CSA fails our Junior riders

[Racing Hart]

Well we are south-african and we have to accept that! We dont have a goverment funding our sport like in most european countries..a lot of the big nations has big public funding too, where people give donations to the sport...not in south-africa!! If there's no money, that's it! nothing can change that!

 

We will just have to learn to climb above it and become real fighters in these bunches...

[butafly]

are our youngsters good enough to go to world track champs?

[big mama]

Butafly

 

The only Junior Lady fit to ride is already going and thats Cherise for road.

AS for track the junior ladies times are really slow, so no one there.

 

[Breeze]

I thought I would not comment on this thread - but now I think I should.

we are not the only country who does not have the money to go to the World champs - norway has probably the best jnr this year - they are not going as they can not afford it.  Swizz and Austria told me they are not sending anyone.

Denmark cut back on their normal program and will only send a road team build around one rider - no track, no women

SA has many riders from different teams in EU, inlcluding our team - they are gaining good experience etc. Though we have podiumed on 3 of oneday 1.1 classics - we seem to lack something in the World Cup tours. Though I keep in mind that it was expected of the team to perform from January up to now - 7 months is a long season for a junior - Europeans go about 4 to 5 months only.

The federation has already invested into sending Cherise to the UCI - they should finish it off by sending her to Worlds - she has a reletive good chance as I understand from the people who worked with her.

For a track, road and women team - costs would have been in the region of R200 000 as the team would have travelled 2 weeks prior - getting to Mexico is not cheap and all the equipment. management etc needed to travel as well. The public transport are really crappy over there and everything should have been rented etc.

If we have send a track team the only rider who could have featured whould have been Potgieter - and not in any specialized events - I think he would have fared well in the Omnium which is now a seperate event and no specilized riders enter into it. Brad did a 1'09 at the SA Champs for the 1KM.  The European champs delivered a 1,05.  No Britain, Australia, USA, Canada or NZ there. And this is his best event.

For the track commission to send a pursuit or sprinting team - ?? They did not once train together and nothing was planned in advance - it would have been a waste of time and money and SA would have looked silly.

Elzette - i have proposed we (CSA) send Elzette to EU in their winter to compete at the world cups and international events. I can only talk to all when back - but I think they are considering this.  To send Elzette, unprepared, to worlds are a lot of money - better to prepare her for 2012 Olympics. Just as Cherize and Yolandi on the road are our hope - so is Elzette for the track.  I have made loads of contacts regards the track here and will use it to her benefit.

CSA's new commissions are quite busy and planning it better for the future. The federation and board now understand that we need to plan for the future.  I think we need to support the fact that there will be a lot of focus on the 2009 and onwards world champs, although 2008 will probably already deliver a bit more.  The 2012 Olympics will see a better, more prepared team from SA in all disciplines.

However - i also feel that CSA should be more open to their supporters, riders and everybody involved to ensure that this type of publicity and confusion does not arise.  The COO is in Europe - building contacts and planning for the future as I understand (also holiday probably).  As understand all the plans for the future will be put in place and announced soon, lets hope.Breeze2007-07-23 06:02:20

[Chrispy]

Breeze I appreciate your input as it clears a lot of issues.

Unfortunately the riders on the so called list for the Jnr Champs were notified and then .................................nothing.

Apart from the excellent work you are doing there are no structures in place to nurture our youngsters and that is what makes me angry.

Britain has already identified youngsters from the age of 13-14 to be part of a National coaching structure.

 

Not to talk about the Aussies. Light years ahead of us.

 

You keep doing what you do and wake up CSA to the bigger picture out there.

 

[mallo]

Breeze what you are saying is what we want to hear and see put into action.I believe between the COO and yourself you guys can get the national academy up and running and provide for the future youngsters.

[Breeze]

Mallo - fortunately I am also on the junior commission and I have met many role-players from other countries. what you guys are saying about u13 and u14 riders is exaclty that - and now with Robbie winning in the TdF we will actually have more motivation etc. 

 

A 5 year plan should be put in place before we reach the end of September - this way we can inform all private team etc involved of the future and if their riders are also concerned etc.  I think in the past many of the teams got upset because the planning on CSA side was not up to date, but now we as CSA, the teams, the developers etc can plan together and structure for the future.

 

I don't know too much about the track (yet), but know people who does and they are willing to help. My focus was more the jnr men development on the road in the past,  but i will try to focus more on the u/16s and girls as well as track for these catagories.  And I will make sure that riders that this year road jnr and go over to under 23 will be taken care of - this does not exclude riders from other teams that did not ride for Tekton. Benson and Gridlestone impressed on more than one occasion.  and off course jean Spies on track - him and brad can develop into formidale track riders.

 

I know that Tony Harding also working hard on plans for up and coming riders and i will sit down with him when back so that we try to team up in the future.

 

 

 

[potgieter.e]

I am writing this to express my dissapointment at CSA's decision not to send a Junior team to worlds.If anything, why was there no communication between the riders and CSA? We have technology at our fingertips and there is absolutly NO excuse for this to occur. I don't care about him or her being good or bad enough but let us remember one thing and that is the bucks that is being put into some of these riders. Hey man the stuff doesn't grow on trees! I have spent R22 000 times two for two trips to Europe to get my boy prepared for worlds and I feel that if there never was going to be a team to worlds someone should have said " hey man it's not going to happen" I am a teacher and this is huge money for me and the family and the costs overseas was apart from the costs of equipment. There are those that say that we are sub standard and to those I say that it is not so much about if we can or cannot but why are we not given the chance of the experience like so many other sports are given.If CSA had said that we can send our juniors on our own budget then this would have happened albeit for the experience! NOTE:The juniors currently in Belgium have been on the podium twice for UCI 1.1 category races and the conditions were not exactly favourable in terms of resting prior to the events. So what am I saying? I am saying to other parents that they should think again before putting in a massive investment and I am saying that you musn't listen to heresay ("we are going to worlds")and that the only thing you must believe in must be written in Black and White!!

