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General Information

The Alpine Cycling Club Progression Squad is a team of junior mountain bike riders, (both male and female) aged 13 years to 18 years, who share a commitment to progressing their riding skills and a desire to represent their club at racing events. The Progression Squad Program aims to help junior riders achieve their full potential and become well-rounded, confident, supportive riders who share a strong team mentality.

Progression Squad members will gain skills that will enable them to become faster, safer and more developed riders. The focus will be on building a squad of riders who share a positive team culture and an ability to self-monitor their skill progression to ensure maximum safety.

Cost: $100

The Progression Squad program includes:

• Weekly skills coaching
• Race preparation training
• Bike and suspension set-up advice
• Shuttles sessions with Blue Dirt every 3 weeks (3 sessions in term 4)
• Opportunities to race as part of the Alpine Cycling Club team as part of a supported team group
• Participation in club activities
• Supporting the Junior MTB club as a ride mentor for younger kids

The program has limited numbers and riders will be split into two coaching groups.

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Suitability

It is expected that participants can ride all the trails (B lines) in Mystic Bike Park with the exception of the Downhill trails (World Cup/Mystic Downhill, but are keen to work towards these). Riders need to have a good level of fitness, for example be able to ride up to Hero with no extended rest breaks. The program is intended for riders aged 13-17. If the program is not at capacity, there is potential for younger members to be assessed by the coaching team on their suitability for inclusion.

Riders are expected to commit to contributing to a supportive team environment and willing to support the Club in its activities.

If you are unsure if you fit these guidelines, please contact the program coordinator listed below who will be happy to have a chat.

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Coaching

Supporting progression squad members to realise their racing ambitions or progression aspirations and become the best they can be through instruction, practice and feedback is a key focus of the progression squad. Our instructors are accredited through the Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA) and are skilled riders trained to teach and coach riders to master techniques and ride faster, more consistently and with more confidence.

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Schedule

The program will run each Friday 5:30 – 7:00 pm during term 4, starting October 8th 2023. The program will not run during school holidays or on public holidays.

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 Progression Squad riders meet at 5:30pm Fridays at the Mystic Park Trailhead on Churchill Avenue, Bright.

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Rides and Events

The Alpine Cycling Club encourages progression squad members to compete in club, school, state and/or nation racing events, with a focus on personal development and competing as part of the Alpine Cycling Club team. The weekly skills sessions will work towards preparing riders for these events with a focus on the Gravity Enduro discipline.

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Role Models and Mentors

As part of being in the squad, members will be expected to be positive role models for the younger juniors. This will give the younger kids something to aspire to, in both their riding skills and their attitude towards riding and the club.

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Ride Essentials

• All participants must have a mechanically sound bike at all times. Cleaning and checking mechanical soundness will be essential for all riders and expected to be completed before each ride.
• Helmet – meeting Australian Standards - A full face helmet is required for all shuttle sessions (can have a detachable chin guard)
• Water bottle
• Riding gloves
• A spare tube, pump/canister & head, or repair kit
• Appropriate clothing
• Medical needs (inhalers, puffers etc)
• Other items we recommend but are not compulsory, riding glasses, knee pads, elbow pads, Full face Helmet (can have a detachable chin guard)
• A small snack.

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Progression Squad Camp

The program hopes to run a camp for squad members at Falls Creek. Progression squad members will be encouraged to take part. The intent is for the first day to be shuttle assisted riding on Fall’s Creek’s trails and to host a long-distance adventure ride in the Alpine National Park the next day. A parent or guardian will required to attend, more details to follow.

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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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