Important Information
Term Programmes
What we do
We are so excited about riding with you kids this term! Your little shredder is about to be part of the coolest thing in town- WORD! For those of you that are new to WORD, you are just going to love it…
The WORD Term runs for 7 weeks meeting once a week from 4.00-6.00pm. We split into groups based on abilities and head out for a ride! Each week these groups focus on one or two new skills:
-MTB riding skill (ie. cornering, braking, fitness etc)
-MTB community skill (ie. trail building, bike maintenance)
-Life skill (ie. self confidence, kindness, helpfulness, etc)
Below are a few details that will hopefully ease any concerns and also get your child pumped about riding!
Bookings
Bookings open about 6 weeks before the term. The exact time and date is on the WORD Booking page. All bookings are made via our website using credit card. If you are not able to pay in this format, just send us an email: wanaka@word.org.nz and we can help out with a bank transfer.
What bike skills do we need?
If your child can ride a bike, we’ll teach them to rest! They will also need to be able to start and stop on their own. Each rider is placed in a group of kids of similar abilities so they can learn together (and make new friends!).
Still learning to ride? Yay! Check out our great friends at Black Fox Ride. They can help your child learn to ride!
Need a Bike?
All participants will need to bring their own mountain bike to WORD. This bike doesn’t need to be anything flash… 2 working brakes and knobbly tires will do the trick. If you are stuck for a bike, check out our check out the WORD Buy and Sell Bikes and Bike Bits Facebook group.
Check out the ‘What to bring’ section below for more info on what else is needed at WORD.
The First Day
Yay! It’s the first day! Plan to arrive at 3.50pm so you’ll have plenty of time to get ready. We start promptly at 4pm
You’ll meet your Lead Instructor - this is like the ‘captain’ for the term. They will make sure we have all your correct details and ask about any medical conditions. Your child will receive their WORD t-shirt (yes!). They will also let you know who you’re child’s WORD Instructor is…exciting! See below for details on how we split into groups.
We’ll then have a big group hui to set the scene of WORD before heading off for the rest of the session. We’ll finish up just before 6pm to hand out WORD stickers!!!
Safety
Your child’s safety is our biggest priority. We want them to have fun, but in order to do this they need to be in a safe environment- physically, mentally and socially. WORD is proud to be accredited as an Adventure Activity Operator. This means our Safety Management System has undergone a rigorous external audit and does so each year.
All WORD instructors are outdoor first aid trained (the Lead Instructor has PHEC- Pre Hospital Emergency Care) and carry a first aid kit.
From time to time, your child might fall off their bike and be injured, but we make every effort to see that they are not put in a situation that is overtly dangerous. We have systems in place to deal with injuries and emergencies that are continuously reviewed.
We ask that your child comes with the items in the ‘what to bring section’ to ensure their comfort, safety, and fun levels are high.
Progression
Kids are encouraged to ride at their own pace, and progressions are made slowly. We believe in developing a ‘thinking rider’- a rider that knows how to make decisions when they are out on the trail (whether with us at WORD or out with their friends).
We start small, and build up. We look at obstacles (ie. a corner, a drop, a jump, etc), discuss line choice, body position and speed. As a group we look at all the options. Kids are encouraged to give things a go, if their ability is matched to the difficulty of the obstacle, but never forced.
Walking is always an option.
What to Bring
Mountain bike with 2 working brakes. We suggest getting it serviced before you come at your friendly bike shop. If you do not have a bike, please let us know so we can help connect you with one!
AUS/NZ Certified helmet
Small backpack with the following:
-Water
-Snacks (a banana, cheese and crackers, scroggin or an apple make a great snack)
-Rain Jacket
-Inner tube to fit your tire
Kids will need to be able to carry their own gear- we want kids to be independent mountain bikers (and humans), so having them be responsible for their own items is one way to promote their independence.
Meeting points
Information about the meeting points for each session are listed on the individual age group pages. You will also receive an email at the time of booking with all the details. At some Term Programmes we head to a different location for a few of the weeks- we do this to provide variety a variety of terrain for your kids to learn and explore.
What if we’re late?
