{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=42|imageid=679|detail=2|displayname=0|displaydownload=0|float=left}We are now half way through the year and I’m delighted to report that our Youth recruitment and development programme is going great. Many thanks to all our adult volunteers and helpers – They are the reason things are going so well!

The regular Saturday spins continued right through the winter and spring with absolutely no hindrance or change or cancellation – Consistency and reliability are so important and it is the work of the adult volunteers which has created this remarkable level of consistency and reliability.

We now have 14 signed up youth members, with another four set to sign up very soon. On our regular Saturday spins we get an average of 6/8 cyclists every Saturday.

 

On Saturdays we normally cover 40 / 50 km at an average of 25kmh. Some members can do much more much faster and are already established in the ‘B’ and ‘A’ groups.

The youths take part in the club Time Trials and love them and also the Cahill’s Cycles inter club league and they love these too. The reinvigorated racing section is fantastic and our youths can see this clearly. The really want to be a part of this and now they have a clear pathway beyond their youth category. Well done Joe, and thank you.

We have a log book in Cahill’s shop, from where we leave every Saturday recording all our spins, route, distance, names of youths and adults present and also recording a specific ‘learning’ that took place that day!

The youths receive regular tips, advice, coaching and much information on the sport in general. Most of the youths attended the Paddy Doran coaching day and the coaching evening with Gillian McDarby and Heather Boyle. We also took the youths to the Leinster Cycling coaching day in Bray, 8 youths attended and it was great – Anto Moran, gave a great presentation on training and preparation. Coaching is a major priority and we aim to give the best coaching and tuition from the best people all the time and will not compromise on this.

The ‘track’ days have been a huge success – on two separate occasions we travelled to the Velodrome{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=42|imageid=678|detail=2|displayname=0|displaydownload=0|float=right} and had expert coaching and tuition from Ray Grogan and Paddy Davis of The Track Commission. We had 11 and 7 youths on these two days and some couldn’t make either day but really want to do it again, and we will. We will be return regularly in the Summer.

We also aim to go Mountain biking and again we will seek expert coaching and tuition. (More on this later) Anyone like to help – should be fun, great craic and really informative and exhilarating!

{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=42|imageid=677|detail=2|displayname=0|displaydownload=0|float=left}We have had three skills sessions with our youths in the last six months where we dedicate two hours to ‘Sprocket Rocket’ type drills and skills such as braking, cornering, sprinting, group riding, close formation riding and so on – these have been hugely beneficial.

The Youth group and everything around youth recruitment and development badly needed some structure, guiding principles and overall philosophy. It also needed a clear progression and development structure for young cyclist. It also needed an ‘Awards’ element. Therefore we have produced the Naas Cycling Club Youth W.H.E.E.L.S. programme and accompanying booklet. This booklet is a resource as much for parents of aspiring youths as it is for the youths themselves. In fact it is designed to be as informative as possible for parents who wish to know exactly what we do and how we do it. It will have its official launch in the coming weeks and all club members will be informed and are most welcome. An electronic copy of the booklet will be uploaded on the website soon. The design work from Stacy Masterson is top class, thanks also to Lance Connolly for his help.

Sportives are popular and 11 youths did the C4dsi in Blessington. We are targeting the Wicklow Peaks. It’s such a pity that these are so expensive for youths! Even discounted youth prices are far too expensive – Sportive organisers need to be responsible here in my opinion! These youths are the future. Something must be done here, please.

Evan Cunningham represented Leinster in the Gorey Three Day and is now looking towards his second Junior Tour of Ireland. Well done Evan.

The Youth W.H.E.E.L.S. programme should help us in future years. Yet, finance will be a major concern. A good Youth structure must be well financed. Help and ideas welcomed.

So to wrap up:

  1. Many thanks to our committee, volunteers and fund raisers.
  2. Well done to all our fabulous youths on the progress they have made and we hope they continue to enjoy cycling in Naas Cycling Club.
  3. Looking ahead we must focus on expert, fully qualified coaches, coaching and tuition.
  4. Finance is a major priority – we must address how we are to be financed.
  5. Sportives, especially local sportives and club sanctioned sportives must give us something!
  6. Well done to the racing section it is so well organised and so dynamic and enjoyable that our youths now have clear pathway well beyond the youth ranks.
  7. The Youth W.H.E.E.L.S. programme should help us considerably and add to the entire Youth programme.
  8. We would appeal for more help and helpers – Try to give just a couple of hours this year to the youth section, please.

Big thanks to all the Saturday volunteers and especially those who come along very regularly, can I give them a special mention…..Trish, John Boyle, Mario, Colm, John Bennett, Brenda Brady, Stacy and Matt Corcoran.

Also big thanks to Stacy for fabulous design and graphics on the Youth W.H.E.E.L.S. booklet and big thanks to Matt for raising much needed finance.