Bspa Kill Off Northern Junior League.

[StevePark]

Clearly a bee in the bonnet of this kid!

 

You sir are a disgrace and should crawl back under the rock you came from

 

What's the harm in using an Amateur in what is supposed to be an Amateur league.... Surely this is a goal ALL amateur riders should be making, it's a dream to break into a team.

 

Mid life crisis etc... It's actually the time when you have enough money to do things....not all kids have a rich daddy who can bank roll.

 

Why shouldn't these guys use their hard earned money on something they enjoy.... And you should shut up and leave them. We only live once and we can't all be world champ or a pro rider...but at least this can emulate it on some small way and bring a sense of achievement.

 

The racing at amateurs is actually better than some elite matches.

 

Now quit your bitchin spineless

 

Wrong. It's called a 'Junior' League... as Backless has already quite plainly stated "this is what Amateur meetings are for."

 

Agreed, let them spend their money on whatever they like, if that is a speedway bike, fine, I haven't got a problem with that. What I do have a problem with is, a league called a 'Junior' League and having 40+ (or however old, certainly over 'Junior' age) 'riders' in it, when, quite clearly, they aren't and never will be good enough, even for NL level.

[snapper-racing.co.uk]

I don't think you can say they will NEVER be good enough.... Some guys have bad luck, some just not enough track time or backing.

 

It really should be renamed and the word Junior outlawed in racing..... I don't think anyone over the age of 15 is really .

 

 

The negative comments on here are disgusting and you should have a real look at yourselves. The sport will only survive if new people are introduced, but they quickly walk away when there is so much venom aimed at anyone who wants to have a go.

 

The guy who scores a zero one day could be the one who scores 12 another! That's sport for you. Everyone should be given a chance regardless of age, sex, race etc. And you should keep your bitter vitriol to yourselves as its not effecting you in any way really!

[RCF]

So what would you do Abbott and Backless, you've got strong views on the subject, how should we be running it?

[StevePark]

I don't think you can say they will NEVER be good enough.... Some guys have bad luck, some just not enough track time or backing.

 

It really should be renamed and the word Junior outlawed in racing..... I don't think anyone over the age of 15 is really .

 

 

The negative comments on here are disgusting and you should have a real look at yourselves. The sport will only survive if new people are introduced, but they quickly walk away when there is so much venom aimed at anyone who wants to have a go.

 

The guy who scores a zero one day could be the one who scores 12 another! That's sport for you. Everyone should be given a chance regardless of age, sex, race etc. And you should keep your bitter vitriol to yourselves as its not effecting you in any way really!

 

I think I've been around speedway long enough to say whether (in my opinion) a 40+ rider (nearer 50+ I believe) will or will not ever be "good enough", which was the point I was trying to make.

 

Yes, for every "Ricky Anderson", there will be a "Max Clegg". My argument is, the likes of Ricky Anderson should have no place in the Junior/Development Leagues. Amateur Meetings and 'open' second halves, yes. After all, we are supposed to be debating the future of British speedway.

 

I'm not (and never have) knocked anyone for "wanting to have a go", good on them, but the idea of some of them in the Junior/Development Leagues just doesn't lie well with me.

 

That is my opinion and if you don't like it, well, sorry, but tough.

[SarahLapworth]

I have read some of the comments on this thread with interest and I would like to put forward the policy behind the MDL

 

The word development was added to the league rather than junior because that is what we are, a league where riders can develop regardless of age. We prefer and encourage all teams to be made up of youngsters where possible but adding the odd "older rider" to the team can be usefull to the kids as they can benefit from it. Also there has been a lot of ex Moto X riders come over to Speedway recently who are in their late 20's to early 30's who are showing good potential. Just because they are over 21 does that give us the right to descriminate against their age and tell them they are never going to make it? Greg Hanckock and Tomasz Gollob have both proven older riders can still be at the top of their game.

 

Kelvin Lapworth - MDL Co-Ordinator

[Backless]

I have a dream … where no one is discriminated against because of age, colour, creed & ability. A dream where sportsmen & sportswomen aren't judged merely by competence & results, but recognised as being special in their own right and so that they can all be accepted as winners in their own way.