 

I have written to CSA and I have expressed my sadness with regards the worlds and again technology has failed.

 

No reply and just a group of dissappointed cyclists! Is this what we want in this sport of ours!     Well I have had my say and you all be careful now!!

[Groot Lem]

A lot of pressure to put on a laaitie to spend the food money on him. I think one can train for the kilo in RSA (if that is his best event).

I hope ur son went for road, cause track is sort of dead. Compare money, spectators in TdF and track events.

Willie E became a champ without going overseas as a junior, and without a father.

Agree with bad communication from CSA. I hope it will improve.

I dont buy the thing where you go for experience, if you lose badly, it is more negative than positive.

Dont put too much pressure on now, 9 out of 10 stop when they are 19 or 20.

Parents musnt live their dreams through their children.

[big mama]

Groot Lem

If you knew who this particular rider is, then I am sure you will change your attitude.  I must admit he is a remarkable junior.   I have seen him grow from U14 and believe me , I look forward to seeing him in the TDF in the next 10 years.  He is not only a excellent cyclist, but a great young gentleman, who has come a long way in cycling .

[Groot Lem]

i didnt say anything negative against him. It was a few remarks  esp towards parents of top juniors. I cant wait to see our top juniors in the Tour, but dont push them too hard or fast.

 

[Breeze]

I am dissapointed to read that some parents see the Junior Worlds as the ceiling of their children's careers and that the fact of going to Europe twice for instance has not gained them experience for their future and dreams of being professional cyclists.

 

That is probably why only Hunter made it up to now into being the only rider from SA riding in the TdF, winning in the TdF.  I have never sat down with Robert  to talk - but I have heard that he had to make it on his own to become what he is and that it has only been in later years that he got the assistance of the federation.

 

Maybe I am making it too easy for these jnrs with the great talent by assisting in EU on a full-time basis - bacause when they leave our academy and have to make it on their own - some (most) just don't.

 

I am also dissappointed that riders not going Worlds and there is probably 4 of my riders are involved - but just as all the other team manager and coaches from other teams and nations i understand that money is needed to do this. Cost per rider for a team from SA to Mexico was estimated at R25 000 per rider - that is almost more tahn our 2 months to Europe cost. 

 

Bradley is a great talent and he can make it big if he wants to - it will not depend if he goes to worlds or not.

[Groot Lem]

At a social function i sat next to a dad whose motto for 5 years was to help his laaitie win a medal in the junior canoe worlds. After 5 years of all the efforts, monies, etc, he had a bad start at that race and finished without a medal. He can go on and become a top world class rower. After school and away from daddy, he stopped, now plays touch rugby for his varsity hostel, and probably has too many beers from time to time.

I then asked daddy if he feels all this effort was worth it, expecting him to say NO. He said YES, it was worth it, the laaitie has junior SA colours.

Now I totally dont agree with that, he also said he didnt had to push the laaitie, he was so motivated, he just wanted to train. Now a lot of dads are nodding their heads...

The problem (as I see it) is that there was this big GOAL, and if you fail to reach THAT goal, you have failed. Rather build someone gradually towards a 10 year plan, and if you fail on the way, you can carry on as you havent failed yet, cause youre looking at the bigger picture.

Its almost like the funriders in my valley that train sooo hard, only to have a bad race in their only race of the year, the Argus. Then their whole race is a failure.

Breeze, I think the laaities in general are too spoiled, and I had some talks with Eug Rui, and he agrees.

WE allready have the youngest EPO case in the world. Obviously because someone pushed too hard.

[MEYER1]

Ek sal nie s? die kinders het dit te maklik nie ,wel makliker as RH. As jy dit nie makliker maak nie, kan jy hulle verloor voordat hulle nog n kans gehad het of n regverdige kans te minste. Dit is n eer om te kan s? jou kind was world's toe, maar dit se nog niks, dit is soos die SA,s enigeiets kan gebeur,val,mechanical problems, etc. en alles is verby. Stuur hulle eerder oorsee vir 3maande dan leer hulle baie meer .Die topryers race tussen 9 en 11 dae per maand in Europa

[buckstopper]

If the people/person going to junior world roads have/has been announced, where has it been published? If not, why not? We have a month till worlds and no selection has been announced. How can athletes properly ensure they peak right if selected at the last minute. Last year of all the junior men and women only Cherise did well. (6th and 7th). Most of the men selected were conveniently in Europe already but didn't cut it.

 

The Aussies invite applications well in advance and cyclists are selected and informed way before the time. Look how well they're doing.....

 

What we need is for CSA to formulate plans, make them known, then determine what budget is required and then get the cycling community to chip in by adding levies to race entry fees. It's the only realistic way to fund our progress - by cyclists for cyclists. Forget about the govt until we're achieving they won't come on board.

 

As for a CSA Academy, we'd love one but it's a long way off. The Youth Academies/Teams do a great job and these are the riders coming through,

thanks to sponsors such as Mr Price, HI Q, Tekton et al.  

[butafly]

the prob with our juniors is that they reach the top in this country too quick and too easily. other than the northern provinces all the others cycle in isolation and the only time they compete against each other is at SA's. i believe that the youngsters should not be racing until they reach under 16 i.e. do away with u 10 / 12 / 14 and let them ride for the fun of it and then introduce them to racing on a handicapped basis.