As we reach the end of 2013, the Go-Ride team at British Cycling take a look back at the major achievements and milestones of the past twelve months.
January: A Level 1 Coaching Cycling course takes place in Manchester, with over 50 per cent of attendees being graduates from the young volunteers programme.
February: The 500th delegate is confirmed for the Go-Ride conferences in March.
March: A record number of attendees join the Go-Ride team at the five Go-Ride Conferences, taking place across the country throughout March, with delegates participating in workshops focussing on development of coaching practices, safeguarding, club marketing and opportunities for young volunteers to get further involved in the sport.
April: The public announcement confirming the roster of riders who will receive funding for the next Olympic cycle signals something of a milestone for the programme. Over 60 per cent of funded riders on the road to Rio have progressed from Go-Ride clubs.
May: The first National Youth Forum is formed, giving a voice to 12 young volunteers who will shape the future of the sport for their peers. This signals the completion of the pathway for Young Volunteers, which now includes an initial workshop, professional development in three key areas (coaching, officiating and club management), a leadership programme for further development and a National Youth Forum.
June: The Go-Ride team takes up an invitation to the Queen's reception at St. James Palace, London. The Cycling Award for Young Volunteers is recognised with The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award for successfully harnessing the hard work, commitment and generosity of volunteers to change Britain for the better.
July: To combat the drop off that tends to happen in sport around the age of 16, Rider Development Sessions are introduced to the Go-Ride programme, to help bridge the gap between youth and adult racing. The sessions are aimed at U23s and also groups of women and girls.
August: The Prime Minister drops in on a Go-Ride session in Watford, along with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Jody Cundy, as well as the former president of British Cycling, Brian Cookson and performance director of British Cycling, Sir Dave Brailsford.
September: Six young riders from the Go-Ride programme join Barney Harwood for a Blue Peter challenge. On Monday 16 September, Barney rides a leg of the Tour of Britain, setting off from Carlisle and making it across the finish line in Kendal before the elite riders (albeit a shortened route!). The young riders from Go-Ride train alongside Barney, before riding with him on the day of the challenge as Team Blue Peter.
October: The Go-Ride team celebrates reaching the milestone of 10,000 new young girls (U16) participating in the Go-Ride programme. There are also celebrations as we reach the milestone of 100 Go-Ride clubs actively delivering Go-Ride Racing events, with 400 Go-Ride Racing events delivered so far this year.
November: It is announced that over 70 per cent of the riders on the boards at the Track World Cup have progressed from Go-Ride clubs.
December: British Cycling is named Governing Body of the Year at sports coach UK’s UK Coaching Awards 2013. Go-Ride volunteer, John Gunn, is also named Children’s Coach of the Year at the awards.
We’d like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas at this festive time of the year and, as always, thank the network of dedicated volunteers across the country all of whom have contributed to the success of the Go-Ride programme. Here’s to 2014!
