Motorcycling Victoria is set to lead the way with a brand new multiple discipline junior development strategy heading into 2018 and beyond.
Sport & Rider Development Manager Mark Vallance has more:
“When it comes to Junior Development, this sport is not an easy one to create pathways for or to ensure that riders who are considered “elite” are getting the best coaching available to push them into the upper echelons or that they are even being identified as such. We also want to be able to identify those “mid-level” (no offense intended) riders and help them get to that next level.
There are a number of different coaches, different coaching businesses and in VIC alone, there are 70 odd clubs each with their own Juniors, own coaches and own curriculum which is added onto the basic Kick Start and Minikhana material.
At State level, we have created the Elite Rider Training Camp which has been a success over the past four years that it has been running. Last year we also had the first Australian Junior MX Training Camp, which was also a success but more is required and the “more” also needs to be readily accessible to riders.
In other sports, there are hundreds of different coaching opportunities in a range of locations and a range of different difficulties/levels based on skill of the athlete. The same cannot currently be said for this sport.
I, along with the MV Coaching Panel, Clubs and Coaches, will aim to change that in 2018 and beyond by creating what I’m currently calling “Development Hubs” around the State.
These “hubs” will be clubs who may already have excellent Junior Development Programs or a variety of tracks or are Clubs we would like to help become a little more active or have tracks that we know are suited for Junior participation, as well as the State Motorcycle Sports Complex at Broadford.
These “hubs” will conduct various development programs (as well as their regularly scheduled club activities) such as Minikhana Events, Junior Development Days, Coaching Days, Various Camps, Information Sessions etc. and they will all be aimed at the Junior rider to improve their skills and riding ability in their chosen discipline.
Any Junior rider will have access to these “hubs” whenever they are running a day such as the ones mentioned above (with the exception of regularly scheduled club activities).
The riders will also have the opportunity to send through questions to a dedicated email address that will be manned by some of the top coaches in the State and the MV Coaching Panel any time of the day, any day of the year. This will ensure that riders have access to coaches at all times and can get assistance with some questions that may be bugging them about their riding.
While this is going on, MV will continue to manage, plan and run the Elite Rider Training Camp as the feature Camp each year, held at the Parkview Hotel in Albert Park.
I am currently in talks with a number of clubs across each discipline to arrange these “hubs”. Once more information becomes available I will be sure to announce it to everyone and we will continue to move forward with this strategy.
I am more than happy to answer any questions about this via email – development@motorcyclingvic.com.au – but please understand that this is in its infancy and I will not be divulging which clubs until I have announced that information to everyone and also remember that each discipline is being considered in this, not just one or two.”