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UPDATE: All groups are now full

Additional places may become available as final group allocations are made and volunteer ride leaders are confirmed. Please complete and submit this form if you would like to join the waitlist for these groups: https://forms.gle/NonBrrNvLB8BGyC46

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General Information

The Alpine Cycling Club Junior Program has been running for many years and is constantly evolving to offer the best opportunities for our up-and-coming young riders. It is one of the largest junior programs in the country, attracting around 80 junior riders every week. The program incorporates skills coaching and provides a friendly social setting for juniors to enjoy mountain biking together on our fantastic local trails.

The program provides junior riders of all abilities, aged from 4-17 years old, the opportunity to build their mountain biking skills and confidence in a safe, fun and supportive environment.

Whether it's mastering new trails, developing skills, making new friends, supporting racing ambitions or simply having fun outdoors, the program has something to offer every junior rider.

When they register for the program each child receives:

• Participation in the Junior Mountain Bike Program;

• Skills coaching throughout the season;

• Alpine Cycling Club Junior Program T-Shirt;

• Program name plate;

• Mystic Park Membership (by reimbursement);

• End of term BBQ;

• Information about other riding opportunities; and

• A whole lot of MTB fun and friends.

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Groups

The Junior Program caters for a diverse range of junior riders, from new young riders who have just graduated from their balance bike to pedals, to young shredders that mum and dad can no longer keep up with. Groups are arranged so junior riders can ride, learn, and have fun with peers of similar capability, fitness, age and riding interests. Groups are described in the table below.

The program includes groups specifically for girls aged 8 – 17 years old, with an emphasis on fun, social riding, exploring new trails and skills coaching sessions, proudly supported by #thisgirlcanvic.

Each group category (white, green, blue, etc.) generally includes up to two groups of up to eight junior riders. Each group is led by a volunteer adult ride leader, a volunteer adult ride assistant, and a junior mentor from the progression squad.

Keeping groups at, or below, eight junior riders enables us to maintain a safe and supportive environment and facilitates effective skills coaching.

Group	Description	Open to:	Indicative Age	Indicative Wheel Size	Indicative Terrain	Session Day & Times
White	White riders have progressed from their balance bike (or training wheels) and are ready to take their pedal bikes onto Mystic Park’s mellow lower trails. White group is about becoming a stronger rider while having a tonne of fun on two wheels with friends.	Boys and girls	4 – 6	16” – 20” pedal bike	Pump Track, Hot Wheels, Sugar Glider	Tuesday 4:30 – 5:45pm
Green	Green riders are building stronger legs and better bike control, allowing them to ride further and on more challenging trails. Green group are building skills to confidently ride Mystic Park’s green and blue trails. Green riders will learn braking, body position and off-road riding skills in a safe, fun and supportive environment.	Boys and girls	6 – 8	20” – 24”	Roller Coaster, Wombat’s Lair, Progressing to Tombstone, Slider and Shred Kelly	Tuesday 4:30 – 6pm
Blue	Blue riders are building their skills, confidence, and stamina. They are riding further and faster on flow trails and beginning to tackle Mystic’s steeper and more technical trails. Coaching for blue riders will include body position, cornering, braking and riding technical features.	Boys and girls	8 – 11	24” – 27.5”	Tombstone, Shred Kelly, Down DJ, Progressing to Curtain and Dreamweaver	Tuesday 4:30 – 6pm
Orange	Orange riders are riding further and faster and tackling Mystic Park’s steeper and more technical terrain with confidence. Coaching for orange riders will include cornering, braking, riding technical features, reading the trail and manoeuvres.	Boys and girls	10 – 13	26” – 29”	Hero, Curtain, Dreamweaver, Corkscrew, Progressing to Lockdown and Elevation	Tuesday 4:30 – 6pm
Magenta	Magenta is a girl only group with an emphasis on fun, social riding, exploring new trails and skills coaching sessions, proudly supported by #thisgirlcanvic. Coaching for magenta riders will include cornering, braking, riding technical features, reading the trail and manoeuvres.	Girls only	8 – 12	24” – 29”	Shred Kelly, Hero, Curtain, Dreamweaver	Friday 4:30 – 6pm
Purple	Purple is a girl only group with an emphasis on fun, social riding, exploring new trails and skills coaching sessions, proudly supported by #thisgirlcanvic. Coaching for purple riders will include cornering, braking, riding technical features, reading the trail and manoeuvres.	Girls only	12 – 17	24” – 29”	Shred Kelly, Hero, Curtain, Dreamweaver	Tuesday 4:30 – 6pm

Please note that the table above is a guide to help parents select where their child might best fit. Final group allocations will be made by colour coordinators and ride leaders to achieve the best fit for all participants.

