A new pilot program for the NSW Institute of Sport Track Sprint Cycling team is transforming the school playground into a velodrome for one hour a week.

Over the past month athletes have volunteered their time to partake in running a basic cycling program for children at Broderick Gillawarna School with disabilities and learning difficulties.

The children who attend this school unfortunately don’t get many opportunities to learn cycling skills or even opportunities to practice.

This one-hour program has given the school children the chance to learn some new skills and help develop their confidence through practice.

By all reports the teachers and children have really loved their time with the NSWIS Track Sprint Team, which includes Charles Hofman, Thomas Cornish and Max Housden.

The kids have benefited from meeting new people and learning to interact with others whilst also learning new skills and getting an hour of exercise.

For the NSWIS athletes taking part the outcomes for the program are to:

  • Display and experience empathetic interactions with less than able individuals with the aim of imparting experience to teach a basic athletic skill (cycling skills)
  • Build key high performance/athlete behaviours; in particular communication and leadership through new experiences working with less than able individuals in a volunteer capacity
  • Develop self-awareness and perspective through interactions with non-athlete cohort
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