Good road clubs for kids?

fat bloke

I'm really keen to keep my two girls (11 & 13) pedalling. They're not short of gear or equipment, but what I can't buy is motivation. I feel like a bit of a traitor asking outside of my own club but the reality for the moment is that the numbers just aren't there for a group dynamic and the social interaction and motivation that goes with a larger peer group.
Is there a club around at the moment with numbers in that age group? They'd be well able for 50k spins, just at the right pace. My gut tells me Lucan or Orwell must be the most likely candidates given sheer size?

Wishbone Ash

McNally Swords CC do them occasionally but there isn't really a regular roster. Myself and Beasty had a group out yesterday morning on a 20k ride but that was the first in a while.

fat bloke

Swords would be a bit too far away really for us I reckon. South / West Dublin preferably.

Miklos

Orwell have a really well supported youth section.

Beasty

For your area I am sure Orwell will be your best choice. They are about as family-friendly club you can come across.

Northside I've been running youth spins aimed at u14s for Swords with my 12yo son and 13yo daughter being two of the "mainstays". Yesterday we had an 11yo join us, and we've also had a few more over the course of last season. At this stage though we are starting off with shorter spins (25km or so) and will build up during the summer.

I started off last year with a couple of sessions at Corkagh Park, and am thinking of doing something there again - all will be welcome. Orwell have been doing some youth racing there - it was on Monday evenings last year IIRC - again they will accept kids from other clubs.

Then there's Sundrive - a different environment, but one where kids seem to flourish (as I'm sure your missus will know). They do accreditation for youths the first 2 Saturdays of each month and I'm intending taking mine down to the next one

I know some clubs struggle to accommodate kids of this age - there is a lot of commitment required from the club, and clearly Gardaí vetting needs to be in place. I do though think that those clubs that can build strong youth sections will typically accommodate kids from other clubs, which does allow a bit more of a "critical mass" within those clubs

Having said that smaller groups can often be better as abilities can vary greatly at this level and sometimes the stronger kids may not feel they are getting a great deal out of the spins (although I personally think it's better to be getting the road craft ahead of stamina at this stage of their development)

fat bloke

Thanks for that. I'm more than willing to muck in and go along with them, Sundays for definite. It's not like I'm looking for drop and see yiz later babysitting.

You might let me know about those swords spins too, I mean it's not a million miles away either and the roads are flatter than around us!

joey100

I know it's probably a dirty word around here but Triathlon Ireland organise a few training days for kids. Most would be based around a swimming pool too, so no need for wetsuits or anything. Few clubs like Belpark, Pulse and skerries run kids duathlons during the summer too. I know it's not a weekly event or a club but the atmosphere at them is good and there is a bit of a buzz around the kids events. They get medals and the races are split into age groups, but it's more around participation than the actual race.

fat bloke

joey100 wrote: »

I know it's probably a dirty word around here but Triathlon .....

Get.

Out.

Lumen

joey100 wrote: »

I know it's probably a dirty word around here but Triathlon Ireland organise a few training days for kids.

After seeing some wetsuited tridorks in the Paddy's Day parade, my 11 year old son waited until I was in a positive calm mood and then started this conversation...

Lumen Jr: Daddy....I've something to ask you but I don't think you'll approve.
Me: Eh, OK. Go on... (christ I hope he's not joining Opus Dei or something)
Lumen Jr: Well, I'd like to start Triathlon.
Me: Oh, OK. Why did you think I wouldn't approve?
Lumen Jr: Mummy says you think they're morons.

:eek:

This proves several things:

1. I am a terrible tri bigot.
2. My wife sometimes listens to me.

One of these is surprising.

joey100

Without dragging this too much off topic sum of the tri clubs are doing some great work with the junior sections. Fingal are particularly active and I think Pulse (Tallaght direction) do a good bit as well. The fact they get to 'race' as well can make it a bit more interesting than long spins on the bike. There is a great atmosphere at the races and they tend to be well attended with most of the adult doing the event around for it. TI have a development officer in Leinster too who does a good bit of work with new to tri days and junior training days. Think some schools are starting to link it with it too. The downside, apart from being a triathlete and not being a proper cyclist, runner or swimmer is cost. If you think cycling is expensive wait til you get into triathlon. Like most things though it can be done cheaply.

