The Dirt, May 2016

THE

DIRT MAY 2016

Cover pics by Jerry Landrum/BMXMania.com and Paul Goodall/Racer Pics

BMX World Championships Guide

Medellin, Colombia

2016 Calendar

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JANUARY

31st: Oceania BMX Championships, Continental Championships, Auckland (New Zealand) 6th - 7th: National Series Rounds 5 &6 | National Sign On Day

FEBRUARY 13th - 14th: National Sign On Day 21st-22nd: National Sign On Day

MARCH 1st - 7th: National Championships 25th-26th: UCI BMX Supercross World Cup, Santiago del Estero (Argentina)

APRIL 9th - 10th: UCI BMX Supercorss World Cup: Manchester (Great Britain) 30th: Australian Capital Territory State Titles

MAY

7th - 8th: UCI BMX Supercross World Cup: Papendal (Netherlands) 25th - 29th: UCI BMX World Championships: Medellin (Colombia)

JUNE JULY AUGUST 5th - 21st: Games of the XXXI Olympiad: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

SEPTEMBER 19th - 25th: Queensland State Titles 24th - 25th: UCI BMX Supercross World Cup, Rock Hill (USA)

OCTOBER 1st-2nd: New South Wales State Titles 5th - 8th: Northern Territory State Titles 8th-9th: UCI BMX Supercross World Cup, Sarasota (USA)

NOVEMBER 12th - 16th: South Australian State Titles 18th - 20th: Victorian State Titles

DECEMBER

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Contents

From the President............................4 Ride around AUS................................5 Ask Madill.............................................6 NextGen going to worlds................8 Worlds 2015 Review..........................10 Rio or Bust..........................................12 Athletes to follow at worlds.........14 Worlds preview 2016........................16 Sharon Willoughby talks Olympics..............................................18 Get to know Anita Wells....................................................20

From the President

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Worlds, Olympics, administrative changes and more!

It’s hard to believe that the better part of five months has passed in 2016 and the UCI BMX World Championships are upon us, not long ago we were just beginning the journey to worlds in Nerang on January 1.

When competition commences in Medellin, Colombia we will have almost 100 riders entered, an outstanding representation from Australia. It has been a significant task for the BMX Australia staff to help organise the trip to worlds - South America is quite different to holding a world championships in Europe!

There are a few other challenges in place at these championships, such as having two different tracks for elite and challenge riders. In order to best accommodate for this we have an assistant team manager at worlds this year to help with logistics and ensure that we look after our riders as best as possible.

I think it’s fair to say that we all hope that our riders produce a good challenge in Colombia!

While the worlds will be the major stage for many, we’re also in an Olympic year and with less than 100 days until Rio, the show on the biggest sporting stage in the world is just around the corner. We have been looking forward to this for some time, and hopefully it is a good run on from worlds.

The key task for Australia as a nation is ensuring that we have a full compliment of riders in Rio, that being three men and two women representing us, and it is so important that we as a country do well at worlds to ensure that we are able to achieve that.

Away from the track and we are in the throes of working with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) to appoint a new CEO. We are now well and truly in the final stages of that, and we are looking forward to making that announcement in the near future.

This isn’t the only area that we are working with the ASC on. We have also had several meetings to discuss participation for 2017 and we are hoping to obtain our ranking as an organisation in terms of how well we do this. This will allow us to see if our participation investment is on track

and the next stage will be planning a formulised year to year tracking plan so we can continue to maximise our growth as an organisation.

Growth is a key area for us, and after a number of years of doing our best to market our sport, we have engaged a company named Esquire Collective who will be undertaking a review into the marketable status of BMX as it is today. Esquire Collective will look at all facets of the business and how we market it.

It is my firm belief that BMX Australia has put a lot of groundwork into the live stream and also raising the profile of the sport. We now need to put our development as a sport into practice from mini-wheelers all the way through to the top. We need to market the sport properly with professional guidance from a company such as Esquire Collective.

Finally, I would like to update you on the review of this year’s national championships. Although this has taken longer than some members would have liked, in the interests of being thorough we now expect this to be finalised and released after the world championships. This is progressing well and we are looking forward to updating the members with the results, and improving the nationals experience in 2017 for all of our members.

