February 2nd felt like a new day. Not only were four of the coaches freshly CPR certified, but the weather was beautiful at Cary Park in Hutchinson, Kansas. We took a ton of pictures and really enjoyed having the team out on the grass without snow and ice to get in the way. We were able to break the group into three separate subgroups.
Each of the subgroups is broken down into age and skill level. Before we broke into the groups, we had an icebreaker game of bicycle soccer. From there, the groups took off and did a group ride around the park all at their different paces. It was great to see the teammates ride together and enjoy their time.
The group rides are fun. Because you’ll hear different conversations and as a bystander riding along, sometimes you can’t help but be amused at the things these kids will talk about.
As we broke into groups in the park for the exercises, we focused on things like bursts of acceleration and turning. We want to make sure that our team understands The principles of body bike separation, proper balance, and body positioning to navigate the trails during competition. At the end of the practice, we had a game that the kids just love.
It’s called Cardboard Slide, and the premise of the game is simple. Ride over a piece of cardboard with your front tire. Then lock up your back tire and slide as far as you can with your back tire locked up over a piece of cardboard. The kids love it, the coaches love it, and it’s a great way to finish up a really great day of practice at the park.
