collegiate cycling jeffrey hansen high school & collegiate manager
TRANSCRIPT
Collegiate CyclingJeffrey Hansen
High School & Collegiate Manager
A few basics…
• 11 Conferences
A few basics…
• 11 Conferences• Each managed by a volunteer conference director, and 1-2
assistant conference directors (often students)• Basic responsibilities of the conference director:
• Season Scheduling
• Conference rules (mostly scoring related)
• Ensuring eligibility and qualification for nationals
• Point of contact for FAQs from riders
• Omnium scoring
• Coordination of Host Housing, Intro Clinics
• Flyer approval (to ensure collegiate and conference rules are met)
A few basics…
• 11 Conferences• Many CDs also attend each and every race in their conferences
• Not required of them, but helpful for promoters
• Instills consistency in the season
• Often officiating (and not always charging promoters for it)
• 4 Seasons• Track (minimal in only a few conferences): Summer/August• Mountain Bike (2nd largest, most conferences): Fall• Cyclo-cross (6/11 Conferences, growing): October/November• Road (Largest season, all conferences): February-April
• Collegiate License• License: $30, or free with a USAC Road or MTB License
A few numbers…
• 46% of current collegiate license holders ALSO hold a USAC Road license
• Many double up on criteriums (Collegiate and USAC Road Cats)• Many continue racing during the summer and after college
• Since the Collegiate license became mandatory in 2005: • 27,956 collegiate licenses have been sold• 4,648 of our current members’ first license was a Collegiate (8%)
• 3,538 of whom are no longer in college (6%)
• 20,000+ racer days in 2009• 500+ One-day licenses sold in 2010
A few numbers…
A few numbers…
• 295 Teams• 16 Varsity:
• Brevard College; Brevard, NC• Cumberland University; Lebanon, TN• Fort Lewis College; Durango, CO• King College; Bristol, TN• Lees McRae College; Banner Elk, NC• Lindenwood University; St. Charles, MO• Lindsey Wilson College; Columbia, KY• Marian University; Indianapolis, IN• Mars Hill College; Mars Hill, NC• Mesa State College; Grand Junction, CO• Midwestern State University; Wichita Falls, TX• Milligan College; Milligan College, TN• Pfeiffer University; Charlotte, NC• Ripon College; Ripon, WI• Union College; Barbourville, KY • Warren Wilson; Asheville, NC
Strengths
• Scoring system • Gives equal weight to women, regardless of numbers
• 19% female membership (13% organization-wide)
• Teams can’t win without women
• Points go up to 50 places deep• Team competition is primary – above individual wins
• Low barriers to entry (cost, clinics, peers)• Atmosphere built upon camaraderie
• Between teams, especially• Lending equipment, sharing rides, making best friends
• Atmosphere is what 90% of collegiate cyclists will cite as best part
• Grassroots racing in its purest form!
Successful Alumni
Successful Alumni
• Ted King (Middlebury): “Collegiate cycling is... AWESOME. I can thank collegiate cycling almost exclusively for getting me where I am today. For one, while attending Middlebury College and before I got into cycling I watched my brother win a collegiate national title… It was at that point I realized I might share some race winning genetics. In a word, collegiate cycling is just fun… week in and week out you get to see the same awesome people from across the collegiate spectrum, have a blast racing with them, witness their ridiculous antics, and just have a great time doing it.”
Challenges
• Scoring System!• Complicated, but solutions in the pipeline
• Conference funding is limited• Collegiate licenses are half off, and many are free• On the whole, collegiate programs cost about 1.5x their revenue• Program relies on volunteers, reimbursed for mileage• $1/rider/day surcharge helps fund conference equipment, CD travel
• Team funding is limited• Rarely supported by their schools • Average team receives $2000/year with lots of red tape &
restrictions
Challenges
• Race promotion• Usually novice promoters with a million other things on their minds
• BAD combination
• Quality, and occasionally safety, suffer as a result
• Low entry fees for collegiate races mean no profit (often lose money)
• False dichotomy• Between Collegiate and Non-Collegiate cycling• Lack of integration in some regions• Easy to fall into but definite room for improvement• Potential growth all around
How can the Local Associations Help?
• Race Promotion• Promoter Mentors• Equipment loans/rentals• Promoter Guides• Collegiate categories in non-collegiate races & vice versa• Official education• Local site visits and officials
• Funding• Travel grants for unsupported teams• Conference grants, equipment donations
How can the Local Associations Help?
• Collegiate races on the LA calendar• Proven in SWCCC/ABRA, IMCCC/UCA, RMCCC/CVA
• More communication from Conference Directors• Collegiate members are LA members, too!
Case Study: ABRA & SWCCC
• Unique situation – small conference• Scheduling
• Usually 1-2 races in AZ; follow LA scheduling procedures
• Officiating• Don (LA) and Nancy (CD) officiate all races together
• Equipment• Camera, barriers
• Race Promotion• Site visits, checklists
• Communication• Growing popularity of collegiate races among non-coll. members
What are we looking for?
• Planting the seed and starting the dialogue• Expanded cooperation means expanded membership
• 45% is good, but lots of room for growth
Upcoming Developments
• Results and Rankings• Easier for CDs to compute• All results submitted to USAC• Centralized, standard rankings• Faster turnaround
• New Page on usacycling.org• Collegiate-specific menus• Race reports• Resources for teams
• Race Improvements• Entry fees, guides, accountability
Mock-up of next year’s webpage
Thanks!
• Up next: Mark Guthart • Iowa LA President • North Central Conference Director