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Coaching

The Alpine Cycling Club has supported more than fifteen volunteer ride leaders/assistants to undertake mountain bike instructor training through the Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA). Our instructors are skilled riders trained to teach and coach riders to master techniques and develop new skills.

Supporting our junior riders to become the best they can be through instruction, practice and feedback is a key focus of junior mountain bike club. Coaching will focus on developing junior rider’s foundational skills and manoeuvres to enhance their skills, confidence, safety and enjoyment.

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Schedule

The program runs during Term 4, 2023 and Term 1, 2024. The program does not run on public holidays and during school holidays.

The program commences in the second week of Term 4, on Tuesday the 10th October 2023. The Magenta group commences the same week, on Friday the 13th of October.

The first week of term 4, Tuesday 3rd of October, will not be a ride week for juniors but we will run an induction/training session for adult ride leaders, ride assistants and progression squad mentors.

The program concludes on the last week of term with an end of season BBQ on Tuesday the 19th of December.

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Meeting Place/Time

All Junior riders meet at the Mystic Park Trailhead on Churchill Avenue, Bright. Group's meeting spots will be spread across the trailhead area, with each group’s meeting spot marked with a sign.

Meeting days/times are as follows:

White, Green, Blue, Orange and Purple groups: Tuesdays arrive at 4:30pm, so groups are ready to ride away at 4:45pm. All groups, except white, return to the trailhead for parent pickup at 6pm. White group returns at 5:45pm.

Magenta Group: Fridays, 4:30pm – 6pm

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Registering and Membership Requirements

Entry Boss Registration

You will need to sign up to Entry Boss and create a profile for your children before you register them. To do this go to your Entry Boss account page and click the "add" button in the profile section to add a profile for each of your children.

Auscycling & Alpine Cycling Club Membership

Your child's profile must include their Auscycling membership number. To purchase or renew your club and Auscycling membership head to: www.auscycling.org.au/membership.

Junior Memberships (under 18) are all the same price so we suggest ‘Race All Discipline’. While obtaining your AusCycling licence you will need to select to join Alpine Cycling Club (ACC). This will allow you to pay your club fees in the same transaction. The Auscycling membership covers essential insurance requirements for junior riders.

All participants must have a current Aus Cycling Licence that is valid for the entire period of the program.

Mystic Park Membership

Information on Mystic Park memberships for junior Alpine Cycling Club members is available here: https://alpinecyclingclub.com.au/mysticpark/. The club will re-imburse your child's junior Mystic Park membership fee. Email treasurer@alpinecyclingclub.com.au (quoting your Mystic member number) to obtain reimbursement.

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Volunteers

The successful operation of the Junior Program relies on volunteers. Volunteer coordinators, ride leaders and ride assistants are all critical to the safe and effective operation of the program.

Volunteering is a fun and rewarding way to support juniors to improve their skills, conquer new challenges and share in a heap of fun along the way. Consistent ride leaders help maintain continuity, skills development momentum and a familiar and supportive environment for the juniors. Seeing your group progress, develop and improve is a rewarding experience. Ride leaders that can maintain a regular commitment to lead a group are strongly encouraged.

All volunteers will be invited to participate in a training/induction session prior to the commencement of the program and supported by more experienced volunteers throughout the program. The Alpine Cycling Club will continue its commitment to junior development by supporting committed volunteers to undertake professional mountain bike coaching training.

Further information on being a volunteer ride leader or assistant is available here: https://alpinecyclingclub.com.au/being-a-ride-leader-assistant/

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Contact

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Alpine Cycling Club Junior Program Coordinator: juniors@alpinecyclingclub.com.au.

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