 

Perhaps all of which highlights why there's a lack of British talent - years of non-competitive education in schools.

[Dekker]

Perhaps all of which highlights why there's a lack of British talent - years of non-competitive education in schools.

 

If only that was the real case.....

 

So backless while i agree with your POV re old/amateur riders in NJL, how would you fill the 3rd slot if there are no available juniors?

[crescent girl]

To confirm my earlier post: On Saturday night, Alex Harkess, the BSPA chairperson, apparently told the NJL co-ordinatordone. the NJL would be permitted to continue as long as their rules on rider elegibility were brought into line with the other two leagues.

 

Presumably this has been done, or shortly will be.

 

However, I've been told by a friend in the junior/development/amateur/whatsinaname scene at an Anglia track that these rules make absolutely no reference to the age of competitors,

 

So what's all the ageism hassle on here?

 

Let's just get three lower leagues running throughout the country and through them, let's hope for just one lad (or lass) to benefit enough from the discipline of competition to "make it" to a level that will silence even the sternest critic.

[Backless]

 

 

If only that was the real case.....

 

So backless while i agree with your POV re old/amateur riders in NJL, how would you fill the 3rd slot if there are no available juniors?

 

So what is "the real case" then?

 

As to how to fill the hole left by excluding 40+ year old chuggers from a Junior / Development league, I'm not sure - if there arent the numbers, that's a fact of life.

 

For the few number of meetings involved, with the number of ex-riders around any given pits on any given night, could they not be persuaded to have a blast & at the same time provide a bit of tuition?

At least there would be a credible reason for them being out there. I wouldn't need to be the same guy in the same team for all meetings.

 

There would be some purpose to that & it would be "real speedway" as opposed to old blokes with a bit of cash who bought a bike.

 

I don't have any problem whatsoever with Amateur Meetings. If blokes want to have a go, good luck to them. But don't pass it off as anything other that what it is: pub football. Pub football is both fine and dandy - but it'll be Euro 2012 that'll be on tv.

 

Speedway has always had " exceptional circumstances" ways & means to accommodate err exceptional circumstances, so that if some mid life crisis suddenly makes John Louis' debut at 29 look lite a whippersnapper he can be absorbed into the NJL on his way to NL, Pl, El & undoubted SGP glory.

[TMW]

So what is "the real case" then?

 

As to how to fill the hole left by excluding 40+ year old chuggers from a Junior / Development league, I'm not sure - if there arent the numbers, that's a fact of life.

 

For the few number of meetings involved, with the number of ex-riders around any given pits on any given night, could they not be persuaded to have a blast & at the same time provide a bit of tuition?

.

 

Maybe you should read the rule book. The new BSPA rukes make it impossible for anyone with more than 5.00 in the NL rider or a rider with more than 50 NL meetings under their belt to ride anybody who has competed in the PL has no chance i'm affraid.

 

Would you like to try again.?!!!!!

Edited May 9, 2012 by TMW

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

As much of this debate sems to hinge around semantics, then i need to point out that the word 'junior' when used in this context does NOT imply age exclusively.

Indeed a dictionary definition of 'junior' includes "Lesser in scale than the usual" and "lower in rank or length of service". In other words a junior competition is as much for novices, starters, people of far less experience etc. than it is about age. Which makes sense. Think about it, Michael Lee was riding top division Speedway at 16; he'd hardly have turned out at that stage despite his very youthful age, for the equivalent junior league sides of that era.

 

Look at Boxing too... The 'Junior middlewight' division means light middleweight not that it is young people competing..

 

I can tell you that as far as the Anglian Junior League is concerned there is no issue about the age of riders - it's NOT a Youth League it's one for novices, riders moving up from amateur status, starters and yes this includes some very promising schoolkids and other youngsters but also some riders who are 'junior' in the sport's terms but less junior when it comes to age..

