Cycling Club Come N' Try Guide

COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE A practical resource for clubs to run successful Come and Try days

CONTENTS Introduction 1 What are Come and Try Days? 2 Why are Come and Try Days important? 3 Why do people join sport clubs? 4 Planning Your Come and Try Day 5 Who are your future club members? 6 Member groups to focus on 8 Promotion 12 Club Readiness Checklist 14 Marketing a come and try day 20 Suggested sessions for a come and try day 22 Post Program Templates 24 Risk assessment 27

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Danya Hodgetts Dangerous Minds Consulting Alexandra Bright Cycling Australia National Participation Coordinator Sian Mullholland Cycling Australia Coach/Coach Educator

1

INTRODUCTION

Cycling Victoria, in partnership with Cycling Australia, has developed a resource to assist clubs in conducting a Come and Try Day. This will be a promotional opportunity for clubs to attract new members.

It can be done at any time that suits clubs, but would ideally be conducted in the lead up to an upcoming road or track season.

Come and Try Days are a great way to show people how much fun cycling can be.

Remember that cycling is more than racing on a bike. Cycling is fun, social, challenging, healthy, and a common form of transport.

There are a number of ways you can express this: ff conduct a practical Come and Try session for potential members ff hold a club information session ff have a social gathering ff hold a club race that potential racing members can watch ff hold a social ride that potential recreational members can participate in You can make it anything you want it to be.

Or you might do a combination of these things. Much research has been conducted into why people participate and join clubs, and CV have used this evidence to develop this club resource.

This guide has some background reading that will assist you in identifying which potential members you should target.

CV encourages your club to consider delivering a regular Come and Try event, be it annually, quarterly or monthly.

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

WHAT ARE COME AND TRY DAYS?

Come and try days are an opportunity to open your club’s doors to the local and greater community. They are an opportunity to not only increase participation, with a view to converting participants to members, but allow people to see what the club can offer them.

People look for different things when becoming a part of a sport. Cycling is a social, supportive, fun, challenging, recreational, health focused, inclusive and diverse activity. Come and try days are a great opportunity to show the greater community these aspects of the sport.

Come and try days are a great starting point for clubs to make initial contact with the public.

Come and try day’s give the general public a chance to give cycling a go before they want to commit to a membership. This is very important as many people like to try the product before committing money and time to it.

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Membership is a key factor for the success of a club. It is important for clubs to continue building their membership base to ensure financial sustainability. An increased number of members has many benefits to the club.

For example:

WHY ARE COME AND TRY DAYS IMPORTANT?

Come and try days provide an opportunity to deliver a ‘no strings’ chance for people to participate in the sport prior to deciding to commit their time and money to being a member. Once people ‘try’ and then decide to participate, the opportunity to capitalise on creating a new membership will present itself.

ff Membership revenue ff Volunteers to assist the club ff Spectators ff Greater funding pulling power ff Potential sponsorships ff Raising the profile of the club ff Greater awareness of the sport in the local area ff Keeping kids off the street ff Community approach to the sport There are many benefits for participants as too.

For example: ff Health benefits ff Social benefits ff Environmental benefits e.g. riding to work ff Transportation

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN SPORT CLUBS?

A child’s decision to join a club is strongly influenced by family, with strong influences also coming from their peers. Children initially join clubs for the friendship and fun but they also like the sense of achievement they get from improving their skills.

Parents like their children participating in sport for the same reasons (social and physical development) but also for the discipline and life skills that sport participation can provide. It is important to recognise that the parents are the decision makers when it comes to a child becoming a member, therefore they must be able to see the value in, and the benefits of what product is on offer for their child.

Adults also join sport clubs for the enjoyment, social interaction and a sense of achievement. The health benefits of sport are also an appealing benefit.

There has been a lot of research that looks at why people join clubs. It is useful to consider this information when deciding who you would like to attend the Come and Try Day.