Yours in the sport of BMX Barry Knight

BMXA President

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Ride around AUS

Helping a mate & Freestyle takes flight An update on Bruce Moore Earlier this year, Bathurst BMX club’s Bruce Moore was involved in a crash at Bathurst Bike Park that left him as a quadriplegic, a very rare occurrence in BMX riding.

In the time since he has undergone surgery on his spine, and sternum and in the past few months was transported from Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney to Ryde Hospital, where he has been undergoing rehabilitation.

With the expectation that he will be returning home to Orange in June, Bruce has been in good spirits and has been busy making the most of his time in rehabilitation, and will even spend a handful of days at his home between now and June.

While unable to lift anything above six kilograms in the first six weeks of his rehab process, Bruce has since been busy acquainting himself with a hand cycle bike, joining others to hand cycling around Parramatta Park, noting that it is much easier than pedalling a BMX and that he is enjoying the new challenge.

Although he is now able to take the bike out, the process of building up strength and his skills has been a long one.

In the weeks following his accident there was a ‘Ride for Bruce day in Bathurst’, and importantly a verbal agreement from BMX Australia to support Bruce and his family to the tune of $50,000.00 in funding, expected to go towards his medical bills and rehabilitation.

We look forward to updating you on how Bruce and his family are going over the coming months.

International Coaching Week

From Monday May 16 through to Sunday May 22, the world celebrated International Coaching Week, an annual weeklong global appreciation for the coaching profession driven by the International Coaching Federation.

In BMX we have a number of outstanding

coaches, led by 2016 coaches of the year Dee Hanby and Vernon Dries who both coach in Queensland. There are also a handful of riders who split their time between competing and coaching, including Western Australia’s Cat Hopkins who competes in elite’s while also filling the role of state crackerjack coach.

On the men’s side of the ledger Australian men’s national series champion Josh Callan is also the Victorian state coach, while fellow Aussie elite Kai Sakakibara is the NSW Dynamite coach.

In South Australia a new State Sport and Recreation funded ‘Growth and Inclusion’ grass roots program has been put in place, ensuring that the future of the sport is looked after under the guidance of some great coaching staff.

From BMX Australia it is a huge thanks to all the accredited coaches we have across Australia for all the hard work you do!

Get some air and coach Freestyle BMX BMX Australia is seeking expressions of interest for a Freestyle BMX coaching course to be run in the near future.

While there is plenty of action happening on track at the moment, there has been interest for a Freestyle course to be run, however a minimum number of participants is needed to run the course.

If you would be interested in attending a course email: coaching@bmxaustralia.com.au with your name, age, where you live and if you prefer to attend a course on a weekday or weekend.

Expressions of interest are due in by May 31, so don’t delay in getting in touch!

Luke Madill Pic by Grant Patterson

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Ask Madill Beginning in this edition of The Dirt, BMX Australia Development Academy Coach Luke Madill will be contributing his own column, and we want you to have input into what he writes about!

His column could range on topics from coaching tips to sponsorship advice, travel tips, general event preparation or anything in between! Luke will have answeres and shed a little more light on everything BMX.

To submit your questions send an email to news@bmxaustralia.com.au with: Your name, age, club and question!

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Ask Madill

Race preparation - more than smashing out laps Race preparation is one of the toughest things to set up for an individual’s training program. While every athlete has the ability to go out and punch out a hard session after a hard session, turning that into a strong preparation can be the difference between a good result and a great result. The three foundations of an individual training program are: goal setting, planning and periodization.

Goal Setting

Long and short term goals need to be set leading into the start of the season. They need to be realistic and reachable.

It is always important to have a short term goal you wish to achieve at each event. These are not just your typical goals like “I want to win” or “I want to make it to a final”. Make your goal one that will take your mind off a result, e.g. consistent gate starts, stronger mental preparation before the race or smoother laps.

Placing all your short term goals on a result puts way too much pressure on you. This can easily cause anxiousness and is less likely to assist your concentration on the lap you are about to complete. You are too focussed on the outcome rather than the process to achieve it. So having a goal/plan that is non-result based will in the end give you best chance of success.

Planning

Having a plan in place for every event is a key to success.

I see so many riders arriving at an event and cramming in as many gates and laps they can into their practice block. When you use this method there is no structure to the practice session, no formula that will encourage success.

When this happens a rider enters the event on the verge of being physically burnt out by the time racing begins, and by finals they are strug-

gling to race at their best. It’s important to limited time for practice at big events, so make sure you have a session plan ready to follow.

