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02/12/2008 11:51:01
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Phil G
Posts 135
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For those not at last nights AGM, I would like to update you on my plans to start offering club activities to youth members. My intention is to increase our youth membership (which currently stands at just one!) by offering mid-week coaching sessions for 12 - 16 year olds in a traffic free environment. The sessions will teach them the skills required to race in events throughout the year such as circuit races, time trials and cyclo-cross races.
For this to be a success, we need people to come forward and help in running the sessions. This could be on an ad-hoc basis, where you can come down as and when available to help put out cones/encourage/give advice. If you wanted to get a little more involved and you are interested in coaching there is funding available to put you through a Level 2 Certificate in Cycle Coaching. This involves a three day course which teaches you things such as planning coaching sessions, analysing rider techniques and improving rider performance. The course cost £295, but this will be paid for by grants given from Manchester City Council - making it FREE to yourself! If you do decide to take up this opportunity, you will be required to coach for a maximum of about 2 hours every fortnight - not a huge drain on you time, and the more people willing to help, the easier it will be on the coaches. More details of the course can be found here: link
There is a huge demand for youth cycling sessions in the Manchester area, with the only club currently offering quality training, Eastlands Velo, running to capacity and turning kids away. Eastlands offer predominantly track cycling sessions, and at present there are few other options for young people. This is where we have an opportunity to significantly increase our membership base and secure the future of the club. To give you an idea of what could be achieved, a friend of mine set up a youth section of Chippenham Wheelers about three years ago, in which time their membership has grown from around 120 to over 400! Over the last year, Eastland Velo have received over £20,000 in grants and funding which they have used to buy bikes, book track time, and use for transport to and from races.
This is a huge opportunity for the club, but it can’t happen without your support. It’s a great opportunity to gain knowledge for yourself, but perhaps more importantly, now is the time to find the members of the future who will keep the club running in future years, and possibly to find the next Chris Hoy or Brad Wiggins to represent the Wheelers colours!
If you are interested, please email me: juniors@manchesterwheelers.co.uk, reply to this thread, or give me a call (my number's in the handbook). I would love to hear from you if you are available to lend your support in anyway, be it giving up 2 hours as and when you are available, or if you are interested in becoming a qualified coach.
Thanks for your support.
Phil Godfrey
edited by Phil G on 15/05/2009
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02/12/2008 14:25:21
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Mick
Posts 423
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Well done Phil!
An important initiative to grow membership and put the Wheelers where we should be in my humble opinion - a cycling and racing club for all ages/disciplines.
Count me in.
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02/12/2008 19:02:52
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viv
Posts 2546
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I think what you're trying to do is fantastic and if the club can get enough people involved and with the right qualifications it would be something to be proud of.
I've got no coaching knowledge or experience but would be happy to help out in other ways and commit what time i can to making it a success.
edited by viv on 02/12/2008
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03/12/2008 08:58:49
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Si
Posts 1352
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Agree with Viv, a great idea and a positive thing for the club.
Been thinking about it for the past day and I'd be willing to help out as and when is neccesary.
- Si
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03/12/2008 09:25:18
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TomF
Posts 1040
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For a short time, I was involved with coaching the youth section of the my hockey club - I was assisting (or running without the primary coach when he wasn't available) the coaching for a group of around 30 boys.
I learned two valuable things from this:
1. You need to be committed to do this - Phil clearly is - as it is time consuming, but ultimately rewarding for all involved; and
2. The coach will need lots of assistance and assistants - it is something that does require a lot of commitment from the qualified coaches, and they will need the support of any and many willing helpers. the more people who volunteer to help (even if it isn't on a regular basis), the more succesful the enterprise will be.
To that end, we should all try to help Phil (and whoever else qualifies as a coach) as much as possible in order to benefit the whole club. I can't guarantee that I can find the time to become a coach, but I will be happy to be involved and do what I can to help with the sessions to be put on.
Tom
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03/12/2008 10:21:35
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Phil G
Posts 135
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Thanks for all your support guys. By way of an update: we have now had two people come forward who are interested in coaching, Will Mansfield and Paul Cheetham. With myself, that will be 3 qualified coaches which would be great. There is also the possibility of another coach I know joining the club soon. I have also had many people come forward to lend their support, but as Tom said, we need as many as possible to help the seesions run smoothly.
The coaching course is over 3 days with 8 weeks between days 2 and 3. I plan to start running the sessions after day 2 of the training with the Manchester Go Ride coach leading these sessions. This will give us a chance to try out what we have been taught and also get a core of kids who can be invited by the Go Ride coach. This should start some time in March.
I am still looking for a suitable place to run the sessions. The council are helping me here and hope I to have somewhere sorted soon. We are currently looking at Whalley Range High School, Hough End Park and Belle Vue Leisure centre (amongst other places). If you can think of a suitable area where we may be able to run the sessions please let me know.
Phil
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03/12/2008 10:38:00
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Dan H
Posts 53
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Although I am new to Manchester Wheelers, I'd be interested in getting involved with this. My first thoughts were that if this kind of scheme was around when I was that age would have been fantastic!
I do have the time and enthusiasm to take part in the coaching course if places are still available? If not as a coach I'd be more than willing to help.
One thing that helps is I already have the CRB certificate.
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03/12/2008 11:10:07
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Phil G
Posts 135
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That's great. Thanks Dan.
Please could you send your address on to me at philgodfrey@gmail.com
Phil
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03/12/2008 11:37:11
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NickW
Posts 1386
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Phil,
Happy to be an assistant - would love to get involved with coaching but realistically whilst I could find the time to do the course I couldn't guarantee I'd always be available to coach on a regular basis. Its obviously better to train those that can. So instead I'd be pleased to pitch in and help under the direction of one of the trained coaches where and when I can.
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04/12/2008 12:52:08
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from down south
Posts 826
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If this takes off and we get in big influx of younger riders does anyone know of a Macdonalds big enough for the club dinner
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04/12/2008 18:29:55
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Dave Brett
Posts 454
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martinh wrote:
If this takes off and we get in big influx of younger riders does anyone know of a Macdonalds big enough for the club dinner
The one by the velodrome looks quite big.
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04/12/2008 19:27:00
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Will M
Posts 34
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Martin
As you probably noticed last time you saw me a few weeks ago, I know plenty of macdonalds.......
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05/12/2008 09:51:58
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viv
Posts 2546
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Ha ha. Sounds like we got the wheelers hoodies ordered just in time
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05/12/2008 10:42:25
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from down south
Posts 826
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Will M wrote:
Martin As you probably noticed last time you saw me a few weeks ago, I know plenty of macdonalds.......
120 happy meals please. 300 pots of ketchup. No gherkins.
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05/12/2008 10:53:18
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viv
Posts 2546
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Martin - you know too much. Have you been dressing up as ronald again to get free burgers?
Er...I think this thread started with a serious point. Somebody save us.
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05/12/2008 11:00:14
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Si
Posts 1352
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I can't believe some of the rubbish you lot are spouting..............................................
Everyone knows that Burger King is better than McDonalds
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