Guidance

Developing the Whole Person

Support to develop the person as well as the rider.
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Cycling is unique

Cycling is a wonderful activity, whether riding a bike for fun, leisure, utility, adventure or racing. The benefits of being active are well known, and there are many intrinsic benefits to participating in sport, but we believe cycling is unique in both being a life skill, a form of travel, a way to see the world, a way to connect with friends, as well an exciting form of racing and competition.

Developing the person

Our framework goes beyond just developing technical cycling skills. We’re asking the cycling community—including coaches, clubs, schools, and leisure providers—to help nurture the individual as well as the rider. Together, we aim to support young riders, not just toward racing, but wherever the bike may take them.

Key coaching principles to consider:

  • Connection before correction: Get to know your riders. What do they enjoy? How do they like to learn? How do they want to be challenged?
  • Let them be children and play: Encourage learning through play to build confidence, social skills, and decision-making. Play is a vital part of childhood.
  • Stage, not age: Rider development is personal. Allow riders to progress at their own pace rather than based on age.
  • Involve the riders: Let them help plan sessions, create game rules, or design skill courses.
  • Maintain safety and control: While fostering rider development, coaches must ensure the environment is always safe.

Want more tips around child first coaching and how to implement it into your coaching through the Play Their Way website.

Delivery principles to consider

Make session FUN!

Try and make every activity fun. Fun is subjective - competition/ racing is fun for some, but not others, so think about what ‘fun’ means for your group. Get creative and have a play with ‘traditional’ cycling delivery to create fun and engaging environments and activities that keep riders coming back.

We are encouraging delivers to invoke the spirit of the playground and focus on games to develop person and riders skills, rather than having cycling skills as the primary focus. Anything is possible on the bike (and off it!) – you could play Tig, Eye Spy, ...anything really! Take a look at our guidance on session design for more support and inspiration.

Person focussed

Every session should challenge riders and through challenge comes personal development. Consider how riders will be developing their cognitive abilities (thinking, problem solving and decision making skills), their physical ability (from fundamental movement skills to power), their social skills (relationships, working with others, leadership) and their emotions (development around fear, anger, sadness, interest, joy, embarrassment, guilt and shame)

Rider led

Riders should have a say in the sessions and what they enjoy, and how they want to develop. We encourage coaches to get riders to think about their development and to bring their own skills and challenges to sessions.

Appropriately challenging

Riders should be challenged in every session. A lack of challenge can lead to boredom and then potentially drop out, so you need to ensure there is an appropriate level of challenge (and fun!) in every session.

Resources and sharing best practice.

We won’t provide all the answers – we think you, the coaches and deliverers, have the answers relative to your environment. But will provide some ideas to help you get started and opportunities to connect, get inspired and learn from other clubs at our webinars. Do you have a question about how to support young rider development? Or an approach that's working well? Share it! Webinars take place bi-weekly on Wednesday evenings.Check out our Support Page for more information.

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