Periodization

When the final weeks to an important event are approaching, it is easy to get caught up in the hype and excitement of what might happen.

On the flipside, athletes can start doubting whether or not enough hard work has been done, and this can lead to an overload of training in the final few weeks and can also cause neurological stress.

Any rider, who is at the top of their game, has a periodised program that does not let the above happen. When done properly a periodization program touches on all the phases of training to increase a rider’s skill, power and mental strength.

Having a program in place allows you to taper your training leading into an event. This will then have you approaching the event feeling physically and mentally prepared.

The final six weeks of your training should be specific to the event you are attending when it comes to skill, strength, speed and mental preparation.

The last two weeks of your training should include a decrease in the volume of training and the body should not be overloaded physically or mentally.

In Short

If you can have all this in place, chances are that come race day you have put yourself in the best position to chase that great result.

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McGill and Barnes ride to worlds thanks to

Molly McGill & DesRee Barnes (Pic Courtesy Buchanan Next Gen

PAGE | 9 Australian 15 years BMX champion Molly McGill had resigned herself to missing this year’s UCI BMX World Championships in Medellin, Colombia, the cost of transporting herself and her bike too much for her family. That was until she received a ‘Buchanan Next Gen Jayco Scholarship’, courtesy of 2012 Olympian Caroline Buchanan.

Since 2013, Buchanan Next Gen has been financially assisting and mentoring young female riders, and this year, with the help of Jayco, awarded $3,000 to the winning female riders in the 14 years and 15 years age group at the Australian national titles, the objective being to help those riders travel to the world championships.

McGill, along with 14 years national champion and defending 13 years world champion Des’Ree Barnes raced to victory in their respective national championship finals, and with it came a cheque from Buchanan Next Gen, which McGill said was the difference to what was included in her 2016 racing calendar.

“It was the best thing winning that. Winning the Australian title was one thing, then the scholarship was just something else,” McGill exclaimed.

“The scholarship makes a huge difference, without it I wasn’t going to attend the worlds. I have spoken with Caroline a bit on email and it means so much that she gives back to the sport and back to the girls. It’s a massive bonus, what she does for the sport.

“I think in Colombia becoming the world champion is the ultimate goal, but to make a final would be great.”

“Hopefully I can defend the title I won last year, it will be difficult but I’m up for the challenge.”

While McGill and Barnes are just starting their careers, seasoned expert Buchanan knows the importance of supporting rising stars. She was a past recipient of support from Australian surfing legend Layne Beachley’s ‘Aim For The Stars Foundation’ and understands not only the role of mentoring, but also financial assistance.

“When I was around the 14/15-years age group I was singled out by Layne Beachley for a scholarship with her foundation, and having her believe in me and financially assist me gave me a big push in my career. That’s why these age groups are the ones I am targeting,” she said.

Although international BMX commitments meant that Buchanan was not present when Barnes and McGill won their awards, she expressed her pleasure at being able to assist the duo with their award.

“I am so pleased that Des’ree and Molly raced so hard at the nationals to not only be crowned Australian National Champions in their respective age categories but also bearers of the Buchanan Next Gen Jayco Scholarship. They will gain a wealth experience at the world championship, which will help them develop into the next generation of BMX riders.”

McGill, Barnes and Buchanan will be on track for the BMX World Championships from May 25-29 scholarship makes a in Medellin, Colombia.

“The huge difference, without it I wasn’t going to attend the worlds” - Molly McGill

For Barnes the scholarship provides a significant assistance to her parents in helping with the trip to worlds, as she sets her eyes on another world title.

“The scholarship is pretty important for my parents. It’s a big help,” Barnes said.

“I spoke to Caroline after I won the scholarship and she was pretty proud of me and said she was stoked that I got it. It feels good to know you have Caroline in your corner.

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2015 World Champions win eight gold in Zolde The #BMXAFamily was represented by 140 riders at the 2015 UCI BMX World Championships in Zolder, Belgium, ending the five-day championships with an incredible 17 medals - eight gold, four silver and five bronze.

In a stunning start to the championships Aiden Tillotson (5&6yrs boy’s), Bailey Mills (7yrs boy’s), Thomas Tucker (10yrs boy’s), Tyson Kenny (11yrs boy’s) and Des’Ree Barnes (13yrs girl’s) all won gold.

