Why Bother

[SteveEvans 248]

The real problem here is lack of British riders, lack of a development system and lack of anyone who takes on the task.

 

In the USA Speedway has no formalized structure. The AMA governing body has one track of the eight venues in California, the others all operate independtly. Despite the lack of structure, there are individuals who have, on their own bat done things for Younger riders. Presently we have the Billy Hamill Academy, Touring Team, Under 21 World Cup Team. As a nation there is plenty of work to be done but at least someone is doing something.

 

It would make a great hobby for a group of individuals who have the spare time and passion. It doesn't have to be up to the BSPA.

[Greg 123]

I think they need to bring in rules where u at least have 3 or 4 brits in your team.

[BigFatDave 258]

I think they need to bring in rules where u at least have 3 or 4 brits in your team.

Most NL teams already run five or six.

[jollie roger 0]

Comments like that really bug me. There is equally good and poor meetings at all levels. I watched all three, four if you include the GPs, levels of speedway last season and enjoyed them all at times and half switched off at times at all of them.

Prepare to be bugged because 9 out of 10 it is right.

[vog 200]

Prepare to be bugged because 9 out of 10 it is right.

 

Is it really?

 

I've seen some truly awful meetings in the NL, and some corkers in the EL, and visa versa. To claim that good meetings happen due, primarily, to the league that a team is in is pure nonsense. There are a multitude of factors that create a good meeting, and frankly you can get these at ANY level on a continual basis. I have yet to be disappointed by a Scunthorpe meeting, yet the meeting I saw at Plymouth was awful. In the same way, Wolverhampton is normally good in the EL, but Rye House is normally awful at both NL and PL level.

 

It is purely swings and roundabouts.

[Daniel Smith 5,675]

Times are changing in speedway as a whole.

 

The biggest complaint from promoters which started in the early 90's was the fact that young British riders lacked commitment to the sport. Once they'd reached late teens early 20's it was all about living the high life, drinking and chasing birds. Unfortunately, that still exists with our young guys. They start off hungry and full of flair then flop. A good recent example of that would be Lewis Bridger. This kid should be pushing a heatleader spots now but constantly plays the big time Charlie game. Also Ben Barker is of similar ilk.

 

The thing is, I believe the Aussies are know going down this route also. You only have to see what Darcy Ward & Chris Holder get up to publicly and these to are seen as the guys to take over from Adams & Crump. If they carry on they've no hope of that at all.

 

The super fit and super fast Poles are the ones to watch now, followed by the Danes then the Swedes. These guys are fully focused on the game. Kitted out with full on sponsorships and work extremely hard to try and get what they want.

 

I do not care what people say, the British riders ARE NOT focused and hungry and don't carry the same professionalism of our European counterparts. That's why they get overlooked. Our boys simply have to work twice as hard to get noticed these days

[comebackkings 113]

Times are changing in speedway as a whole.

 

The biggest complaint from promoters which started in the early 90's was the fact that young British riders lacked commitment to the sport. Once they'd reached late teens early 20's it was all about living the high life, drinking and chasing birds. Unfortunately, that still exists with our young guys. They start off hungry and full of flair then flop. A good recent example of that would be Lewis Bridger. This kid should be pushing a heatleader spots now but constantly plays the big time Charlie game. Also Ben Barker is of similar ilk.

 

The thing is, I believe the Aussies are know going down this route also. You only have to see what Darcy Ward & Chris Holder get up to publicly and these to are seen as the guys to take over from Adams & Crump. If they carry on they've no hope of that at all.

 

The super fit and super fast Poles are the ones to watch now, followed by the Danes then the Swedes. These guys are fully focused on the game. Kitted out with full on sponsorships and work extremely hard to try and get what they want.

