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Guest GiveusaB

Birmingham 2018

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Its not any longer a training league and has suffered with a dearth of new talent which has been a feature of Speedway in the uk and now some European countries.

However there is a ray of hope with a National training scheme of sorts.

Dead right and time to remove the development name from the title.

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Its not any longer a training league and has suffered with a dearth of new talent which has been a feature of Speedway in the uk and now some European countries.

However there is a ray of hope with a National training scheme of sorts.

There isn't a 'dearth of new talent', but there is a dearth of encouragement and help for them. I was told recently by a NL promoter that his set-up was a commercial organisation and didn't do training. What he meant was that he couldn't be bothered; and he was hardly alone in this.

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Guest GiveusaB

There isn't a 'dearth of new talent', but there is a dearth of encouragement and help for them. I was told recently by a NL promoter that his set-up was a commercial organisation and didn't do training. What he meant was that he couldn't be bothered; and he was hardly alone in this.

It's mostly about cost.

I bet there's not many riders who haven't had some sort of motorcycle upbringing?

 

I'm sure there's a load of talented kids out there, but simply cant afford it! That will never change!

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There isn't a 'dearth of new talent', but there is a dearth of encouragement and help for them. I was told recently by a NL promoter that his set-up was a commercial organisation and didn't do training. What he meant was that he couldn't be bothered; and he was hardly alone in this.

So I rider contacts a NL Promoter for some after the meetings, The Promoter knows the rider having seen him at a Practice meeting at another Track,the rider is in his late twenties, his equipment is very poor, is style is dreadful and in the opinion of the Promoter will never make a Speedway rider, Would you give him valuable track time.

You only have to look what Birmingam have done since joining the NL, Jack Smith, Zach, JPB, Hume, Bacon, young riders, good equipment, and will go far in the sport

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Guest GiveusaB

So I rider contacts a NL Promoter for some after the meetings, The Promoter knows the rider having seen him at a Practice meeting at another Track,the rider is in his late twenties, his equipment is very poor, is style is dreadful and in the opinion of the Promoter will never make a Speedway rider, Would you give him valuable track time.

You only have to look what Birmingam have done since joining the NL, Jack Smith, Zach, JPB, Hume, Bacon, young riders, good equipment, and will go far in the sport

Add Taylor Hampshire to that list, once he gets his equipment sorted out !

Kyle Roberts has bags of potential too imo !

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So I rider contacts a NL Promoter for some after the meetings, The Promoter knows the rider having seen him at a Practice meeting at another Track,the rider is in his late twenties, his equipment is very poor, is style is dreadful and in the opinion of the Promoter will never make a Speedway rider, Would you give him valuable track time.

You only have to look what Birmingam have done since joining the NL, Jack Smith, Zach, JPB, Hume, Bacon, young riders, good equipment, and will go far in the sport

Except that they never started at Birmingham: Smith came from Australia, Zach from junior speedway, JPB from Buxton, Hume from Rye House, Bacon from Mildenhall etc. There is plenty of time after NL meetings for some practice or training.

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Surely since the NL has become a 'proper' league over the last few years we've had more young British riders looking like they can make the jump to a higher level and perhaps to the highest. I think British speedway is in a more promising position than the last 20 years. This is not just the Birmingham riders mentioned but Brennen, Jenkins, Bewley,Kemp just to name a few. Think this league is just right at the moments for bringing on the youngsters. I know this view won't please everyone, but it is still a development one really.

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Gazza that is a very good point, British speedway as a product is not doing great at the moment, but we certainly have a very promising future riders wise.

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Guest GiveusaB

Gazza that is a very good point, British speedway as a product is not doing great at the moment, but we certainly have a very promising future riders wise.

I think you're right.....however, I think a rider will get to a point where better equipment is needed and more sponsorship required for them to go on to the next level?

They wont become world beaters on 'talent/ability' alone!

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So I rider contacts a NL Promoter for some after the meetings, The Promoter knows the rider having seen him at a Practice meeting at another Track,the rider is in his late twenties, his equipment is very poor, is style is dreadful and in the opinion of the Promoter will never make a Speedway rider, Would you give him valuable track time.

You only have to look what Birmingam have done since joining the NL, Jack Smith, Zach, JPB, Hume, Bacon, young riders, good equipment, and will go far in the sport

As tenants with tough planning restrictions Birmingham are never going to be able to offer too many opportunities for practice.

 

But one of the problems is that those tracks that can, often put in time and effort only seeing their best prospects enticed away by higher paying teams. If that disincentive isn't removed then the danger is that fewer tracks will make the effort to introduce youngsters to the sport.

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I think you're right.....however, I think a rider will get to a point where better equipment is needed and more sponsorship required for them to go on to the next level?

They wont become world beaters on 'talent/ability' alone!

 

Sadly very true of the riders progressing at present there is a very common denominator and that is available funds. Its also the reason that riders like JPB & Georgie Wood despite being very talented will struggle to progress without good sponsorship appearing.

 

As tenants with tough planning restrictions Birmingham are never going to be able to offer too many opportunities for practice.

 

But one of the problems is that those tracks that can, often put in time and effort only seeing their best prospects enticed away by higher paying teams. If that disincentive isn't removed then the danger is that fewer tracks will make the effort to introduce youngsters to the sport.

 

You are right there are plenty of tracks that could offer riders extra track time but don't for various reasons. Its often not the clubs that are not interested but the volunteer track staff that simply want to get away.

The lure of a bigger pay day will always be an issue but riders often cannot ride on their local track so those bonds are not formed plus add in that many second half riders are made to feel like second class citizens at many venues so why would they wish to show any loyalty to clubs.

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... best prospects enticed away by higher paying teams. If that disincentive isn't removed then the danger is that fewer tracks will make the effort to introduce youngsters to the sport.

 

Hands up anyone who hasn't ever changed jobs to do the same thing for another employer for more money??? Keep your hands up so that I can count them...

 

So what's an ambitious young rider supposed to do? And what's the point of ambition if the result is that they don't earn more for their talent? The NL can't be a dead end street as far as earning potential is concerned else what's the point of a rider sticking his neck out and trying to better himself? If the cream floats towards the top and the pay at the top is better somewhere else then so be it. Better that in the bigger picture, from a GB perspective, than just having a league full of UHT Skimmed Nuclear Bunker Milk.

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Hands up anyone who hasn't ever changed jobs to do the same thing for another employer for more money??? Keep your hands up so that I can count them...

 

So what's an ambitious young rider supposed to do? And what's the point of ambition if the result is that they don't earn more for their talent? The NL can't be a dead end street as far as earning potential is concerned else what's the point of a rider sticking his neck out and trying to better himself? If the cream floats towards the top and the pay at the top is better somewhere else then so be it. Better that in the bigger picture, from a GB perspective, than just having a league full of UHT Skimmed Nuclear Bunker Milk.

 

The fact that a club has given a young rider track time, encouragement and the benefit of their experience must count for something. Money simply cannot be the sole factor in determining what team to sign for.

 

I am aware of at least one young rider who got his fingers badly burnt by signing - against advice - for the highest bidder and two of the most talented who have remained loyal to the club that gave them the initial support that they needed despite, in one case, a thinly veiled attempt to poach them away.

Edited by Halifaxtiger
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