For Tucker it was his third straight world title, for Mills it was a second consecutive crown and for rising queen of the track Barnes it was the fourth world championship gold and sixth medal on the global stage in her burgeoning career.

A pair of silvers and five bronzes complimented the five opening day gold medals in a red-letter day for the Australian BMX family.

On the second and final day of challenger classes Nathaniel Rodway overcame a crash in practice to win a stunning gold medal.

The day could not have gotten off to a worse start for Rodway, the 15-years age rider crashing to the

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ships recap: Aussies er bitumen before being helped from the track by medical staff fearing his world title dream was over.

But after some positive treatment and a determination to not let the accident ruin his attempt to qualify for a maiden world championships final, Rodway was the standout rider in his age group throughout the day, winning every race he started except the semi final where he pulled up ten metres from the finish and cruised into the medal round.

Others to win gold for Australia included Shane Rosa in the junior elite time trial, where fellow Aussie Brandon Te Hiko was second, and Sarsha Huntington in the 30 & over women’s cruiser class.

In the elite events Caroline Buchanan went within a place of regaining the title she last held in 2013, whilst Sam Willoughby and Anthony Dean were the best performed of the elite men, both unfortunately crashing out in the final.

Rio or bust

Final chance to nail Olympic berth for elite riders Meet the athletes taking things to the next level The UCI BMX World Championships in Medellin, Columbia presents the final chance for Australia’s elite riders to book a spot on the Australian Team for the Olympic Games in Rio.

Sam1766-1000.jpg Opposite: Caroline Buchana has had a stellar start to 2016; Above (Clockwise from top left): Anthony Dean, Lauren Reynolds, Sam Willoughby, Bodi Turner(Pics by Jerry Landrum/BMXMania.com)

Australia’s highest ranked riders – Sam Willoughby, Anthony Dean and Bodi Turner in the men’s draw, and Caroline Buchanan and Lauren Reynolds in the women’s event – will lead a group of 21 competitors in the elite and junior elite competitions.

these major UCI level events.”

Whilst Willoughby, Dean, Turner, Buchanan and Reynolds now have the inside running for Olympic selection following performances over the last 12 months, a host of BMX Australia Development Academy riders will also be on show.

The first day of action for the elite competitors will be the fourth of the championships with qualifying and then the Super Finals for the time trial. The final day of the five-day meet will see the elites begin with motos followed by 1/8th finals, quarters, semis and the all important final where the race for the rainbow jersey will be on in earnest.

In the elite women’s event, fellow Development Academy team members Kirsten Dellar and Melinda McLeod, along with Rachel Jones, will join reigning national series and national championships winner Leanna Curtis.

Buchanan, who enters the event ranked number one in the world after a stellar start to 2016, said being ranked so well was a bonus but her focus was on error free racing.

“It’s a great place to be in coming into worlds #1 ranked I have been in this position before coming into world championships,” Buchanan said.

“For me the most important focus is executing and fine tuning mistakes I have made at previous world championships.

“The rider with the least amounts of mistakes will win. We are all fast and a handful of men and women are all in contention on any day to win

The elite men’s contingent includes Josh Callan, Corey Frieswyk, Matt Juster, Tristyn Kronk and Kai Sakakibara from the Development Academy.

Just one rider in the junior elite women’s event will represent Australia – current world 16yrs champion Saya Sakakibara. It will be the first time Sakakibara has represented Australia at a world championship, the prodigy having represented Japan in previous events on the global stage.

In the elite junior men’s field there will be more Development Academy riders on the track with national champion Andrew Hughes joined by squad members Josh Boyton, Jye Hombsch and Matt White.

Athletes to follow at worlds

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NAME Sam Willoughby DOB 15/08/1991 CLUB Happy Valley BMX Club, SA INSTAGRAM samwilloughby7

NAME Anthony Dean DOB 22/04/1991 CLUB Cross Keys BMX Club, SA INSTAGRAM adean144

NAME Bodi Turner DOB 18/09/1994 CLUB Eastfield BMX Club, VIC INSTAGRAM boditurner747

NAME Corey Frieswyk DOB 26/01/1994 CLUB Wakerston BMX Club, QLD INSTAGRAM coreyfrieswyk551

NAME Josh Callan DOB 08/04/1991 CLUB Lilydale BMX Club, VIC INSTAGRAM joshcallan

NAME Matthew Juster DOB 13/10/1990 CLUB Jingili BMX Club, NT INSTAGRAM juster661 (Argentina only)