 

I do not care what people say, the British riders ARE NOT focused and hungry and don't carry the same professionalism of our European counterparts. That's why they get overlooked. Our boys simply have to work twice as hard to get noticed these days

 

 

Just look at the setup for helping young riders in Poland, Denmark and Sweden, from a very young age they are nurtured and developed to be the complete package. It is not a 100% foolproof setup though, Lindback went off the rails, a few of the Danes have come over and flopped as have some Swedes.

For every Lewis Bridger with the talent and the opportunity there are 10 Barrie Evans, Luke Priests, Simon Lamberts and Simon Walkers who are having to graft their way up the leagues, so the sweeping statement about young Brits is very harsh.

 

Until the BSPA take the comission off the Tango one for his "brokering" of the SKY deal and put it into the under 15's or younger 250 and 80cc development leagues. Or use some of the money from the EL/PL to help. Then young Brits will always be shovelling ball bearings uphill to break into this sport.

 

At the moment it helps the promoters to bring in untried foreign riders on low averages. When they start looking to the welfare of the sport rather than their own self interest then they will be fit to run the sport, until then they should be removed from the running of the teambuilding rules and an independant panel should be doing it.

 

P.S I forgot to add that your critisism of Ben Barker is unfounded as well, away from the track he may let his hair down, but when it comes to his machinery, fitness and attitude to his racing it is 110% professional.

Edited January 25, 2011 by comebackkings

[Vince 9,459]

Times are changing in speedway as a whole.

 

The biggest complaint from promoters which started in the early 90's was the fact that young British riders lacked commitment to the sport. Once they'd reached late teens early 20's it was all about living the high life, drinking and chasing birds. Unfortunately, that still exists with our young guys. They start off hungry and full of flair then flop. A good recent example of that would be Lewis Bridger. This kid should be pushing a heatleader spots now but constantly plays the big time Charlie game. Also Ben Barker is of similar ilk.

 

The thing is, I believe the Aussies are know going down this route also. You only have to see what Darcy Ward & Chris Holder get up to publicly and these to are seen as the guys to take over from Adams & Crump. If they carry on they've no hope of that at all.

 

The super fit and super fast Poles are the ones to watch now, followed by the Danes then the Swedes. These guys are fully focused on the game. Kitted out with full on sponsorships and work extremely hard to try and get what they want.

 

I do not care what people say, the British riders ARE NOT focused and hungry and don't carry the same professionalism of our European counterparts. That's why they get overlooked. Our boys simply have to work twice as hard to get noticed these days

 

Whatever nationality of rider there will always be the few who are completely dedicated and the majority who put enjoyment first. Plenty of Aussies, Danes, Swedes and Poles have partied to the detriment of their Speedway careers. There also some British riders who cannot be beaten for dedication to their sport.

[rhidassa 73]

Times are changing in speedway as a whole.

 

The biggest complaint from promoters which started in the early 90's was the fact that young British riders lacked commitment to the sport. Once they'd reached late teens early 20's it was all about living the high life, drinking and chasing birds. Unfortunately, that still exists with our young guys. They start off hungry and full of flair then flop. A good recent example of that would be Lewis Bridger. This kid should be pushing a heatleader spots now but constantly plays the big time Charlie game. Also Ben Barker is of similar ilk.

 

The thing is, I believe the Aussies are know going down this route also. You only have to see what Darcy Ward & Chris Holder get up to publicly and these to are seen as the guys to take over from Adams & Crump. If they carry on they've no hope of that at all.

 

The super fit and super fast Poles are the ones to watch now, followed by the Danes then the Swedes. These guys are fully focused on the game. Kitted out with full on sponsorships and work extremely hard to try and get what they want.

 

I do not care what people say, the British riders ARE NOT focused and hungry and don't carry the same professionalism of our European counterparts. That's why they get overlooked. Our boys simply have to work twice as hard to get noticed these days

 

That isn't entirely fair.

The younger boys, or those that aren't already rising or in the higher levels of the sport, often have more commitment, and do not go out partying etc as much as some others (not to mention couldn't afford it even if they wanted to with the drain trying to get somewhere in the sport can be without decent sponsorship, which isnt easy to get). In fact, you will find within all nationalities some riders that do have this mindset, and some that don't. It isn't fair to say all British riders are not 'focused on the game'.

