Dads 'n' Lads – Sport Bay of Plenty's beginner mountain biking programme
Overview
Sport Bay of Plenty (Sport BOP) ran the first Dads ‘n’ Lads in 2007-08. The 10-week mountain bike course was proudly for men and boys only. It was also only for biking beginners. The aim was to help boost participants’ skills, fitness and confidence – plus open up opportunities for quality time with family and new mates.
The initiative made the most of Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa forest, and its world-class network of mountain biking trails. It was a great success, and then some. That led to another Dads ‘n’ Lads in 2008-09. Sport BOP has now rolled the concept out to other sports, and new areas – under the banner of the Activate for Summer Series.
Background & partners
Since 2005 Sport BOP has run the Women's Activator series, a joint venture with Rotorua District Council. Once a week for 10 weeks, women have the opportunity to gain running, biking and swimming skills, with expert support in a safe environment. Women’s Activator has been a winning concept, with up to 120 women taking part each year.
“A lot of their [male] partners suggested we could do the same for them,” says Lisa Mansell, Sport BOP’s Active Living Coordinator for Rotorua. A survey was sent out to large workplaces, to find out the motivations and barriers men have to getting active. The results confirmed the opportunity: “They wanted something for [men] only – their own time out. They wanted something that would challenge them,” Lisa explains.
Lisa came up with the idea for mountain biking, although she’s not a biker herself. She sounded out a few target people: “they were really excited. Mountain biking offered challenge, with lots of different levels,” she says.
She set up the Dads ‘n’ Lads programme, which is “structured but informal,” and enlisted the expertise of two instructors from local cycling shop Bike Vegas to lead each session, and share enthusiasm for riding. Sport BOP was supported by Health Rotorua PHO and also the Rotorua District Council who were a key partner in the overall Activate Summer Series. All three training series were designed to be sustainable and cost-effective, for anyone in the community to give it a go.
The initiative
The series target was inactive males, aged 12 years and up (12-16s had to be accompanied by an adult). Actual participants ranged from 15-65, with the most common age around 27-40.
The series was promoted with local radio and newspaper advertising, and in a letterbox flyer in suburbs around Whakarewarewa. There was also promotion through Sport BOP’s web site, the Activator women’s series, Green Prescriptions, and Family Lifestyle programme.
“CALLING ALL MEN. No matter your age, shape, size or speed (in fact the slower the better) this training series is just for YOU” – Ad for Dads ‘n’ Lads
The aim was not for large numbers, but rather to get the right audience (those who are inactive). The first series was free. A $15 charge has since been introduced to place value on the fitness gains, and to encourage commitment for the full duration. The first series saw 42 registering, with a core group of 20 staying enthused for the full 10 weeks. Twenty proved the right number to ensure a safe and supportive environment, and this is now the course limit.
Support from Health Rotorua enabled SportBOP to eliminate any obstacles to giving mountain biking a go – with free rental bike rentals available for people with no bikes.
Dads ‘n' Lads followed the proven Activator template. Each week saw a Thursday 5.30pm session, lasting 60-90 minutes. The first two weeks were held at Rotorua BMX Club – the ideal venue for learning basic skills and drills without any worries about fitness. After that, evenings were structured with a skills session, followed by a group ride.
The focus was always on learning and practicing core mountain biking skills, which of course built fitness at the same time. Other key skills included learning bike set-up, riding techniques, puncture repair, and stretching.
On completing the 10 weeks, participants were awarded with a certificate. There were also prizes to applaud successes, such as ‘most improved’.
“We have had a triple by-pass and heart transplant patient take up this challenge and we have had Dads who have participated thanks to peer pressure from wives, daughters and sons. … Dads have travelled from Kawerau every Thursday and many have, after only a few weeks, entered the world of competitive mountain biking … Dads have said ‘hey, I love the feeling I get’ and purchased new bikes.” – Sport BOP report
Key benefits
The first Dads ‘n’ Lads saw participants surveyed at the start and finish of the series. The feedback shows the degree of change, at work and at home, as well as in physical activity.
- At the start, 50% of participants were active on just one day a week, if at all. Only 18% met the recommendation four+ active days each week. 60% had not ridden a bike for years, if at all. But by week ten, activity levels were transformed, with 60% active on at least two days each week, and 40% active four+ days a week.
- For everyone who finished the course, initial expectations were met. Comments included:
- “I lost 7kg … and feeling great”
- “Increased energy levels and focus is much better at work”
- “Enjoyed quality time with my son”
- “Met lots of blokes that have the same interests and similar goals”
- “Feeling much fitter and stronger.”
- There were gains in confidence, and self-esteem. “They were feeling better about themselves. There was one employer who contacted us because he’d noticed how two of his guys were more focused. They’d got that confidence factor. The employer ended up paying for a [company] team to do the Moonride,” says Lisa. “There was one young guy who when he started, he was really in a shell. By the end, he was taking his mum out riding.”
- The programme impacted on physical activity levels beyond the participants. They all said they had passed on new skills, or gone riding with, family or friends. “We had guys going out as a family and buying bikes,” enthuses Lisa.
- All the participants said they’d feel happy to visit the forest with friends and family. At the start, only half had been so confident.
- After the first Dads ‘n’ Lads finished, the participants started their own monthly riding group, which continued through the 2008-09 summer. Again, other family members and friends joined in.
Looking ahead
To build on the success, in 2009 Sport BOP is running its first Whanau Activator programme, designed for the entire family, five years and up. It includes a split of mountain biking and Waka Tete (waka holding 24 paddlers).
There’s also now an Activate for Summer series, including Dads ‘n’ Lads, Women’s Activator, and Whanau Activator. “They’ll all follow the same template - a 10 week course that provides a safe environment and cuts down the obstacles. This provides an understanding of an active lifestyle – and in doing so encourages participants to make life changing decisions,” says Lisa.
As she notes, the concept is highly transportable to other regions and activities. In 2009, Kawerau and Opotiki ran kayaking series, while in Whakatane it was Waka Ama.
“It’s a really rewarding feeling to find the gaps in our community and close them,” concludes Lisa. “You could take the template anywhere!”
Contacts and links
To know more about Sport BOP, visit www.sportbop.co.nz
To discuss Dads ‘n’ Lads or the Activate for Summer series, contact Lisa Mansell on 07 348 4125 or email lisam@sportbop.co.nz
Updated | 09 Jun 2009.
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