WHAT ARE PARTICIPATION DAYS?
Participation days, called Ride In2BMX, are events held by BMX Australia affiliated clubs as part of membership initiatives for attracting non-members to the sport of BMX.
Any member from the general public can attend a Ride In2BMX event and try the sport of BMX free of charge. Riders are covered under BMX Australia’s insurance, as long as the club has applied to hold the event, received approval and completes the paperwork required to be emailed to BMXA after the event has been held.
WHY ARE PARTICIPATION DAYS IMPORTANT?
Increasing the number of members and participants in our sport is a key aspect to our success.
More members mean:
DID YOU KNOW?
Statistics from your club’s membership, racing events and participation days can be extremely helpful when applying for funding or sponsorship. Documented information can be attached to funding and sponsorship applications to paint a picture of who the club is.
Local councils and governments are always interested in boosting their local economy through tourism. A key example is holding large state or national events like the State Titles, National Series or National Championships.
The companies who you approach for sponsorship will want to find out how many people they can potentially reach to promote their brand. This in turn will provide benefits to club members and help build a relationship between sponsors and clubs for further sponsorship opportunities.
For more information see the Club Marketing and Grants/Funding section under As A Club.
PARTICIPATION DAYS – BMXA has 2 types of participation days for affiliated Clubs.
NATIONAL SERIES AND BMXA SUPPORTED RIDE IN2 BMX EVENTS
National series and BMXA supported Ride In2BMX events are organised by clubs in conjunction with BMX Australia and their State Organisation around the time of each State’s national series stage or other dates which are suitable in your State.
By holding membership drive events at these times, the promotion and success of a national series stage or another State initiative , provides great BMX awareness to a State’s BMX clubs.
For clubs who hold National Series or BMXA supported Ride In2BMX events, BMXA provides promotional assistance via social media, facebook banners, promotional flyers and promotional items which can be purchased as showbag giveaways.
As a club, you play a key role in the success of national series and BMXA supported Ride In2BMX events and growing memberships for your club.
NS/BMXA Supported Ride In2BMX Application Form
RIDE IN2BMX
Ride In2BMX events can be held by your club at any time during the year at any date that suits you. There are no limits to how many Ride In2BMX events a club can hold and you can decide to have an event which targets all ages or you might want to hold a specialised ‘Ride’ event which targets girls, Dad’s or Mum’s. Some clubs find holding Ride events after a large event like their State Titles is particularly successful.
SPORTS CAMP AUSTRALIA
Sports Camp Australia school holiday camps are a great way to raise $$’s for your Club and increase memberships. SCA Camps are supported by BMXA and Clubs sign-up directly with SCA who provides the administration support, insurance and promotional support.
You’ll need to provide an accredited coach to be appointed Camp Director and one or two other coaches to assist with running your Camp. The coach’s don’t have to be members of your Club. Your Club track will be used for the Camp.
Click here to find out more about SCA
If you are interested in an SCA Camp, call 02 9008 1300 or email development@bmxaustralia.com.au
Alternatively, you can email SCA directly andrea@sportscampsaustralia.com.au
CLICK HERE for an SCA Camp Director Registration Form
CLICK HERE for an SCA Directors Guidelines and Agreement Form
All Ride in2 BMX events, including SCA School Holiday Camps, once approved are advertised on the BMXA website so interested potential BMXers, know where to find a Ride in2 BMX event.
Click here to see how your Event will be promoted by BMXA.
HOW TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL RIDE IN2BMX EVENT
To run a successful Ride In2BMX Event, it’s important to plan, have a schedule for the Event and encourage as many attendees as possible.
So, what to do and when to start planning?
CLICK HERE for BMXA’s Ride In2BMX Guide – advising who to target to attend, a suggested schedule for the event day and activities you can hold.
CLICK HERE for a 16 week planner to prepare for your ride event – this includes putting together your ride event team, applying to BMXA to hold your event, promotion ideas and returning your attendance spreadsheet to BMXA.
During the 16 weeks of planning, make sure you:
CLICK HERE to download the important tasks to attend to in the week leading into your ride event.
At the end of your event, BMXA emails a welcome letter to your attendees encouraging them to become part of your club, if they didn’t sign up on the day.
TIPS FROM OTHER BMX CLUBS
FAQ’S
If our club does not have an accredited coach can we still hold a Ride in2 BMX Event?
Yes – if your club does not have an accredited coach you can ask a coach from another club to attend.
Click here for a full list of valid accredited coaches.
If your club is interested in getting a Club member accredited as a coach, check the BMXA website to see the Coaching courses currently on offer.
What are the First Aid requirements?
Clubs are required to have at least one person who holds a First Aid certificate in attendance on your participation day. Please note that all accredited coaches are required to have a first aid certificate.
What do participants have to bring along?
Participants can ride on any 20” or 24” bike. Officials and Coaches must do a check of the bikes before they are allowed on the track.
For safety reasons all participants must have an Australian Standards helmet, long pants and long sleeve tops. They must also wear gloves, flat soled shoes and socks that cover their ankles. Having second hand equipment is a great way to encourage your local community to participate.
Starting Gates are not permitted to be used for Ride in2 BMX events. Attendees will have to become a member to learn how to safely ride down the start hill.
How many people can we expect to attend?
The number of people attending a Ride In2BMX event varies per club. The clubs that have had the most success is those that put as much information out to their target market as possible.
Is the club required to purchase insurance?
BMX Australia provide free insurance for clubs who hold Ride In2BMX events, provided attendance spreadsheets are returned within 2 weeks of the ‘Ride’ Event being held. Further Ride In2BMX events will not be approved until all previous Attendees sheets have been returned.