There are many benefits and membership options to cater for everyone. The benefits of being a valued Cycling Victoria member is 24/7 insurance on a bike and the on-going support from your club and Cycling Victoria.

The membership options are as followsff Racing Memberships - The Race licence holder can participate in races conducted

by Cycling Australia and its affiliated states and clubs. Race licences are age restricted from under 9 to Masters 65+. ff Recreational Memberships - A

Recreational licence is a great way to get started. It allows you to participate in recreational rides, charity and fun rides, club training, coffee crew rides, Gran Fondo and Cyclo Sportif events, club run skills development events. You can enjoy a range of cycling activities and improve your skills and fitness. It's the perfect membership if you ride your bike for recreation but is also a good launch pad if you want to progress to racing in the future. Recreational Memberships are available on a quarterly basis with four renewal dates each year ff 3 Ride Permits – Allows you to complete in 3 races, after the third race you can upgrade to a Race licence and the cost of the 3 ride permit will be deduced from the gold licence fee. ff Kidz Memberships - Kidz licence is an inexpensive introduction to the club environment for children aged 12 and under (primary age groups). The focus is on skills development through modified cycling activities so Kidz can try out the sport and decide if they want to move on to racing. ff Masters Memberships - Must be 30 years and over allows you to entry in all Masters category events, club racing and recreational events.

5

PLANNING YOUR COME AND TRY DAY

It’s important to remember that a come and try day won’t automatically generate new members. Our research has found that around four trial sessions are ideal to ease participants towards the commitment of membership.

To be truly successful at attracting members, the Come and Try Day should be the first part of a short series of sessions to attract members to the club.

While the groups that have been identified are supported by research, we don’t know 100% who will want which product and how each person will hear about it. As a club, you have the best understanding of what’s happening in your area and how to go about promoting your Come and Try Day. There are three suggested Come and Try Days that clubs can hold, depending on the group you would most like to target. The new to cycling and young switcher groups are mostly likely to benefit from a basic bike skills session. The lapsed members and serious leisure groups will need an advanced bike skills session. The speciality of track cycling is most likely to appeal to lapsed members and serious leisure groups, so a track session is most suitable in this case.

Remember, there are suggestions, not hard and fast rules! Just tailor these sessions to what suits your club.

Temporary insurance can be arranged at no cost under Cycling Australia (CA)’s Cycling Development and Skills Program. A copy of the information and application form has been provided with this manual.

Most likely participants will want to have more of a try before they commit to membership. To assist clubs with this, some suggested session outlines for each of the three columns has been developed. There are four session outlines for each column, one for the Come and Try Day and three for the Come and Try follow up sessions.

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

WHO ARE YOUR FUTURE CLUB MEMBERS? Australians who ride – general: Research conducted in 2013 reports that over 3.6 million Australians ride a bike each week1. These people enjoy the benefits the cycling can offer; cycling for recreation, health, fitness, a form of transport, a solution to environmental issues or as a sporting pursuit.

1.36 million Australians over the age of 15 years participated in organised cycling activities in 2011/12. Of these, 64% were male and 36% were female. Participation in cycling by Australians aged 15 years or older has risen since 2005/06 by over 33% and cycling was ranked as one of the top four physical activities in 20122.

CA continues to experience growth in membership (13% from 2012 to 2013) and has experienced a 30% increase over the last 12 months in men and women taking up

CA’s recreation membership. However, CA membership makes up less that 1% of total number of participants who cycle each week.

These statistics tell us there are significant numbers of Australians who enjoy cycling but are not associated with cycling clubs.

This represents a significant opportunity to connect with a large cycling population of recreational (non-organised) participants and offer cycling opportunities.

Australians who ride – by age Research conducted in 2011 saw participation in cycling was at its highest in 5-9 year olds (83.1%), followed by 2-4 year olds (58.9%) and 10-17 year olds (50.4%)3. For adults, this figure was highest in 30-39 year olds (24.8%), followed by 40-49 year olds (22.4%) and 25-29 year olds (20.7%).