[JCookie]

As much of this debate sems to hinge around semantics, then i need to point out that the word 'junior' when used in this context does NOT imply age exclusively.

Indeed a dictionary definition of 'junior' includes "Lesser in scale than the usual" and "lower in rank or length of service". In other words a junior competition is as much for novices, starters, people of far less experience etc. than it is about age. Which makes sense. Think about it, Michael Lee was riding top division Speedway at 16; he'd hardly have turned out at that stage despite his very youthful age, for the equivalent junior league sides of that era.

 

Look at Boxing too... The 'Junior middlewight' division means light middleweight not that it is young people competing..

 

I can tell you that as far as the Anglian Junior League is concerned there is no issue about the age of riders - it's NOT a Youth League it's one for novices, riders moving up from amateur status, starters and yes this includes some very promising schoolkids and other youngsters but also some riders who are 'junior' in the sport's terms but less junior when it comes to age..

 

That's all well and good and I don't think anyone on this topic has a problem with that.

 

The problem arises when you get old plodders who are pushing 40/50 and clearly lack the talent or the ambition to make it as a pro. If a rider was 40 and of a decent standard or was determined to become a pro I can't see why the NJL should not accomodate him (or her).

[Backless]

Maybe you should read the rule book. The new BSPA rukes make it impossible for anyone with more than 5.00 in the NL rider or a rider with more than 50 NL meetings under their belt to ride anybody who has competed in the PL has no chance i'm affraid.

 

Would you like to try again.?!!!!!

 

No need to "try again" - seek Special Dispensation.

 

There would be a strong arguent that it would be "in the interests of British Speedway" that the few with actual potential would benefit from the granting of special dispensation from the current regulations regarding experinced riders in development league(s) on an individual basis than it would be for them to be half a lap or more in front of some old bloke having a second childhood.

 

At least it would be a credible solution & help distinguish the league matches from the old guys with JAPs & ESOs who put on displays (now THAT would be worth a watch: Blast From The Past v Men In Black v Plodders v Chuggers - there y'go: Amateur racing at it's finest)

[TMW]

No need to "try again" - seek Special Dispensation.

 

 

 

Yep that would be a solution

Edited May 9, 2012 by TMW

[RCF]

So what is "the real case" then?

 

As to how to fill the hole left by excluding 40+ year old chuggers from a Junior / Development league, I'm not sure - if there arent the numbers, that's a fact of life.

 

For the few number of meetings involved, with the number of ex-riders around any given pits on any given night, could they not be persuaded to have a blast & at the same time provide a bit of tuition?

At least there would be a credible reason for them being out there. I wouldn't need to be the same guy in the same team for all meetings.

 

There would be some purpose to that & it would be "real speedway" as opposed to old blokes with a bit of cash who bought a bike.

 

I don't have any problem whatsoever with Amateur Meetings. If blokes want to have a go, good luck to them. But don't pass it off as anything other that what it is: pub football. Pub football is both fine and dandy - but it'll be Euro 2012 that'll be on tv.

 

Speedway has always had " exceptional circumstances" ways & means to accommodate err exceptional circumstances, so that if some mid life crisis suddenly makes John Louis' debut at 29 look lite a whippersnapper he can be absorbed into the NJL on his way to NL, Pl, El & undoubted SGP glory.

 

So which former riders are you suggesting folk out to buy a competitive bike, riding gear and licences to race junior standard meetings? from an earlier comment i take it you dont class NL standard former riders so that leaves PL or EL, I'm open to suggestions because all the one's i know wouldnt consider making a come back and risk more injurys to race for free?

[crescent girl]

I am informed by an ultra-reliable source the BSPA today lifted their ban on NJL racing.

 

The league will contine as before, using the official SCB regulations in relation to British-only riders, bringing the NJL into line with the other two competitions.

 

End of story.

[Backless]

I am informed by an ultra-reliable source the BSPA today lifted their ban on NJL racing.

 

The league will contine as before, using the official SCB regulations in relation to British-only riders, bringing the NJL into line with the other two competitions.

 

End of story.

 

That seems perfectly clear.