Edited January 25, 2011 by rhidassa

[WIE-JA 72]

Whatever nationality of rider there will always be the few who are completely dedicated and the majority who put enjoyment first. Plenty of Aussies, Danes, Swedes and Poles have partied to the detriment of their Speedway careers. There also some British riders who cannot be beaten for dedication to their sport.

I'll second that Vince.

[BigFatDave 258]

 

The thing is, I believe the Aussies are know going down this route also. You only have to see what Darcy Ward & Chris Holder get up to publicly and these to are seen as the guys to take over from Adams & Crump. If they carry on they've no hope of that at all.

Think you might have the wrong end of the stick here mate.

[Mr S Bear 10]

The question to ask if how Tyson Burmeister and indeed Kenny Ingalls got a work permit in the first place.

Assuming that both are not EA citizens and neither has a British grandparent then they will have needed to apply for a work permit from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) through the points based immigration system Tier 2 (Sportsperson). According to the “Tier 2 of the Points Based System – Policy Guidance Version 10/2010” document on the UKBA web site, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk, item 92 sportsperson requiring a permit under tier 2 are required to obtain an endorsement from the appropriate governing body of their sport, i.e. BSPA, and this endorsement to confirm that they are:

1) Internationally established as a player/coach at the highest level and

2) They will make a significant contribution to the development of their sport at the highest level in the UK and

3) The post could not be filled by a suitable settled worker.

Having only seen both Tyson and Eddie on one occasion I cannot say if they do met all three requirements but reading the previous postings some people have serious doubts but it is clear someone at the BSPA does not share this view. Of course an alternative method would be to do as a rider did last season and have a 6 month visitor’s visa and when people point out you cannot work in the UK with this type of visa claim you were in fact born in the UK

[scribbler 213]

The question to ask if how Tyson Burmeister and indeed Kenny Ingalls got a work permit in the first place.

Assuming that both are not EA citizens and neither has a British grandparent then they will have needed to apply for a work permit from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) through the points based immigration system Tier 2 (Sportsperson). According to the “Tier 2 of the Points Based System – Policy Guidance Version 10/2010” document on the UKBA web site, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk, item 92 sportsperson requiring a permit under tier 2 are required to obtain an endorsement from the appropriate governing body of their sport, i.e. BSPA, and this endorsement to confirm that they are:

1) Internationally established as a player/coach at the highest level and

2) They will make a significant contribution to the development of their sport at the highest level in the UK and

3) The post could not be filled by a suitable settled worker.

Having only seen both Tyson and Eddie on one occasion I cannot say if they do met all three requirements but reading the previous postings some people have serious doubts but it is clear someone at the BSPA does not share this view. Of course an alternative method would be to do as a rider did last season and have a 6 month visitor’s visa and when people point out you cannot work in the UK with this type of visa claim you were in fact born in the UK

 

Like you I've read the UKBA website a few times and the rules changed in 2010 I think.

 

I presume that because Tyson is coming in as an EL rider the BSPA think it's OK as it's the highest level of Speedway in this country... but... Is the fact that he's coming in as a reserve and not in the main body of the team bending the rules? If Tyson doesn't cope in the EL and moves to the PL will the law be broken because he wouldn't be riding at the top level anymore?

[Brian De Boise 2]

I'm not sure who is in charge of trying to help the British riders these days but whoever it is needs to have a proper set-up made available to them through the BSPA. A set-up which helps the young British riders with sponsorship, training opportunities, contract negotiations/agent type work getting on the phone and bending the ears of all the EL promoters. Then there's also physical fitness and nutrition, things which not only make them better riders but make them look 100% committed. In essence the British riders need to have a set-up behind them which is pro-active in getting them into the Elite League and then proving themselves at that level.