Time to send a GB/England touring team abroad?

[steve roberts 9,242]

1 minute ago, DC2 said:

What I said was:

“One of the reasons being it’s not a sport that you can do at school or at home.  Practically every other one is, even if they’re restricted to summer camps or trips out to try canoeing or horse riding.  And while motor sports are generally not available to children they’re familiar with cars and motorbikes on the road.”

While speedway might be available in training camps it doesn’t make it onto the list of extra-curricular sports offered by schools in trips to outdoor activity centres that do canoeing, rock climbing and horse riding.

...what would have been good was a group of kids spending an afternoon/evening behind the scenes watching riders go about their business preparing their bikes and all that entails and watching the racing from the inside etc, But, of course, H&S wouldn't allow any of that now...imagine doing a work experience at the speedway?

[DC2 11,150]

2 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...what would have been good was a group of kids spending an afternoon/evening behind the scenes watching riders go about their business preparing their bikes and all that entails and watching the racing from the inside etc, But, of course, H&S wouldn't allow any of that now...imagine doing a work experience at the speedway?

Speedway clubs need to get into schools and arrange free, behind the scenes trips to meetings and promote have a go camps.

[steve roberts 9,242]

Just now, DC2 said:

Speedway clubs need to get into schools and arrange free, behind the scenes trips to meetings and promote have a go camps.

I did some talks at schools during the Wagstaff years at Cowley but didn't feel that I got any real backing from the promotion...no tickets and, if I recall, there was talk of a bike being supplied but nothing came of it. All I had was a pair of kevlars which hardly was ever going to catch their imagination!

[iainb 4,962]

14 minutes ago, DC2 said:

What I said was:

“One of the reasons being it’s not a sport that you can do at school or at home.  Practically every other one is, even if they’re restricted to summer camps or trips out to try canoeing or horse riding.  And while motor sports are generally not available to children they’re familiar with cars and motorbikes on the road.”

While speedway might be available in training camps it doesn’t make it onto the list of extra-curricular sports offered by schools in trips to outdoor activity centres that do canoeing, rock climbing and horse riding.

I don't see much rock climbing or canoeing on TV or attracting crowds in excess of 1,000 every week. I have heard of the activities but not because I can do them at home or at training camps... I'm not sure what your point is?

[HGould 2,213]

24 minutes ago, DC2 said:

Speedway clubs need to get into schools and arrange free, behind the scenes trips to meetings and promote have a go camps.

Many are doing that but the doom mongers prefer to overlook it.

7-8 Tracks I visited last season including my own had schemes similar to what you refer to. 

[DC2 11,150]

16 minutes ago, iainb said:

I don't see much rock climbing or canoeing on TV or attracting crowds in excess of 1,000 every week. I have heard of the activities but not because I can do them at home or at training camps... I'm not sure what your point is?

My original reply was to Grachan’s post that said many people do not know what speedway is, so if they do not have any experience of it at school (unlike the possibility of canoeing etc) or cannot do it at home we’re reliant on publicity (very little in the British media) or older fans taken their children.

[iainb 4,962]

18 minutes ago, DC2 said:

My original reply was to Grachan’s post that said many people do not know what speedway is, so if they do not have any experience of it at school (unlike the possibility of canoeing etc) or cannot do it at home we’re reliant on publicity (very little in the British media) or older fans taken their children.

You don't stop learning once you leave school... I've learnt many things since I left school

[DC2 11,150]

1 hour ago, iainb said:

You don't stop learning once you leave school... I've learnt many things since I left school

I agree, but that wasn’t the point I was making.

If my uncle hadn’t taken me to speedway when I was 13 I would never have gone and would never have heard of it until my thirties when I started buying the local paper, the Swindon Advertiser, which, unlike the national media, does very good speedway coverage.

[iainb 4,962]

55 minutes ago, DC2 said:

I agree, but that wasn’t the point I was making.

If my uncle hadn’t taken me to speedway when I was 13 I would never have gone and would never have heard of it until my thirties when I started buying the local paper, the Swindon Advertiser, which, unlike the national media, does very good speedway coverage.

Who took your uncle though?

I agree, I think possibly most folk start doing stuff, especially from an earlier age, because an adult in their life takes them, maybe when you get older because a mate goes. I've never really seen something on TV and thought I'm going to start to go to that

[Humphrey Appleby 13,941]

On 8/28/2020 at 6:11 AM, HGould said:

There is a degree of "Rugby League" in Poland.

Parts of the Country it is a religion and by far the biggest Sport.

Other parts it is not popular at all.

It is known by most Poles though

That absolutely sums it up. Speedway is a popular 'regional sport' in Poland, akin to how Rugby League is in Britain. 

Most/many people in Britain know what Rugby League is, but it doesn't mean they follow it.

[steve roberts 9,242]

34 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

That absolutely sums it up. Speedway is a popular 'regional sport' in Poland, akin to how Rugby League is in Britain. 

Most/many people in Britain know what Rugby League is, but it doesn't mean they follow it.

...or indeed Aunt Sally! Always remember Dave Clinkard (whatever happened to him?) who took an Aunt Sally set on a trip to Denmark and proceeded to play the game totally bemusing the Danes (and a few Britishers!) present!

Edited August 29, 2020 by steve roberts

[phillwhitewasmad 1,486]

Back to the original point personally believe it’s time we sent as many teams as possible to race abroad. Whether it be125 250 under 19 under 21 or full blown international meetings. We have been to insular for to long. Plenty of talent on these shores all willing to travel they just need the scb acu tosort it

[Ben91 1,743]

10 hours ago, HGould said:

Many are doing that but the doom mongers prefer to overlook it.

7-8 Tracks I visited last season including my own had schemes similar to what you refer to. 

Which tracks that you visited are sending a rider into local schools complete with their bike and kevlars to promote the product? I’d like to see the proof that this is happening but I doubt it is highly. 

[topsoil 2,498]

5 minutes ago, Ben91 said:

Which tracks that you visited are sending a rider into local schools complete with their bike and kevlars to promote the product? I’d like to see the proof that this is happening but I doubt it is highly. 

Berwick did it two years ago. A couple of local riders went along, took a bike, one of them did a few skids on the grass, got their photo in the local paper. They allow under 16's in for free every week. They do great work with children, trying to get them involved in supporting the sport.

[Ben91 1,743]

3 minutes ago, topsoil said:

Berwick did it two years ago. A couple of local riders went along, took a bike, one of them did a few skids on the grass, got their photo in the local paper. They allow under 16's in for free every week. They do great work with children, trying to get them involved in supporting the sport.

Great to hear. Berwick’s promotion do seem to be one of the more proactive around currently. Perhaps the BSPA should try put a package together to offer schools en mass around the country.