We start all WORD after school programmes at 4pm. Kiddos need to be ready to ride and meeting their Instructor just before this time. We then do our bike checks, chat about the session plan and then hit the trails! We are not able to wait for you as we have so much fun to pack in! So please be on time so your child doesn’t miss out for the day. Thanks!
Absences
If your child is not able to attend a WORD session, just contact the Lead Instructor (phone numbers in pre-term email). They are your main point of contact for all things going on during the session. We are not able to offer refunds or make up sessions.
Groups
We split into groups on the first day based on 3 things: skill ability, fitness ability, preference. The skills ability will be based on your indication at the time of booking, prior experience at WORD and the child’s own preference. While we know kids love riding with their friends, it is important that these groups are also based on skills and fitness ability so everyone in the group has a great time. Plus they’ll get to make heaps of new friends! If a child 'outgrows' the group, the instructor will ensure the kid is moved into the correct group.
All groups will have a 1:8 instructor/child ratio.
We think the social side of riding is just as important as the actual riding skills. Because of this, we have split the ages accordingly. 7-9 year olds, 10-12 year olds and 13-17 year olds. Please ensure that you select the correct age group.
MTB Levels
We use the following levels for our small groups:
Level 1: Newbie- able to ride a bike, but little/no experience riding off road.
Level 2: Beginner- a bit of experience on easy single track. Starting to get the hang of gentle corners.
Level 3: Intermediate- confident on gentle corners, but still needing work with switchbacks and steeper terrain.
Level 4: Strong Intermediate- totally have corners and rough stuff covered, keen to try small drops and jumps
Level 5: Advanced- comfortable on steep and technical terrain. High level of fitness (riding 3+ times a week)
Gender groups
We split the after school programmes based on gender. We have found that young people learn better and have more fun when they are in groups based on gender and ability. Each child is unique, so please choose whichever gender they identify most closely with.
Weather
WORD runs rain or shine…mostly. In the off chance that the weather is just awful, we will cancel the session.
Safety is a huge concern for us, and we don't want anyone to be put in harms way for the sake of a ride. We will post on the WORD Facebook page at noon on the day of your session if we are cancelling. This page is an open page, so you do not need to be on Facebook to view, sweet!
If we do end up canceling a session, we will try our hardest to add a ‘make up’ session at the end of term. If for some reason we are unable to provide this session, or we have a situation where more than one session is cancelled due to weather, WORD is not required to refund the session(s).
Parent(s) and riding
We love that you love riding bikes too! And although we know some of you are keen to ride with your kids during a WORD session, we would prefer that caregivers and whānau do your own thing instead. Think of it like soccer- you wouldn't run on the field playing with your kid at practice (well maybe you would, but that would be weird). So go on and enjoy the 2 hours… there are heaps of other parents that are also keen on an adult ride!
Carpooling
Let’s get there together! Although some kids are able to ride to WORD, for others they rely on a parent/caregiver to get them to the programme. We know that schedules are a bit crazy and sometimes work doesn’t allow parents to do both the pick up and drop off. On the first day of the term, there will be an opportunity to connect with other parents to organise carpooling for future WORD sessions.
Cancellations and Refunds
Once you have booked onto a WORD programme the following applies:
More than 7 days before the start date: 80% refund
2-7 days before start date: 50% refund
48 hours before start date: no refund
Injury and miss 3 or more sessions: no refund, but guaranteed spot on next programme (contact Pete on wanaka@word.org.nz)
For more info check out our Terms and Conditions
T-Shirts
Each WORD kid will get a FREE t-shirt (1 per year). For 2021 we will be rockin the navy shirt with purple logo. Kids will receive their t-shirt on the first day of WORD for the term or holiday camp.
Buying and selling gear
They grow so fast! We love the idea of passing on bikes or clothing that are too small… We have created a private group for those that would like to buy or sell or even give away kids bikes (and bike bits). Check out the WORD Buy and Sell Bikes and Bike Bits Facebook group.
We suggest putting a photo, size, price and best way to get in contact with you.
There's no fees associated with this group, but if you are keen to put a bit of money from your sale towards WORD, that would be amazing! You can donate here.
Photos
Most days we’ll be taking photos at WORD. We love sharing these via the WORD Facebook page. If for some reason you don’t want photos of your child publicized, please let your Lead Instructor know on the first day of the term.