These statistics indicate the ages at which cycling participation is at its highest and where the greatest opportunities are for finding new members based on people who are already interested in cycling.

Australians who love cycling Research conducted in 2009 looked at how large elite sporting events might impact on community sport i.e. how does the Olympic Games or the Tour de France affect club

cycling? Despite popular belief these events do not have a great impact on the general public. However, these events do influence five specific groups: ff Those who have previously participated in sport but haven't regularly participated in more than 12 months. ff Non-club members who are already participating (participate between 2x/ month and 2x/week). ff People who have increased participation levels in the past 12 months. ff People who intend to increase their participation in the next 12 months. ff 16-34 year olds4.

1. 2013 National Cycling Participation Survey, Austroads Publication No. AP-C91-13.

2. Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia 2011-12 ABS Report.

3. 2013 National Cycling Participation Survey, Austroads Publication No. AP-C91-13.

4. Weed, M. (2009). The Potential of the Demonstration Effect to Grow and Sustain Participation in Sport (pp.

1–57).

64%

AUSTRALIANS RIDE A BIKE EACH WEEK.

AUSTRALIANS OVER THE AGE OF 15 YEARS PARTICIPATED IN ORGANISED CYCLING ACTIVITIES IN 2011/12.

20%

Age Range (in years)

2-4

5-9

22.4%

40%

24.8%

60%

50.4%

CYCLING WAS RANKED AS ONE OF THE TOP FOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES IN 2012.

Participation in Cycling

80%

83.1%

100%

58.9%

36%

20.7%

3.6M

1.36M

10-17 25-29 30-39 40-49

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

MEMBER GROUPS TO FOCUS ON 1. Lapsed members Lapsed members are the most likely to be influenced by the high profile media that cycling receives during major events like the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and the Tour de France. Watching cycling is likely to decrease any perceived barriers and make cycling more appealing to them again. Contacting members and/or holding some events around major cycling events will further reduce barriers to re-engage them in cycling. Additionally, they already have familiarity with cycling and if they left for reasons external to the club, may be motivated to re-join.

People

Any member whose membership has lapsed. These members understand how the club and sport operate.

Product

ff Invite them back to the club. ff Let them know the racing and training schedule for the upcoming season. ff Will depend on previous membership. If they have raced in the past, they may wish to re-join as a Racing Member. They might be interested in just riding for fitness and fun or participating in recreation or participation events. These riders would join with a Recreation Membership. ff Events Calendar (Racing and Recreation).

Membership Options and Price

ff Racing Membership ff Recreation Membership ff 3 Ride Permits (access depends on length of time financial) Refer to the CA website for current prices.

The rest of this guide focuses on programs that attract new members to cycling.

However, you shouldn’t discount lapsed cyclists as a potential group.

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2. People familiar with bike riding, new to cycling This group of people are those who already own a bike and do some riding, but are interesting in improving their skills. They may be interested in serious leisure riding, or learning to race. They will generally come through a participation pathway from recreational rides, multi-sport events, bicycle user groups or school programs.

People

People who own a bike, and have been riding recreationally. They may come through a bike participation program, a bicycle user group or a school program.

Product

ff Introduction to track or road racing programs ff Intermediate – advanced bike skills programs ff Group rides, training rides ff Events Calendar (Racing and Recreation)

Membership Options & Price

3 race permits (to give people a chance to experience racing) ff Racing Membership ff Recreation Membership Refer to the CA website for current prices: www.cycling.org.au/ membershiptypes

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

Some general assumptions are: ff Given the cost of the bikes and accessories many serious leisure cyclists have, the cost of club membership is not a inhibitive barrier to joining ff The perceived commitment of membership might be a barrier to joining ff The competitiveness of racing might be an attraction for these cyclists In time, some recreational cyclists become involved in racing. This is not always the case however.

