Commissaires' Newsletter - Spring 2009
Introduction: Welcome to the first edition of the Commissaires Newsletter, the new official communication from British Cycling to keep all commissaires and officials up to date with the latest developments and issues surrounding our sport.
The British Cycling Commissaire Commission Members are:
Bob Howden - Chairman and National Board Member
Colin Docker - Road representative and National Board Member
Mike Hack - Cycle Speedway representative
Martin Bridgwood - Track representative
Kelvin Hoy - Mountain Bike and Cyclo-Cross representative
Jonny Clay - British Cycling Cycle Sport and Membership Director
Robert Jefferies - Facilitator and British Cycling Officials Education Officer
Roger Wilbraham - British Cycling Mountain Bike Coordinator
Brian Furness - British Cycling Road, Cyclo-Cross and Cycle Speedway Coordinator
Phil Godfrey - British Cycling Track & Disability Cycling Coordinator
The newsletter will be distributed every quarter. The Commission is keen to ensure that this newsletter is as effective as possible and would welcome your feedback on this first issue. Let us know what you think about the content, any topics which you feel could be covered in future issues and any achievements or successes of individuals or clubs which you feel could be acknowledged. Please send your feedback and ideas to Rob Jefferies: 07940 739223 / robertjefferies@britishcycling.org.uk
Cycle Racing on the Highway: British Cycling has continued to progress its work to resolve the issues and threats to road racing in the UK. For some time now, British Cycling has been lobbying the relevant Government authorities whilst also looking at the changes that are needed to be made within the sport itself and the extra support required for organisers and event volunteers.
British Cycling has recently been informed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that a working group has been formed with the Home Office and the Department for Transport to consider the steps that can be taken to resolve the issues we are facing.
In addition, British Cycling can confirm that it will be investing additional resources to accelerate this work at a National and Regional level as part of its 2009-2013 plans which are due to be announced shortly.
British Cycling has made it clear that British Cycling's ability to win medals in Beijing and London is being compromised by a weakened calendar of road races and that a positive, nationally accepted and interpreted environment where sporting events on the highway can progress is vital.
This highlights the responsibility of everyone involved with bike racing - competitors, officials and organisers - to ensure that racing on the road is conducted in a safe manner.
Commissaire and Officials Training: All British Cycling commissaire training courses are being aligned to the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for sports officials.
This will ensure that the classification of commissaires is as easy to understand as possible.
For example, a person who has completed the initial single day training and successfully passed the end of day test will receive the endorsement 'Assistant Commissaire' on their licence, which is the equivalent of a Level 1 qualification on the NOS framework.
The minimum time agreed to become qualified as a Regional Commissaire (Level 2) for road and track is 6 events, or about 18 hours of practice. This is the minimum level of qualification required to be appointed as the Chief Official at an event..
The aim of the training is to to give everyone an equal starting point before using skills in a real life situation. Assistant Commissaires will be deemed to have completed the training once they have met all the required competences. There is more information about practical assessment in this newsletter.
Progressing on from Level 2 is the qualification to become a National Level Official. This requires attendance at, and passing, a higher level course which is the equivalent of a Level 3 Official. Broadly speaking the Level 2 qualifications on the NOS framework are equivalent to a GCSE and Level 3 qualifications are equivalent to an AS level.
British Cycling is pleased to report that since 2006, 486 candidates have attended 42 Assistant Commissaire and Event Organiser courses for road and track cycling. Specific downhill mountain bike and four cross courses are currently being developed.
Assistant Commissaire Assessment Forms: Practical assessment takes place over at least six events for Road and Track Commissaires. Officials who qualify using this pathway can only qualify as Regional Officials (Level 2 Officials) if they have completed and passed their practical assessments.
The assessment form used to complete practical assessments along with assessment criteria is available on the British Cycling website.
Tutors Needed! Due to the increased amount of commissaire and event-based training being conducted, British Cycling is seeking to train existing commissaires as tutors to deliver Assistant Commissaire courses.
Initial training will take place over two weekends in Manchester, and will be followed by practical training. The first phase of training will train tutors for the Level 1 Road, Track and BMX Assistant Commissaire courses. This will be followed by a course for Level 1 Cross Country, Four Cross and Downhill Mountain Bike Assistant Commissaire tutors.
If you are a qualified commissaire who has attended an Assistant Commissaire course since 2006 and are interested in becoming a tutor, please contact Rob Jefferies at British Cycling for an application form:
interested in becoming a tutor, can commit to delivering at least two courses per year, and feel you have the have the right skills to be a British Cycling tutor and are a qualified commissaire who has, please contact Rob Jefferies for an application form: 07940 739223 robertjefferies@britishcycling.org.uk
Commissaire and Referee's Conference 2010: British Cycling has confirmed that the 2010 Commissaires and Referee's Conference is set to take place in February 2010.
Over the coming months, the Commissaire and Referee's Commission and British Cycling will put together an interesting and informative format for the conference.
The event will is an opportunity for commissaires and referees to learn about the latest developments affecting their work. British Cycling also hopes to use the skills and experience of delegates to help develop further training and resources for officials, to offer a clear development pathway for officials and ensure that British Cycling officials work to the highest possible domestic and international standards.
More information about the conference will be included in future editions of this newsletter and via www.britishcycling.org.uk.
Results Card Update: British Cycling, in conjunction with the Commissaire Commission, is keen to ensure that the activity of individual commissaires is accurately recorded on our central database. As well as providing HQ and regional coordinators with up to date information on active commissaries in the region across all disciplines, Commissaires themselves will be able to review their activity online.
In order to start to gather information in relation to activity, the race Results Card has been updated to include not only the usual space for recording the result of the race but also space for recording who made up the officiating team. In the future the level of information may become more detailed, as commissaires become more used to completing the form, but as an introduction these forms will include space for naming 8 key officials on the race.
British Cycling Annual Awards Dinner: In February British Cycling hosted its Annual Awards Dinner, where volunteers are recognized for their hard work in four categories: event volunteers, club volunteers, coaches and young people (aged between 14 and 25).
These volunteers are vital to maintaining and allowing the sport to grow. This year the following commissaires and event officials were recognized:
Martin Bridgewood - Brian Cossavella trophy - Organiser of the European Masters Track Championship
Jon and Doreen Mallinson - David Saunders Trophy for services to cycling
Berni Mapp - Royston Rockets - BMX Commission - UCI Commissaire
Sarah Adams - West Midlands - National Commissaire
Colin Garnham - Central Region - Regional Commissaire
Bob Jump - North West Region - Regional Commissaire
Russell Parkins - Eastern Region - Event Organiser
Andrew Cawley - Yorkshire Region - Event Organiser
Chris Mingo - South Region - Assistant Commissaire
Steve Jones - Reading All Terrain Mountain Bike Club - Mountain Bike Event Organiser
Dave Gerrey - South East Region - Regional Commissaire
Vetting and Barring act: All officials who receive British Cycling approved training to complete are required to complete at Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check form.
As part of this an on-going process, British Cycling expects all officials to undertake these checks in the next two years. If you are a commissaire who hasn't yet completed a CRB check then please contact Rob Jefferies.
Commissaire Clothing: British Cycling has ordered for new commissaires' clothing, which we expect to be available in September. In the meantime, there is a limited stock of clothing - please contact Rob Jefferies for more information.
Conclusion: Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter if you would like to contact any members of the commission then there details will be available from the commission facilitator Robert Jefferies.