NAME Kai Sakakibara DOB 29/07/1996 CLUB Southlake/Illawarra BMX Club, NSW INSTAGRAM sakakibarakai

NAME Tristyn Kronk DOB 10/01/1996 CLUB Walkerston BMX Club, QLD INSTAGRAM tristynkronk

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Athletes to follow at worlds NAME Caroline Buchanan DOB 24/10/1990 CLUB Tuggeranong BMX Club, ACT INSTAGRAM cbuchanan68

NAME Lauren Reynolds DOB 25/06/1991 CLUB Bunbury BMX Club, WA INSTAGRAM laurenreynolds

NAME Melinda McLeod DOB 12/02/1993 CLUB Nerang BMX Club, QLD INSTAGRAM melindamcleod

NAME Leanna Curtis DOB 05/08/1993 CLUB Southlake/Illawarra BMX Club, NSW INSTAGRAM leannacurtis172

NAME Rachel Jones DOB 18/10/1995 CLUB Lake Macquarie BMX Club, NSW INSTAGRAM rachjones58

NAME Kirsten Dellar DOB 29/10/1992 CLUB Westside BMX Club, WA INSTAGRAM kirstendellar

PAGE | 16 fourth crown in succession. For Barnes, who dominated the national series in her age group this year, a world championships win would be the fifth of her career.

Barnes said the feeling of riding for her country was amazing, the starlet happy to share the responsibility of leading the team with her fellow riders.

“It feels pretty special to represent Australia and I can’t wait to get to Colombia,” Barnes said.

“Our team is strong, we have other World Number 1’s, so that’s good and our riders are getting faster.”

The teenager said she has left no stone unturned in preparing for the championships and is heading to Colombia with one goal.

“Training is going well, we are do-

ing sprint sessions, gym, working on speed movement,” she said.

“At the track we are working on getting good speed from the track. My goal is to win and back up from last year.”

Six reigning champs headline Aussie challengers The return of six world champions to defend their titles is at the core of Australia’s 48-rider challenger class group that will compete on the opening two days of the 2016 World Championships.

Aiden Tillotson, Bailey Mills, Thomas Tucker, Tyson Kenny, Des’Ree Barnes and Nathaniel Rodway all won gold in Zolder in 2015 and are primed to repeat their victories.

Amazingly, Mills will be aiming to win his third straight world title while Tucker is chasing a

All of Australia’s seven other medallists from the 2015 world championships – runner’s up Vada Botfield and Jesse Asmus, along with bronze medal winners Portia Eden, Cameron Gatt, Callum Howarth, Josh Jolly and Sacha Mills – will return to the global stage aiming to step higher on the podium.

Some of Australia’s top medal contenders will come from those athletes who have trained under Luke Madill and Sharon Willoughby

PAGE | 17 in the BMX Australia Development Academy over the last six moths, including the prodigious Rod- Willoughby suggested a handful of riders she way and fellow rising stars Lorsyn Affoo, Felicia thought could challenge for gold medals.

Thomas, Shelby Green and Declan Jaehne.

“I am expecting the BMXA Development AcadOur youngest team members are 6-year-old trio emy riders Lorsyn Affoo and Declan Jaehne to Oskar Creighton, Mason Thorn and Lilly Clarke, do very well, especially Nathanial Rodway and whilst our ‘most experienced’ rider in the chalShelby Green being the more experienced ridlenge classes is 59-year-old Narelle Falkenhaers, however, young riders like Des’Ree Barnes, gen.

Tommy Tucker, Molly McGill and Cameron Gatt should also shine in their age groups,” she said.

Sharon Willoughby says Australia has a strong squad across the board and good results could “I would like to wish all of the Australian riders be expected. competing in the world championships in Colombia all the very best and I am looking forward to “In the past (at world championships) Austraseeing them compete and represent Australia.” lia has and performed very well and this year should be no different,” Willoughby said.

“BMX Australia provides a quality program and pathway for developing riders.

“We would expect out team of Australian riders to be well represented in the finals and joining other countries on the podium.”

Plenty of experience in Australia’s cruiser stocks On the third day of the world championships the focus will turn to the cruiser events with Australia represented by 19 riders from the 12 & under boy’s right through to the 30 & over women and 45 & over men.