People

Those that are already cycling regularly

Product

ff Introduction to track or road racing programs ff Intermediate – advanced bike skills programs ff Group rides, training rides, Breeze and leading rider program

3. Recreational cyclists Recreation cyclists are those who cycle regularly, but are not members of a club or formal competition. This group form a significant segment of the cycling community and are motivated by goal achievement and the health benefits of cycling, not by competition. However, the recreational cyclist has more complex motivations for cycling, which need to be understood in order to make membership appealing. One of these is that they perceive club membership to be restrictive, as opposed to the non-conformity of the “bunch ride phenomenon”.

ff Participation in events on the CA Recreation Ride Calendar Membership Options & Price

ff Recreation Membership Refer to the CA website for current prices.

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4. Young switchers

programs with great success.

By offering women and girls only programs it makes the women and girls feel more comfortable and they are more likely to participate.

It is commonly accepted that 15-24 year olds are predisposed to risk taking, with supervised risk taking being beneficial to adolescent development (and preferred by parents!). This angle could be used to promote cycling as an appealing activity to both participants and their parents.

Recently Cycling Victoria has introduced a Women and Girls Only session and have seen the numbers jump from an average of 4 per day to an average of 14 per day.

People

Young already participating in sport, keen for something new.

Product

ff Beginner - Intermediate bike skills programs ff Introduction to track or road racing programs ff The opportunity to ride any bike and any discipline

Price

ff Racing Membership ff Recreation Membership ff KIDZ Membership Refer to the CA website for current prices: www.cycling.org.au/ membershiptypes

5. Masters The fastest growing membership category, over 70% of all members in Victoria is Masters riders. Masters riders also have the time and the most disposable income.

6. Women Cycling has been very male dominated for the past few decades. Cycling Victoria has implemented a number of women only

7. Other members Other member groups as identified by clubs. These will vary from club to club and may include school aged children and Para-cyclists. Any group can be targeted using the tools and programs provided in this guide. When targeting specific groups, clubs should consider how they will target them. For example Para-cyclists may come through Australian Paralympic Committee talent search programs, local disability organisations, special schools or rehabilitation services. Adapt the promotional strategies (shown later in this guide) and product offering according to your target group.

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

PROMOTION

In the previous sections, we outlined what type of cycling program might be suitable for attracting particular groups of participants.

To match these groups, the table below shows a range of promotional strategies that will assist you to target these groups.

Posters you use and where you post them will depend on the members that you are trying to attract to the Come and Try Day. Regardless of who you are trying to attract, the posters show three elements that are important to children and adults when they join a sport club: fun, fitness and friendship.

There are also some general promotional strategies you might like to use.

Target participant group Promotional strategy

Lapsed member

Contact through database

�

Word of mouth – bunch rides

�

Word of mouth – friend of a friend/ family member

�

Familiar rider

Serious leisure

Young switcher

� �

�

�

Promotion at participation, recreational or school program

�

Contact with bicycle user groups

�

Announcements at school assembly

�

�

School newsletter announcements

�

�

Posters at school

�

�

Posters on bike paths

�

Posters at cafes

�

Posters – bunch ride start/finish and intersections

�

Posters at bike store

�

Posters at local swimming pool

�

�

� �

�

�

�

�

�

Posters at skate parks

�

Posters at sporting fields

�

Posters at PCYC and youth centres

�

General

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Target participant group Promotional strategy

Lapsed member

Familiar rider

Serious leisure

Young switcher

General

Posters at local shopping centre

�

Posters on community noticeboards

�

Online advertising on Facebook

�

Online advertising via club website

�

Online advertising via local bike shop website

�

Local newspaper

�

Local community newspaper

�

Local radio sport and community announcements

�

Local TV sport and community announcements

�

Banner/signage in prominent location (e.g. overhead bridges, community billboard)

�

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

CLUB READINESS CHECKLIST

room to cater for new participants?

