Schools Cycling
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by grabbing another two second place finishes at the Spur Interschools Series and the Quattro ROAG Series,” says Gerhard.“ I’ m also very proud of their achievements, because it was my first year in charge.”
MTB Mania in Maritzburg
In 2016, the Pietermaritzburg Boys College MTB Team took a leap forward when outdoorsman and dedicated teacher Gerhard Erasmus took on the challenge of being the Master in Charge of cycling at the school. Fast forward a year, and you’ ll notice a huge increase in participation.
– BY KYLE DEELEY
biking disciplines,” says Gerhard.
Having taught at the school for the past 10 years, Gerhard says he couldn’ t resist when asked to take over the MTB team.“ I have always loved adventure sports and being outdoors, so when the opportunity to take over as Master in Charge came up, I grabbed it with both hands. Now cycling takes place throughout the year and we follow the KZN MTB and ROAG Series calendars, while also participating in the KZN Schools Challenge and the Eliminator Series.”
Rapid Success
Despite still being relative newcomers to the competitive cycling scene, the Maritzburg College team has done its school proud in a short period of time.“ The boys placed second in the KZN Junior Eliminator Series in 2016, and continued their success
Of course, the team’ s success wouldn’ t happen if it wasn’ t for the boys’ hard work and dedication, and Gerhard describes their training regime.“ The team trains twice a week, one cycling session and one gym session in the school’ s High Performance Centre. On our rides, we alternate between stamina, strength, endurance and technique. However, for me the most rewarding aspect of the sport is seeing how much the boys have grown and how much they love what they do. They thrive on being out on their bikes and being outdoors. These boys are born to be outside and to see how they develop physically and to see their self-confidence boosted is heart-warming for me as a coach.”
Watch This Space
Looking ahead at the 2017 year, Gerhard says it is all down to providing the opportunities and the means, and then the boys will naturally push themselves to become better.“ It is difficult to say at the start of a new year who exactly will excel or what to expect from the team, but there are some youngsters to keep an eye on. Sharjah Jonsson is a junior cyclist with great potential, but his focus is on racing downhill only. Another few to look out for are Johandre Marx, Thomas Cheatle and Sean Westerdyk. These boys are talented and are competing in the youth division,” explains Gerhard.
Gerhard aims to get the boys on their bikes as often as possible. The school is in the process of building a dedicated bike storage facility that will make it easier for the boys to get out on their bikes. Also, he says the focus of the team is that every rider matters, and everyone is treated equally, regardless of equipment and ability.“ You don’ t inspire your team mates by showing them how amazing you are. You inspire them by showing them how amazing they are,” concludes Gerhard.
When the inaugural and very successful‘ Tour de College’ bike ride took place at Pietermaritzburg Boys College in 2012, a group of enthusiastic riders of various ages and skill levels participated on a 2.5km lap course within the school grounds, and a wonderful day out was enjoyed by all. The popularity of this annual event eventually prompted the school officials to formalise the sport, and since January 2015 Maritzburg College has officially had a mountain biking team.
Images: Courtesy Gerhard Erasmus
When Gerhard Erasmus began coaching the team in 2016, cycling was still a minor sport in the school, with a mere handful of boys participating, but that quickly changed. The team has grown to 20 boys who are dedicated to cycling, including both beginners and highly experienced riders.“ The school team is growing and we now race every weekend in multiple mountain
The Spur Schools Mountain Bike League will start in June 2017 and will end with the National Finals taking place in October. With over 10,000 cyclists participating in the 2016 season, 2017 is set to be an even bigger blast for the kids. For more information and upcoming events in the series, visit www. spurmtbleague. co. za.
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