Thirteen children have graduated from the first AusBike learn to ride course in the Blue Mountains
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Ride Blue Mountains delivered the skills program for children aged 5-12 over eight weeks between October and December at Lawson Oval.
Seven students completed the foundational skills course and six completed the intermediate skills course.
The program was a hit with parents, children and coaches.
"The AusBike course provided a safe, fun and structured environment for my daughter to develop her bike riding skills," said Wentworth Falls resident Luke Brown.
"The children were split into groups based on their abilities and the content of each lesson focused on developing better bike control and confidence on the bike. My daughter can now complete exercises such as riding one-handed and riding very slowly without needing to put her feet down. All of these skills will be helpful when she starts riding on our local roads in the future."
Rebecca McFarlane enrolled her daughter in the course after many attempts learning to ride during COVID-19 lockdowns.
"She was still lacking confidence and using training wheels at age eight, so after seeing the AusBike course on Facebook, we decided to enroll her," she said. "Her training wheels were removed at the beginning of the week 1 lesson at Lawson Oval. Each week she gained confidence. By the end of the eight week course, she has learned to ride independently and is very much looking forward to the next AusBike course in 2024."
The course's teachers were put through a rigorous accreditation program by AusCycling before the start of the program.
"The accreditation program was hard work but worth the effort," said instructor, Phil Greenidge. "Working with the kids and their parents over the eight-week program was incredibly rewarding. To witness their enthusiasm and their rapid progress from week to week was very inspiring."
Ride Blue Mountains got involved with AusBike to encourage children to ride to improve health and wellbeing and nurture a lifelong love of cycling.
"I thank AusCycling for entrusting the delivery of the program to Ride Blue Mountains and the staff at Blue Mountains City Council who were extremely helpful in locating a suitable site in the Mid-Mountains for the purpose of the program's delivery," said Ride Blue Mountains president, David Tritton.
"Ride Blue Mountains also thanks North Katoomba Public School for making available their Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) for use in inclement weather. I am also grateful to our AusCycling accredited instructors, Daniel Zanardo, Phil Greenidge and Stephen Tomczyk and instructor's aid, Fiona Tritton.
"I am especially grateful to the parents for their support and commitment to the program and also our inaugural 2023 class of students who turned up each week and engaged with the learning enthusiastically and made such a big effort."
The next AusBike program will be available in Term 2, 2024 for beginners, intermediate and advanced riders ages 5-12 years. Information about the course will be released in the first half of Term 1 in the new school year.
AusCycling is Australia's national sporting organisation responsible for the development and growth of all forms of cycling - including MTB, BMX, road and track.
