Our Volunteers
All of our committee members and coaches are volunteers but we are also mums and dads of current or previous riders so we understand what it is like to watch your beloved offspring achieve their first full circuit of the track unaided, jump a tricky section that has been eluding them for months or win their first race as well as the disappointment of losing to a rival or (as does happen from time to time) take a tumble at a critical moment. We understand how important it is to know that they are in safe hands while training so, in order that they are not total strangers to you on your first visit, below is a little bit about some of those who run the sessions.
Our Coaches
Eric Esslemont
Club Chairman, Head Coach and one of only a handful of BC Level 3 BMX Specifc coaches in the UK, Event Commissionaire and font of all knowledge regarding bikes. What he doesn't know about BMX racing (and many other disciplines besides), isn't worth knowing
Willie Plowman
BC Level 2 BMX Coach and Club Vice Chairman, Willie has been with the club since his own boys were young and, as the longest serving member of the club he has seen it grow from humble beginnings. Also, he cooks a mean BBQ at the clubs summer events.
Tom Odling
Club Secretary and BC Level 1 coach Tom also races both 20" and Cruiser for Andover and the Army BMX team. An inspiration for many of the "Rad Dads" who ride, he suspects that his young lad will one day be faster than he but, for the time being, he's enjoying being the quickest Odling at the club.
Assistant Coaches
Mark Ward
Mark has been with the club for many years and has two daughters who both ride with us. He is a BC Level 1 coach and the primary administrator for our committee meetings.
Arne Esslemont
Newly qualified BC Level 1 Coach, Arne has also been riding for Andover for many years. He is also a member of Team AIR having had had mutiple national and british podiums including attaining British Champion on Cruiser in 2023
George Salmond
Another Dad/Rider/Coach, George has been with Andover for a few years and has seen success on track at both a regional level and a national level (on Team AIR) with both of his children following suit.
Welfare Team
Sport is well documented as a great way to look after or improve your mental health and at Andover BMX the physical and mental benefits of bike-based exercise is a driving factor in why we are collectively so passionate about maintaining our facility and community. We have an obligation to provide specific welfare provisions and a desire to do so above and beyond the minimum requirements specified by British Cycling. We are lucky to have a strong team of welfare officers who are well equipt to deal with welfare and safeguarding concerns. All are DBS Checked and have completed the requisite British Cycling safeguarding and Welfare Officer courses in addition to any of the relevant skills and qualifications they have aquired in their respective professional lives.
Christina Morris
Chief Welfare Officer for the club Christina works as a professional in a safeguarding role so is more than qualified to deal with any tricky or sensitive situation. Always there in case a rider or parent have a concern that requires her assistance she is in charge of all safegauding and protection issues.
Sam Henbest
Mother to two of our young riders, our newest member of the team Sam is a Welfare Officer for the club.
Luther Hindley
Media, Communications and Welfare Officer for the club, Luther maintains the website, social content and promotes the club at local events. He also brings his PA to races and occasionally dabbles in video streaming of BMX events. An eclectic taste in music, listen out for the odd "curve ball" during race events
Extended Commitee
Kat Odling
Kat is our Membership Officer and ensures that membership fees and records are kept up to date but can also be found running the tuckshop, keeping the coaches mugs topped up on cold days and providing a warm friendly welcome to all riders old and new. Just look out for the lady with the clipboard.
Jane Hindley
When she is not singing (under her stage name Jayne Deer) Jane is our club Treasurer and looks after the accounts and finance for the club.
Various
We are lucky to have a few other parents who fill various roles at the club and take on specific jobs and projects for us, Curly, Laura Mason, Warren Blane and Newton Palmer can all be found maintaining equipment, track and facililties as well as organising events and assiting riders and other parents.
There are of course plenty other parents who contribute enormously each week sweeping and maintaining the track, setting up/taking down/running gates, fixing equipment, cleaning club bikes/helmets etc and we wouldn't have such a successful club without their help and assistance. There are always opportunities to help out in some way or other and we are a very friendly bunch so feel free to ask us for more info if you want to know more 😊