Other parents of children competing in the challenge class, who will race cruisers in the true sense of the BMXA Family, include Julia Botfield, Marc Tillotson, Luke Barnes and Glenn Eden.

Eight of the Aussie contingent will be backing up from challenger class competition in the two days prior with young guns Thomas Tucker (12 & u boy’s), Patrick Bognar (13 & 14 boy’s) and Ronan Weber (15 & 16 boy’s) leading the way.

In the women’s events, Australia’s reigning 30 & over world champion Sarsha Huntington will not defend her title but veterans Sandy Cameron, Narelle Falkenhagen, Melanie Gibson and Danielle Lawrence will join Botfield in that age group.

Bognar just missed a medal in the 12 & u boy’s cruiser event last year, finishing fourth after missing the start and trailing the field in the first straight.

Cameron was a revelation for Australia last year, finishing just outside the finals but putting in one of many other outstanding performances for Australia.

The Sydneysider, who at 48 will be racing women up to 18 years her junior, only took up the sport of BMX three years ago and is improving every lap.

Making it a family affair, Wayne Jolly (45 & over men) will compete alongside son Josh (12 & u boy’s), whilst Bognar will be joined on track by dad Adrian in the 40-44 men’s field.

The Olympics

What they mean to me

Sharon Willoughby: BMXA Development Academy coach, mother

Disappointment, the first thing Sharon Willoughby felt when she watched her son Sam cross the finish line in London. It wasn’t the kind of disappointment she wallowed on, it was fleeting and empathetic of the immediate emotion she saw on her son’s face…but it passed as soon as it came. Sam finished with an Olympic silver medal, Australia’s first and only Olympic BMX medal to date. Willoughby has lived the rollercoaster that is unavoidable on the journey to an Olympics Games as a parent, and in 2016 she’s hoping to do it all again.

Here’s what the Olympics mean to Sharon Willoughby, mother of 2012 Olympic silver medallist Sam and coach of the BMX Australia Development Academy We were never engaged in sports that aligned with the Olympic movement…Our children and wider family were footballers and BMX riders, they were never tennis players or swimmers, but I guess it’s ironic that both football and BMX are in the Olympics! We were interested in sport generally, and would watch the Olympics. It’s fair to say that you always hold an Olympic athlete to a high regard, you admire their highs and lows, no matter the outcome. But we never really had a connection with the Games until Sam was in them.

When BMX was announced as a new Olympic sport for Beijing, we knew Sam could be good enough to make it…but he was too young for the Beijing Games, so we knew he would be close for London. Sam always did very well when he was in junior elite, he then took himself to America and ticked a few boxes as he made finals in supercross. That probably reaffirmed that he would be in contention. He was also selected in what was then known as the National Talent Identification (NITD) squad, which we knew was designed to prepare riders for the Olympic Games.

As a coach, you always want the best for your riders, you share their joy and disappointment, as a mother those feelings are amplified…Around about when Sam’s Olympic journey began I was looking after the South Australian state team, which included a lot of training and travel and you always hope that your riders work hard and maybe make the Australian team. As a coach you understand what it takes. When Sam was selected for London BMX was still really only developing and changing so fast. We were along for the ride.

PAGE | 19 I’ll never forget the London Olympic final race. It felt like forever, but goes really fast. There’s so much anticipation…I still have vision in my head of that race Sam was in, especially the third and fourth straights when he was going toe to toe with Maris Strombergs. I was hoping Sam could get gold, but also preserve silver and it was a strange feeling. Everything was crossed and I was praying that he stayed on the bike and didn’t do anything silly. In the end Strombergs got his second consecutive Olympic gold, and Sam got silver. I could see he was disappointed – but it’s still an Olympic medal!

You can’t be more proud as a parent than when you see your child on the Olympic dais…it’s a part of history and it will be there forever. People talk about it, and it reminds me of how I used to think of other Olympians, it reminds you of the importance of the Games. I know Sam is appreciative of his silver and looks back fondly, but he’s always got his eyes forward, focused on the next step. For him it’s all about being prepared and growing to be ready for the Rio experience.

I’m lucky to be involved as a coach and a parent…I love working with the BMXA Development Academy. I’m in a lucky position where I can give

athletes some insight into what it is like to ride your way to the Olympics, thanks to my experience with Sam. Like anything there is more to the story than what you read. A lot of the emerging talents look up to Sam and I think it is grounding for them when I can tell them that Sam was just like them, he had to work hard, commit and be dedicated to get to where he is.