Do we have accredited coaches available to deliver an ongoing program for the participants?

RACING AND GRADING Do we have suitable grades for the new participants to race in?

Do we have the time/venue availability to extend our activities to cater for beginner/ novice grades?

Is our Club Ready to Run a Come and Try Day?

PARTICIPATION/RECREATION Do we have suitable training rides/group rides for beginners?

VENUE

Does our club host suitable recreational riding opportunities for recreational members?

Do we have a traffic-free venue suitable for beginners to develop riding skills?

EQUIPMENT

Do we have a suitable low-traffic environment/riding routes to support beginners?

Do we have sufficient bikes to support new participation (e.g. track bikes)?

Do we have suitable access to the velodrome to run a beginner program?

INCLUSIVE & ACCESSIBLE CYCLING

STAFF

Are our coaches delivering programs and activities that are inclusive and accessible?

Do we have enough accredited coaches available to deliver the Come and Try Day? Do our existing programs have sufficient

Does our club have access to (or know who to contact) to access tandems, hand cycles or trikes to include people with a physical disability?

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Organisation of a come and try day The planning of your come and try day should include the following.

Please note that this is a guide only and clubs should adjust the timeframes to suit their circumstances.

Task

When

Decide to conduct a come and try day

12 weeks

Appoint a come and try day coordinator

10 weeks

Set come and try day date

10 weeks

Set come and try day target group(s)

10 weeks

Set come and try day venue

10 weeks

Set come and try day timetable

10 weeks

Lodge expression of interest

10 weeks

Determine come and try workforce requirements:

8 weeks

ff Coordinator ff Volunteers ff Coaches ff Cyclist(s) to demonstrate ff Designated first aid officer ff BBQ/Catering crew ff Parents/club members to chat with parents of participants (if applicable) ff Photographer for club website, newsletter and local newspaper Contact local bike shop(s) to have bikes for participants to demonstrate or try (optional)

8 weeks

Date

Who

Done

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

Task

When

Decide on promotional strategies

8 weeks

ff television ff radio ff print newspapers ff contact local bicycle groups ff school assembly ff school newsletter ff online ads ff poster distribution Determine and source equipment needed:

8 weeks

ff spare bikes ff spare helmets ff spare pedals/shoes ff markers/cones ff first aid kit ff tools Keep a list of people who register interest in the come and try day. This allows you to plan for catering and coaching purposes

Ongoing

Order catering supplies

2 weeks

Put your club’s information in the promotional packs: recent newsletter, training times, competition times, membership form

2 weeks

Confirm helpers and brief them on what their role will be on the day - get helpers 2 weeks to wear club or cycling shirts so they are identifiable

Date

Who

Done

17

To take on the day Item

Done

Table/chairs Club signage Copies of the Cycling Development and Skills Program Insurance Registration Form Copies of Membership form Laptop and internet access for members so sign up straight away Pens Spare equipment Catering supplies Promotional packs

On the day setup Item

When

Set up table/chairs

1 hour

Set up club signage

1 hour

Provide shade if necessary

1 hour

Check track/venue conditions are suitable for come and try day

30 mins

After all registrations, work out age groups/ability of attendees, group participants accordingly

After rego.

Don’t stress. The people who have come along are there to have fun!

All day

Time

Who

Everyone

Done

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

Follow up Item

When

Send back insurance forms to Cycling Victoria

ASAP

Media release and photos for local newspaper

ASAP

Finalise attendance forms, looking at who has signed up for the rest of the come and try and/or membership

3 days

Post event survey for Cycling Victoria

3 days

Update club website, item for club newsletter. Name and welcome the new participants and members!

7 days

Follow up contact with come and try participants reminding them of the further sessions and how to join the club

7 days

Time

Who

Done

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

MARKETING A COME AND TRY DAY

Sample media release – pre event This is a sample media release. Clubs are able to modify this as necessary.

