A FREE weekly cycling session in Victoria Park is set to skill-up juniors and develop their bike-riding confidence.<\/p>\n
Hosted by Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club on Wednesday evenings from 5.30pm, the 30-minute sessions will require children to bring their own bicycle and helmet to strengthen their capabilities on two wheels.<\/p>\n
BSCC president Tim Canny said an experienced coach will coordinate each week\u2019s activities on a safe road, closed to traffic.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the first 15 minutes, we\u2019ll run a skills session with witches\u2019 hats on the road, with drills to learn cycling skills, and these will be adapted according to the group\u2019s ability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen they\u2019ll do an organised race simulation, or timed hot laps, around our course. The coach may handicap that too, so stronger kids will go off last, or do more laps than the younger, less experienced kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the kids return in future weeks, their times will be recorded so they can try and beat their personal best.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sessions will be held on the Club\u2019s 1.1-kilometre criterium course. Mr Canny said cycling is a safe sport for young riders to try, especially in this controlled environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not taxing, so it\u2019s a good sport for kids\u2019 bodies. It\u2019s beneficial to their aerobic capacity and fitness, so it\u2019s a great way to keep kids healthy and active, or improve their health and activity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a social sport, too. You can talk while you\u2019re riding. The skills learnt can be applied to transport later on in life. Cycling gives you life skills,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
BSCC is looking forward to reengaging new and experienced children, and practice their COVID-19 plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great to see a return to organised sport, especially cycling, and really exciting for the Ballarat community to have something like this to commit to, and come along to during these COVID times,\u201d Mr Canny said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re hoping we\u2019ll see more cyclists come along on Wednesday, because cycling is something kids have taken up, continued with, or done more of through the pandemic, albeit socially and recreationally.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully, down the track, that will mean more members for the Club and more people on bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n