Lumen

joey100 wrote: »

The downside, apart from being a triathlete and not being a proper cyclist, runner or swimmer ...

That is also an upside.

Doing swimming "properly" is hard. The club that operates from our local pool has a several years long waiting list, apparently (or maybe that's a talent filter). And the training is reputedly brutal in terms of early morning starts. My kids are OK at swimming (to my untrained eye) with only one hour a week of proper lane training. More would be good, but not that much more.

I'm mostly against aiming for excellence in kids sport until late teens. For kids with real talent and natural drive it makes sense if it makes them happy, but for my own kids I'd rather they were quite good at lots of things, it makes for a more interesting life.

fat bloke

Well I agree with the basic point that tri clubs are soooooo much better at marketing and welcoming and the general pre and post event group hug than cycling clubs, which is why they do so well. Lets face it, cyclists are weirdo, loner, a-social, odd-as-two-left-cleats, misfits. When a tri event finish the campfires are lit, the guitars come out, car-keys go into a communal bowl -the whole 9 yards. At a cycle race, the chequered flag just signifies the start of the next stage - the race to get the bike disassembled, into the boot of the car to haul a$$ and spew-gravel the fcuk outta there. If you get a goodbye grunt then you're one of the special ones!

CramCycle

Sundrive adn their track league are very family friendly and really supportive, if you would liek to get your kids and teenagers into cycling, it is a great place to start. Ages from 7yo upto 18yo the last time I was there, someone from every age to talk to so they don't feel like the only one their age.

As soon as my kid is old enough (and has an interest), I plan to bring him.

lissard

Lumen wrote: »

I'm mostly against aiming for excellence in kids sport until late teens. For kids with real talent and natural drive it makes sense if it makes them happy, but for my own kids I'd rather they were quite good at lots of things, it makes for a more interesting life.

Couldn't agree more. There's a lot to be said for experiencing the camaraderie of playing with your mates and just having fun. It's the reason there is a sport in the first place. I always was a 2nd XI player and could never get my head around the mentality of elite players. My definition of success is not winning leagues or players getting representative honours, it's seeing the kids still playing 10 years down the line.

fat bloke

So.

I contacted Orwell and they do road spins for all ages on Sunday mornings. I was bit tender getting up on the bike Sunday morning after the Randonee, and the weather was a bit manky, but the kids voted to brave the elements and it was a lovely morning out. Tehy meet at Joe Daly's and we went to Enniskerry for hot chocolate. Probably did my legs good to potter around for 45k or so.

Anywa, fair play to Orwell. We'll be making a regular sunday of it. If anyone else fancies it, I highly recommend it.

Macy0161

joey100 wrote: »

Without dragging this too much off topic sum of the tri clubs are doing some great work with the junior sections. Fingal are particularly active and I think Pulse (Tallaght direction) do a good bit as well. The fact they get to 'race' as well can make it a bit more interesting than long spins on the bike. There is a great atmosphere at the races and they tend to be well attended with most of the adult doing the event around for it. TI have a development officer in Leinster too who does a good bit of work with new to tri days and junior training days. Think some schools are starting to link it with it too. The downside, apart from being a triathlete and not being a proper cyclist, runner or swimmer is cost. If you think cycling is expensive wait til you get into triathlon. Like most things though it can be done cheaply.

Not sure where the OP is based, but Wicklow TC also have an active junior section. Normally done on a rotating basis of swim, bike, run on Sundays, based around Greystones. For that age, the bike spin is normally circa 20km. They also have a swimming wetsuit hire scheme.

Think it's the mammys and daddy's (especially the daddy's) that make triathlon expensive! Doesn't have to be, although at 13 maybe it would (I'm not there yet!).

eeeee

Sundrive put an awful lot into youths and there's a good community of young people there every Saturday and Wednesday. There are groups of all ages - from single digits to 70's there every week and the big numbers of youth mean it's really social for them, on and off the track. It's a particularly welcoming community, and kids get minded when parents race on Wednesday evenings - they kind of mind themselves really!

But it's fun, they're are plenty of girls their age doing it, and super social. And safe. But mostly fun!

fat bloke

There's no doubt but that the track is a great set up. It just doesn't suit our timetable unfortunately.

Also, tbh I'd rather trundle along beside the kids for a couple of hours on my own bike, than hang around the track idly twittering/facebooking waiting for them.