Talent Team 2020 Finding Their Feet – Off Road
Tollymore Outdoor Adventure Centre was the venue for the Female 2020 Talent Team’s second training camp. The focus was on Mountain Biking and Tollymore was the perfect venue with its purpose designed Mountain Bike Skills Courses to take this enthusiastic young group. Set at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, Tollymore is an excellent venue and deserves much praise. There are a variety of skills courses catering for beginners to elite rider’s right next to the centre, which was perfect for this group with such a wide range of skill.
Ciara McManus – Head Coach – kicked off the day by taking the girls through a bike check to make sure all bikes were in good working order and specifically that the breaks worked; she gave a demo on the neutral position ensuring everyone got the idea before proceeding with breaking techniques. The more experienced MTB girls gave a demo on how to break using the back break only and then the front break. Nicola Oldham and Rachel Ormrod put the girls through their paces showing them how to balance and stay in the neutral position.
After the basic skills were perfected it was out to the skills course where the group all made their way around the more basic MTB skills course, following this, the girls were divided, beginners in one group novice /advanced in the other. The beginners were extremely well looked after by Nicola & Rachel with the more advanced girls benefiting from the expertise of two of Irelands most accomplished Mountain Bikers Ciara McManus and Beth McCluskey. Valerie Considine was also on hand to help out. Both courses had their share of technical challenges but didn’t pose a problem for either group. The coaches were very impressed with both groups; with the skills and confidence of the advanced girls; and how well the novice and beginner girls improved in tackling each obstacle overcoming their fears and really enjoying it.
After lunch, Beth who has given regular talks on nutrition at Women’s Commission Training Camps, came along to give the girls a very informative and well presented talk on the importance of good nutrition, how the body works and the benefits of fuelling it properly. There was a lot of interest from the girls who asked plenty of questions.
Following this, Rachel Ormrod, Cycling Ireland Coach Education Officer, gave a very useful presentation on the principles of training and the importance of good recovery within a training programme. She also presented the girls with a training diary template using a very innovative traffic light system to highlight training patterns. Rachel and Paddy Doran are working on adapting this template for the Youth which will play a significant role in logging and analysing information for coaches and riders. The girls have been keeping a training diary over the last three weeks.
Finally the day was wrapped up with the announcement of an invitation to a new Youth Stage Race in Scotland which the girls will be going to along with the boys 2020 Talent Team. Four riders will be selected for this event which takes place at Easter time.
The Next camp is scheduled for the 25th March in Corkagh Park, Clondalkin, Co Dublin.
Many thanks to all who took part especially our fantastic coaches and all the staff at Tollymore.
ORLA HENDRON
2020 Talent Team
Note: The Talent Team 2020 is an initiative to give a select group of young riders the tools to enable them to perform to their potential, with a view to competing for Ireland at the Olympic Games in 2020. The focus age group of the riders interested in competing is 12-16 years old, and anyone interested in trying out for the team can contact Orla Hendron through queries@womenscycling.ie and she will advise you of the process.