PUPILS/PEOPLE PACKING PEDAL POWER PROGRAM

Below are some media samples you can use to promote your Come and Try day.

Sample school assembly This is a sample for a school assembly/ parade. Clubs are able to modify this as necessary.

Marketing is very important tool, as it gets what service or product you are offering to the consumer.

Hi, I’m _________ from ____________ Cycling Club. Can I get everyone to put their hand up if they have a bike? Great! Can I get everyone to put their hand up if they have ridden their bike this week? Awesome! Can I get people to put their hand up if they would like to learn how to ride their bike faster? That’s fantastic. On the ______ (date) of ______ (month), we are going to run a program where we’ll show you how to ride your bike faster and how to fix it up. If you are interested, please ask your Mum or Dad and tell them to look for the details in your school newsletter, or the posters that we have got around the school.

___________ Cycling Club’s Come and Try cycling program is packing in people from all walks of life looking to make bike riding safer, faster and more fun. Over ### people have already graduated the program where participants learn about their bikes and learn how to ride them more efficiently and effectively to achieve maximum fun.

“There is so much even the most avid rider can still learn about their bike and how they ride it so it is great to offer something for people looking to put a little more power in their pedalling,” said club president / program coordinator < Insert Name Here >.

“Basic bike maintenance leads into bike skills which leads them into opportunities to really put their foot down with confidence.”

Re-energising the community’s relationship with their bikes is a Cycling Australia initiative aimed to introducing, and in some cases re-introducing people to the bike riding skills they didn’t know they had.

“For some people life is not as easy as riding a bike so we created a program that let

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people know it is OK not to know how to ride no matter how old you are and we are here to help,” said < Insert Name Here >.

Program participant < Insert Name Here > tells her story following the program she completed recently.

“I have always wanted to be able to go riding with the kids but never had the confidence.

After this program I am happy when the kids ask to go for a ride and it has given me a new lease on life,” said < Insert Name Here >.

The next ______________ Cycling Club come and try day is schedule for < Insert Date Here > and will be held at < Insert Venue Here >. For information and bookings contact < Insert Name & Contact Details Here >.

Sample media release – post event The premise of this release is that you find the oldest/youngest/ person to participate who had never ridden before and use them as the angle. Other angles include someone recovering from illness, a good immigrant story of someone who had never owned a bike before moving to Australia etc.

BICYCLE, BIKE, PUSHIE - NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT YOU ARE NEVER TO OLD TO RIDE IT. [ Name of old person ], [age ] joined

hundreds of others at [name of town/ suburb/city] come and try cycling program proving you are never too old to ride a bike safer, faster and have more fun. [Surname] believes they don't remember the last time they enjoyed physical activity as much as when they were riding among such a large group of people from the community.

“There is so much I had forgotten about riding a bicycle seeing as I have not been on one for many, many years,” said [Surname].

“I was very apprehensive at first however the program not only reminded me of the skills but gave me the confidence to get back on my bike.”

Re-energising the community’s relationship with their bikes is an important Cycling Australia initiative aimed at introducing, and in some cases re-introducing people to the bike riding skills they didn’t know they had.

“For some people life is not as easy as riding a bike so we created a program that let people know it is OK not to know how to ride no matter how old you are and we are here to help,” said < Insert Name Here >.

One program participant < Insert Name Here > tells her story following the program she completed recently.

“I have always wanted to be able to go riding with the kids but never had the confidence.

After this program I am happy when the kids

ask to go for a ride and it has given me a new lease on life,” said < Insert Name Here >.

The next ______________ Cycling Club come and try day is schedule for < Insert Date Here > and will be held at < Insert Venue Here >. For information and bookings contact < Insert Name & Contact Details Here >.

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

SUGGESTED SESSIONS FOR A COME AND TRY DAY

Road bike skill: Follow up sessions 10:25am

Participants arrive and sign on

10:30am

Basic skills, group riding, introduction to riding in traffic and fun games

11:30am

End

If this is an adult group, you might like to end the ride at a café.

