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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
YOUR LETTERS: CYCLING IRELAND SELECTION CRITERIA
By email to Letters2006@irishcycling.com
8 Jun 2006,
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Letter Added 8th June
Dan Curtin responds to Paddy Doran, arguing against the use of objective criteria for National Junior road team selection…..
I wish to make a brief response to some of the public criticisms made by Paddy Doran regarding selection criteria for national teams. I am making these in a personal capacity as National Junior Road Manager, and not on behalf of Cycling Ireland.
The main point of my response is that, as much as I admire the work being done by Paddy, I do not agree that the selection of national Junior road teams should be based on objective criteria.
There are a number of reasons for this. The main reason is that I think it would be unfair because there are so many variables involved in road racing and the result of any particular event may not be an accurate reflection of each rider’s true ability.
For example, should a very good rider be disadvantaged at a specific selection event because of bad luck, such a puncture or being caught up in a crash?
On the other hand, should an average rider be advantaged if he got a good result in a selection race with the help of Senior club-mates?
The National Championships would surely be a selection race under objective criteria, but how many times have we seen the best riders being marked out of it completely in Championship and receiving no medals? Would that be fair?
And would it be fair if Junior riders were judged on poor performance or even non-appearance at selected events because of a variety of personal reasons – illness, exams, family holidays and so forth?
Because of these reasons and the fact that there is so much chance involved in road racing, I believe that subjectivity and good judgement is a good thing in selection. It is better to judge riders over the entire season rather than on a limited number of races. This is common in sport – for example, all the teams competing in the World Cup will have been selected entirely on subjective criteria.
However, this does not mean that there should be no rationale at all for team selection. My own approach on being appointed National Junior Road Manager was to establish general principles and criteria for the selection of national teams as part of a broader Junior road development strategy. Moreover, I published these criteria on this web-site for all to see on February 6th, 2006. Furthermore, I handed them to all Junior riders who attended a training camp in February, to which all Junior riders were invited. I informed those who didn’t attend that they were welcome to contact me about it. This approach was openly discussed at a meeting of the riders at this camp and everyone seemed happy with it. Also, at this meeting, some specific races were outlined where riders would have a special opportunity to show their form.
I don’t know how I could be more open than this and Paddy is therefore incorrect when he wrote “There seems to be no written criteria whatsoever for road events”.
There are other points to be considered also in the subjective approach. Team selection is about more than getting a bunch of very good individual riders together – it is about having the best TEAM. Road racing is complicated and a manager needs to put balance into a team – strong road-riders, climbers, sprinters, strategists, etc. This blend might even need to be changed between different events. How can this type of selection be done with objective criteria? Take the example of a very strong rider who brings a winning sprinter to within 100 meters of the line and then finishes twentieth himself – how is his value and contribution to the result recognised under objective criteria?
In this regard, I wish that more coaches would give some attention to team strategy because I find that most good Junior riders are poor in this regard. I have made it clear to riders, for example, that part of the selection will be based on their TEAM performance, rather than their individual results. How can you judge this objectively?
Another important point is that membership of national teams should be part of Junior development in general. Some coaches do not see this as they are concerned with the individual performances of their own riders and them getting on prestigious national teams.
For example, we have a major problem of promising Juniors dropping out of the sport after the Junior stage. This represents a loss of potential and investment by all concerned. While there are many reasons for this, I think on of them has been that getting on National Junior teams had been seen as the be-all-and-end-all of Junior racing. In some cases, Junior riders have been put under enormous pressure in this regard and then drop out afterwards. I prefer to see membership of national Junior teams as part of a longer-term development process.
One of the weaknesses of this subjective approach is, of course, that undue pressure may be put on the selector(s) by clubs, coaches and/or parents. I think this may have occurred on occasions in the past. This is why I made it clear both to riders and in the criteria that I do not want to receive any such representations as Junior Manager. However, I will, of course, be happy to discuss any matter pertaining to a rider’s performance that might be of concern to a parents, club or coach.
In conclusion, I would again like to state that these are my personal opinions in response to Paddy Doran’s public criticisms – Paddy has already discussed these issues with me and knows my views.
