Could Pedal Power be the Answer?....by Robert J. Rogers

Robert J. Rogers responds to Chris Seaward's article that suggested that speedway was something of a mystery to young people.

A great article, but a suggestion about the comment that children `cannot do speedway in the park`.

Most children (or as they seem to like being called, KIDS!) ride bikes. Roads are unsafe, what about a blitz on returning the sport of Cycle Speedway? For those who may believe it is dead and gone, it does still exist, but gets even less mention that it older brother, motorised speedway.

With all the talk of respect and plans to bring back youth clubs (although with a new fancy name to make them sound COOL!). Why not, along with football etc, associate cycle speedway teams to these clubs, or even school teams?

A circuit does not need a great amount of work on, and they even can be marked out in a school playground, a few chairs to mark out the straights, and a few bollards for the bends. This will teach team work, plus the schools can maintain the bikes during metal work classes and in the needle work classes, race jackets could be made, with inter-house challenges (I assume they still have such classes and houses).

If a local speedway team adopt a local league, the prize for winning could include a trip to the club for the winners, with the `riders` getting to watch the racing from the pits, while the parents and teachers can hold up the bar for the night (that will upset the teachers, they, like students are all tee-total to a man (or woman))! Meanwhile the rest of the school can have a reduced admission for the night.

They have produced school versions of cricket, tennis and rugby with slight changes in the rules to make it safer, well the same could be done for Cyle speedway. Will it work, well, has anybody tried?

This article was first published on 11th September 2005

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