Road bike skill: Come and Try Day Template

Road bike skill – advanced: Come and Try Day

The participants at this kind of Come and Try Day are likely to be younger and more social.

If you are running this kind of Come and Try Day, the club could do the following:

The participants at this kind of Come and Try Day will be more experienced and focussed on increasing their performance. If you are running this kind of come and try day, the club could do the following:

10:30am

Participants arrive and sign on

10:25am

Participants arrive and sign on

10:45am

Bike safety and equipment check

10:30am

Advanced skills and group riding techniques

11:00am

Bike skill session – fun games and skills

11:30am

End

12:00pm

BBQ lunch

12:30pm

Demonstration of road or track race/training

1:00pm

End

Road bike skill – advanced: Follow up sessions 10:25am

Participants arrive and sign on

10:30am

Group riding skills and group rides, introduction to racing skills and tactics

11:30am

End

Bike skill – track: Come and Try Day The participants at this kind of Come and Try Day may have varying levels of skill.

If you are running this kind of come and try day, the club could do the following: 10:30am

Participants arrive and sign on

10:45am

Bike safety and equipment check

11:00am

Orientation to the track bike riding on the track, skills and games

12:00pm

Demonstration of track race/ training

12:30pm

End

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Bike skill â&#x20AC;&#x201C; track: Follow up sessions 10:25am

Participants arrive and sign on

10:30am

Beginner/intermediate track skills, introduction to track racing techniques

11:30am

End

Participant requirements Road bike skill

Road bike skill â&#x20AC;&#x201C; advanced

Own bike

Own bike

Bike helmet

Bike helmet

Bike shoes, or flat soled shoes Socks Shirt with sleeves (no singlets) Fitted pants or knicks (no skirts) Water bottle

Bike shoes, or flat soled shoes

Track bike skill Bike helmet Bike shoes, or flat soled shoes Socks

Socks

Fitted pants or knicks

Knicks

Water bottle

Water bottle

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

POST PROGRAM TEMPLATES

By following up on participants you show them you care and want them to become part of your club. Also by following up you can do some research and ask what they like or don’t like about the come and try day or what they would like to see in the future. All this will benefit your club and come and try days in the future.

ff Where did you attend the Come and Try Day?

Sample post event letter/email

ff <<Skip if answered yes for the previous question>>Did you sign up for full membership?

Dear XXXXX, Thank you for attending our come and try day at ________ last week. We hope you enjoyed the day and got some good advice on how to improve your cycling. If you haven’t already signed up, please consider the three additional skill sessions that will let you further increase your cycling ability.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Sincerely, XXXXXX President, ________ Cycling Club

It is very important for clubs to follow up on participants after the Come and Try day. Without following up, all your work and effort could be for nothing.

Post Come and Try Day – participant survey ff A link to the electronic survey will be sent to all participants after their Come and Try Day. Survey Monkey is an easy and good website to use. The survey should contain the questions below.

ff How did you find out about the Come and Try Day? ff Did you sign up for the three ride sessions?

If not -> Why not?

If not -> Why not? ff What did you like about the Come and Try Day? ff What could be improved with the Come and Try Day?

Post Come and Try Day – club survey ff A link to the electronic survey will be sent to all clubs after their Come and Try Day. Survey Monkey is an easy and good website to use. The survey should contain the questions below. ff Did you think the come and try day was successful?

Yes No Undecided ff What worked well for the come and try day?