In summary, there is no ideal selection process for a discipline like road racing. However, on balance, all of these points argue against the strictly objective criteria which Paddy Doran is demanding. It would be an easy matter to choose three or four events and pick a team from those – all one would have to do then would be to take the results off the web and then announce the team. That would be simple and objective, but it wouldn’t be fair and it wouldn’t be in the best interests of the development of Junior road cycling in Ireland.
Dan Curtin,
National Junior Road Manager
Original Post: 6th June
CYCLING IRELAND SELECTION PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA
For the last two months I have tried to get a copy of selection criteria for all disciplines for Cycling Ireland teams from Cycling Ireland.
To date I have received a copy of the MTB CX selection criteria and Cycling Ireland track selection criteria.
There seems to be no written criteria whatsoever for road events.
International level Athletes are usually very goal oriented and like to have competition programs in place, which allows them to be very specific and clear in what they have to do to achieve selection for teams. A clear transparent selection criteria is essential if riders are to be able to target particular events which are important for selection purpose.
Whoever drew up the Cycling Ireland Draft Strategic Development Plan 2005-2009 obviously feel the same as they have included a number of items on selection and selection criteria which if put in place would meet riders requirements in this regard.
SO WHY IS THERE NONE AVAILABLE FOR ANY OF THE ROAD DISCIPLINES?
Below I have reproduced text from the CI website which outlines relevant sections of the strategy document which clearly shows that selection criteria should be in place.
Cycling Ireland Draft Strategic Development Plan 2005-2009(available on CI website) states the following about selection criteria Page 29 Development of Road Racing
Road CommissionStrategic Objectives
1. In consultation with the Performance Planning Group (PPG), draw up a yearly plan in respect of Junior, U23 and Elite road teams. To plan these activities within the budgetary and other frameworks laid down by the Board of Cycling Ireland.
2. In consultation with the PPG, establish selection criteria for international teams.
3. Select teams, including officials, in line with Points 1 and 2 above.
--- Page 31 Development of road racing ---
Approve a set of selection criteria for each squad and team
Choose a selection group to pick members of teams.
Page 39 Development of Women's Cycling Submit selection criteria for national teams to Performance Planning Group
So why is it that after more nearly two months of trying to get written selection criteria for Irish teams and international events for all disciplines from Cycling Ireland, the only criteria that have been made available to me are track selection criteria and MTB cross-country selection criteria. So I must presume that this is the only written selection criteria that are available for Irish cyclists.
This leaves a lot of blank spaces mainly in road competition, which means a lot of riders, their club officials , parents and coaches are not sure what the riders have to achieve to be selected on teams.
Lack of clear selection criteria is neither fair on riders or managers of the squads, riders can feel that they have got a raw deal, sometimes even when this may not be the case as final selections are sometimes very close.
It can also leave managers and cycling Ireland officials open to accusations of favouritism even though there may be no basis whatsoever in the accusation.
Lack of selection criteria can also create a perception that there are some riders who are on the inside track and know what they must do for selection while others are kept in the dark.
This is a recipe for trouble further down the road for Cycling Ireland with disgruntled riders, their parents and club officials possibly challenging some of the selections.
Without objective clearly documented selection criteria it may be very difficult for Cycling Ireland to defend some of the selections even if they are totally justified.
When I phoned the Irish Sports Council to see if they had a policy on selection criteria for national governing bodies whom they fund, their response was yes they would expect criteria to be in place but it seems that is usually only strongly enforced for the Olympic games.
So,
· Why are there no written - transparent Selection Criteria for so many strands of the sport?
· Who are the selection group for picking members of teams?
· Can we expect transparent selection criteria to be produced soon?
· Does the board of Cycling Ireland condone this situation?
I think it is only fair that I acknowledge the efforts of Cycling Ireland CEO Tamara O Driscoll in trying to get the cycling criteria from the people responsible as she made a number of efforts to get this for me from the people responsible for selection criteria. Also Richie Byrne and Brian Nugent who produced criteria for MTB XC and Track.
Paddy Doran
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