CSA is an effective organisation? 

I never said they were... of course we want more, but they have no money to initiate such a project on their own.

 

This is a grassroots development thread - and they have actually in conjunction with two private sector companies created a potentially world class development setup the envy of most of the world. If I'm not mistaken it's the biggest school setup in the world. This was all done in conjunction with CSA. 

 

My point is simple, why bash them and write them off when they could potentially be good allies heading forward. Slagging someone off endlessly is no way to get the ball rolling... find another Deon Steyn in CSA and see how you can work together.

 

Building, supporting and helping one another is how you get something off the ground, not this pointless endless bashing. Just my 2 cents, but as always, do as you please

[Andrew Steer]

One man is not CSA when there are 23 on the various boards... to all intense and purpose not doing a lot.....

Can you point out the ones doing nothing/very litte

Are they being paid?

How much are they being paid?

[Patchelicious]

I never said they were... of course we want more, but they have no money to initiate such a project on their own.

 

This is a grassroots development thread - and they have actually in conjunction with two private sector companies created a potentially world class development setup the envy of most of the world. If I'm not mistaken it's the biggest school setup in the world. This was all done in conjunction with CSA.

 

My point is simple, why bash them and write them off when they could potentially be good allies heading forward. Slagging someone off endlessly is no way to get the ball rolling... find another Deon Steyn in CSA and see how you can work together.

 

Building, supporting and helping one another is how you get something off the ground, not this pointless endless bashing. Just my 2 cents, but as always, do as you please

I know you didn’t say it, that’s why I asked.

 

We are probably way more aligned in our positions on this matter. We need to be cautious of driving each other towards opposite poles, I agree. You make a few good points, and ask a few good questions that warrant a proper response.

 

I’m away from my PC now and it’s difficult to answer these individually from the mobile UI. Can I respond to these tomorrow in more detail?