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ff What would you like to improve next time? ff How can CA assist you in improving the come and try day? ff Do you have any other ideas or suggestions on how we can promote the come and try days? ff What was the response to the merchandise bags? Do you have any comments about these? ff Do you have any other general comments or suggestions? ff How many people registered interest? ff How many people showed up on the day? ff How many participants signed up for the three follow on sessions? ff How many participants signed up for full membership? ff What promotion did you do and how successful was it? Please complete the table below

Promotion method Word of mouth Contact through database Word of mouth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bunch rides Word of mouth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; friend of a friend/ family member Promotion at participation, recreational or school program Contact with bicycle user groups Announcements at school assembly School newsletter announcements Posters at school Posters at bike store Posters on bike paths

Method used

How many people heard about it (from attendance list)

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

Promotion method Posters at cafes Posters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bunch ride start/finish and intersections Posters at bike store Posters at local swimming pool Posters at skate parks Posters at sporting fields Posters at PCYC and youth centres Posters at local shopping centre Posters on community noticeboards Online advertising on Facebook Online advertising via club website Online advertising via local bike shop website Local newspaper Local community newspaper Local radio sport and community announcements Local TV sport and community announcements Banner/signage in prominent location (e.g. overhead bridges, community billboard) Other (please specify) Other (please specify) Other (please specify) Other (please specify) Other (please specify)

Method used

How many people heard about it (from attendance list)

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RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk assessment is very important and should be one of the first things you complete before you run a come and try day. As an organiser and as a legal requirement, you have a duty of care for all participants, this means the health, safety and wellbeing of all the participants are looked after. Below is a risk management planner that will help you manage the risk if something was to occur.

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

What are the risks in the environment for your club come and try day? How can you keep it SAFE? Complete the following risk management planner.

Spot the hazard

Assess the risk

Fix the problem

Evaluate the result

(What are the potential hazards/risks?)

(What might go wrong? What are the chances? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; high, medium, low)

(What can you do to eliminate or reduce the risk?)

(What is the result of your fix?)

Program 1.

2.

3.

Environment 1.

2.

3.

Staff / riders 1.

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Spot the hazard

Assess the risk

Fix the problem

Evaluate the result

(What are the potential hazards/risks?)

(What might go wrong? What are the chances? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; high, medium, low)

(What can you do to eliminate or reduce the risk?)

(What is the result of your fix?)

2.

3.

Equipment 1.

2.

3.

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COME AND TRY DAY GUIDE

CA Insurance Cover for Participants CAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free Cycling Development and Skills Program Insurance information and application forms are available on the membership section of the CA website. This paperwork must be submitted to ensure all Come and Try Day (and follow up program) participants are covered for insurance during these activities (http://www.cycling.org.au/ Home/Membership/Member-Insurance).

Following the delivery of your activities, the club can offer various membership opportunities to Come and Try Day participants, including racing membership for those interested in racing or recreational membership for those interested in riding socially, recreationally, for health/fitness or to participate in non-competitive events.

Cycling Development and Skills Program Insurance Application form.

After you have read the guide, below is all the information you will need to have to complete the form.

99 Club name 99 Contact for Come and Try Day 99 Name 99 Email 99 Phone 99 Names of accredited coaches whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be available 99 Street address (for courier delivery of promotional material) 99 Planned date of bike skills Come and Try Day (if applicable) 99 Planned date of advanced bike skills Come and Try Day (if applicable) 99 Planned date of track Come and Try Day (if applicable)

Membership form The latest CA Membership form is available from the CA website at http://www.cycling. org.au/Home/Membership. Encourage, were possible for new members to join (or renew) online.

Come and Try Day Support and Assistance For assistance to conduct a Come and Try Day, please contact: STATE/TERRITORY Alan Mok Development Coordinator Cycling Victoria (03) 8480 3077 Alan.Mok@cycling.org.au NATIONAL Alexandra Bright National Participation Coordinator Cycling Australia (02) 9339 5800 alexandra.bright@cycling.org.au

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ComE and Try day!!

Want to learn how to ride a bike?

Ever wanted to improve your existing bike skills?

Come and learn the skills of getting yourself started in the world of cycling. da Lo te: Ti cat Co me: ion: Co st: nt ac t:

Everyone has to start somewhere.