I don’t know everything, but I do have advice that I think can help both young riders and their parents…Let me start with parents, especially those that could one day be on an Olympic journey with their son or daughter: Enjoy the sport and keep it in perspective! Never get ahead of yourself and never give up. There are lots of bumps along the way, you just need to be flexible and enjoy the dream. For the young riders out there: Listen to a variety of people. Once you have all the information, process it and work out what is right for you.

There isn’t one recipe that works if you want to make the Olympics, it’s a range of things and you need to work out what is right for you.

- Sharon

Sam Willoughby: Pic by Jerry Landrum/BMXMania.com

PAGE | 20 was a small and dedicated group of parents and I joined them,” Wells said.

“From my time as president at the club I then moved on to be the Tasmanian State Vice President and State Team Manager and took a group to nationals.

“During that time I was also part of a group that rebuilt the club track. We had received a funding grant and raised funds to have it changed, it had been 10 years since there was an update.”

Anita Wells

BMX is a family sport. That’s what National Coaching Director and BMX Australia board member Anita Wells loves about it, and it’s what brought her to the sport when he daughter Es-

Like many families involved in BMX, Wells found that she wasn’t part of a family that rode BMX, she had a true BMX family and the sport began dictating life decisions. As Esther continued to improve, it became apparent that more opportunities would be present in Victoria, so in 2012 Wells made the move from Tasmania.

“Esther’s BMX wasn’t the only reason we moved

YOU NEED TO KNOW

ANITA WELLS - National Coaching Director

ther Woodward first turned the cranks at Southern City BMX club in Tasmania.

away from Tasmania, but it certainly was a factor,” she said.

Like many of the people that sign up at national sign on days around the country now, Wells wasn’t a BMX person until Esther was taken to the track for a come and try day, her father thinking it would be a good idea to get involved.

As Anita Wells had expected, her daughter loved the sport and at the age of eight abandoned cheerleading for leading out of the gate.

“If I recall, around that time she had the 5A plate and she was offered a place on the Victorian State Team, it was an opportunity she had to take.

For Anita it only seemed logical to also get involved, seeing as though she would be spending so much time at the track with her daughter. It wasn’t too long after Esther had started riding that the role of club president at Southern City BMX came up, and Anita decided to get involved. Little did she know it would start a pathway to where she is today as an integral member of the BMX Australia community.

“I can’t ride, I had tried, so I thought helping out would be a better avenue. Southern City BMX

“For me the move also meant that I would be involved with another facet of the BMX community, and I took on an advisory role to the BMX Victoria board and provided a review of their state coaching structure and also implemented that.”

Like many sports, BMX relies heavily on volunteers who bring a variety of skills be it business acumen, management, officiating or just a general willingness to lend a hand. Wells found that being a part of the volunteer community for the sport was her passion, so unsurprisingly it was through this willingness to contribute that she soon found herself as a member of the BMX Australia board.

PAGE | 21 “I began my role as National Coaching Director in 2014. It was a role that had been dormant for some time, but with so many changes coming into place it was one that could again be utilised,” Wells said.

“At the time BMXA had a lot of new initiatives on the go and there was restructure going on, including in the administration, coaching accreditation and creation of the BMXA Development Academy.

“The other important element that we were working on was the development of the national athlete pathway network. This is where the future of the sport is. Our pathways will provide opportunities down to state and club level for riders, coaches and officials. There is a chance for everyone to enjoy the sport.”

It’s the point that everyone should be able to enjoy the sport, no matter what level that Wells believes is the key to Australia eventually enjoying success in the top echelons of the sport.

“Australia is currently the second largest country in the world in terms of BMX membership, and it puts us in great stead to be the most dominant country, especially when it comes to the Olympics,” she said.

“The BMXA Development Academy will be an important part of the future. It sits under high performance and underpins the development of all riders, providing them with opportunities for the future.

“But before we get ahead of ourselves and think about that, we need to ensure there are plenty of events for all riders, of all abilities.

“I think the fact that age group riders can compete at nationals and worlds sets our sport apart from other sports. There are different ages and formats and that is what makes us unique.”

Wells’ daughter, Esther Woodwward in action (Pic: Mad B Photography)

THE

DIRT MAY 2016