Cycling Booming In The South West With Go-Ride
News Posted 8th October 2008
Cycling in the south West is booming because 7 new clubs have registered on the Go-Ride programme recently giving more young people in the region access to safe, fun and challenging cycling activities on traffic free facilities. Two of the clubs are BMX Clubs and have their own dedicated cycling facility. Gosport and Andover BMX deliver regular coaching at their own facilities.
Gosport and Andover form a strong BMX presence in Hampshire along with another BMX Club Bournemouth BMX which will no doubt result in some exciting racing in the coming years. Go-Ride clubs work towards Go-Ride Clubmark Accreditation and Gosport have made a fast start because they have 3 coaches in place already able to deliver coached activities. Darren Fells, James Christie and Kathy Azopardi coach the youngster skills they need to have fun and be successful in BMX racing. The benefit of having such as large body of coaches is that clubs have plenty of help to be able to deliver structured activity for large groups and for clubs with smaller attendance's coaches can share the coaching workload and have a rota system resulting in coaches only giving up 3 or 4 evenings a month. Gosport BMX can be found at Alver Park on Grange Road in Gosport.
North Somerset Development Squad are based at the Priory School in Weston-Super-Mare and cater for riders in all disciplines. They have an excellent youth development ethic in that all adult members commit to helping at least 1 youth event or training session throughout the yea. One benefit of this is that the workload is shared out and everyone in the club can feel connected to the development of young riders and can then take pride in their achievements. Youth membership is just £5 for the whole year.
Andover BMX held races on Thursday’s through the summer allowing new and existing members to race together against riders of similar age and ability. Therefore, new young members can join their friends and the club coach Paul Bennett. The club has an excellent website, Facebook page and track at Charlton Sports Centre in Andover where people can join the club for a taste of BMX.
One & All Cycling are the most remote Go-Ride Club on the UK mainland. This is because club coaches Iain Ogilvie and Matthew Southam deliver the club activities at Biscoe Valley cycle hire centre in Truro. They may be the most remote Go-Ride Club on the mainland but they are by no means the loneliest. This is because they have strong links with other local clubs such as Penzance Wheelers and their sponsor Ricci Bike Chains. The Club holds many ambitions such as the development of a closed road circuit. This is a real possibility with many other Go-Ride clubs such as Solihull CC and Salt Ayre Cog Set providing excellent examples of clubs who have built closed road circuits in their area.
The youngest Go-Ride Club is Cycle Coaching South West/Guerciotti. This club is the latest to sign up to Go-Ride and will be delivering their traffic free cycle coaching at the military base in Barnstaplpe, the RMB Chivenor. Like Gosport BMX Cycle Coaching South West/Guerciotti already have 3 coaches, David Luggar, Andy Walker and June Smith. Therefore, the club will be able to utilise the full compliment of free silver memberships available for Go-Ride Clubs and the free coaching equipment they received. The use of the community area of RMB Chivenor is an excellent example of a community club engaging with local organisations and utilising appropriate facilities to coach young riders.
Cycle Sport South Hams and Poole Wheelers are also 2 new Go-Ride Clubs in the South West. Cycle Sport South Hams formed as recently as 2007 and have been fast to deliver activities for young people. The first autumn Go-Ride session attracted over 50 young people at Kingsbridge Community Primary School. Of the 50 youngsters 18 were brand new attendees who were 6 and 7 years old showing how word of mouth spreads extremely fast.
Poole Wheelers are adding to the Go-Ride presence in Poole. They are the second Go-Ride club to register in the town and will be providing an alternative to the Cycle Speedway that young people enjoy with Poole CSC. Now young people will be able to enjoy the Go-Ride experience in every discipline in Poole. Graham Hurst will be able to coach youngsters in Road, Track, Cyclo-Cross and Mountain Bike racing at the Calshot Activity Centre. Strong links will be able to be formed between Go-Ride in the region to help ensure that young riders enjoy the best possible cycling experience.
Go-Ride clubs commit to work towards Go-Ride Clubmark Status. This means that they will continually work to and evidence excellent working practices in Safeguarding Young People, Sports Equity, Club Management and Coaching. But most importantly clubs will be delivering regular, safe, fun and challenging coached activities for young people in traffic free facilities.
For more information about a Go-Ride Club near you please contact the Go-Ride Team on go-ride@britishcycling.org.uk or contact the club directly via the contact information below.
Gosport BMX
Andover BMX
North Somerset Development Squad
www.n-somersetcycling.btik.com/
Cycle Sport South Hams
http://cssouthhams.terapad.com/
Cycle Coaching South West/Guerciotti
Poole Wheelers
One & All Cycling
