Young cyclists gain confidence

BALLARAT-Sebastapol Cycling Club’s Power2Pedal bike education program has wrapped up for another summer, with a club spokesperson describing it as a huge success.

The program, run for its third year in a row in conjunction with Sports Central, involved eight students with autism or who are on the spectrum taking part in coaching over five weeks.

The sessions were aimed at helping participants coordinate balance, learn new techniques, and gain confidence.

“We break the physical task down for the children and because we are dealing with Autism, the piece we are trying achieve needs to be very specific,” said lead coach Chris Liston.

“Our methods are not overly scientific or anything, but we have had fantastic successes and enthusiasm, and lots of positive persuasion and assurance.”

Mr Liston said many of the participants are now looking forward to riding to school.

“Tom Lanyon together with Jordan and Lachlan Smith were the younger participants who moved off training wheels and are on the cusp of understanding balance and pedalling,” he said.

“Another youngster was absolutely brilliant at the end of the course, he went from rolling his bike into the clinic class with no balance, to starting, riding and stopping and enjoying the excitement of achieving this milestone and gaining independence.

“Four of our students who achieved their own independence could barely ride five Mondays ago.”