In-School
Bikes in gym class!
A 3-day in-school event that provides bikes and helmets for grades 4-6* and helps students learn basic cycling skills and safety awareness.
To a maximum of six classes, each class receives three 45-60 minute training sessions over three days and works their way through the fun and exciting challenges of HopOn.
Our sessions stay within the safe confines of the school grounds and can be run on all-weather fields, grass fields, and paved areas. Most participants graduate to Skill Level 3 or higher by the end of the program.
The program is designed for students who can already ride; however, those still learning will work with their teacher, with support from our staff, to fast-track their skills and confidence and join the rest of their class when they’re ready.
*Grades 2-7 can participate in the school program in unique circumstances; however, our bike fleets are only sized for children 4-5′ feet tall, so grades 2,3 and 7 will need to bring their bicycles.
Getting Started
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Lesson Plan
Students are split into groups and are guided through our game-based curriculum to build basic cycling skills and enjoy a stimulating exercise session. They work through 3 basic concepts:
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Key Concepts Straight Line Riding - Neutral Position
- Ready Position
- Gears
- Pedaling
- Braking
Cornering - Steering
- Leaning
- Dismounting
- Bike-Body Separation
Partner Riding - 1-Hand Riding
- Front Wheel-Lift
- Riding with a partner
Popular Games - Red Light Green Light
- Bats & Cats
- Foot Down
- Obstacle Course (Features)
- Roosters & Rattlesnakes
- Tower of Power
- Zombies
- Grand Prix
- Big Teeter Totter
During online registration, all parents are invited to join our quarterly newsletter and stay updated on all local cycling opportunities. Students who demonstrate great enthusiasm and are interested in advancing to more challenging skills receive a Talent ID card, inviting them to participate in after-school programs, summer camps, and local youth clubs.
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Instructors
HopOn instructors are trained by the National Coaches Certification Program (NCCP) and undergo a background screening. Cycling BC’s HopOn program subscribes to the Coaches Association of Canada’s Responsible Coaches Movement and follows the High Five: Healthy Child Development principles to help our instructors create an engaging and effective learning environment.
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Cost Structure
Private donors, government grants, and program fees from schools fund HopOn. Our cost structure is designed to develop sustainable programs in each BC Games zone and offers discounted programs for all students in British Columbia.
- Total Program Cost: $2500
- Cost to your school: $1200
Schools will receive one invoice, including a $400 booking deposit due within 30 days, with the balance due on the first day of the program. Cycling BC donors help cover 50% of the operating costs of every in-school program. If your students enjoy the program and would like to help us say thank you to our donors and sponsors, we suggest student-made thank-you cards.
If your school resides outside of the operating ranges of our school bike fleets below, please contact us as we may have the capacity to visit, however, additional travel and accommodation costs may reflect a higher fee to your school.
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Financial Aid
If your school requires additional financial aid, please review these BC government grants.
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What does HopOn sound like?
Booking Calendar
| School District | Open schedule and choose an available date |
|---|---|
| Okanagan (22-23, 83) (1 Fleet) | May-June 2023 |
| Lower Mainland (34-45) (2 Fleets) | May-June 2023 |
| Island South (61-63, 79) (2 Fleets) | May-June 2023 |
Additional Information
Questions? Please contact us!
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Making a booking
Now that you have a date in mind, please submit a request using the form below. Upon review, Cycling BC will send you an email response indicating your provisional dates and required deposit, due in 30 days. Upon payment, your event will be confirmed and additional resources will be shared with you, including a Parent-Letter to be sent home.
One month before our visit, Cycling BC will send a reminder email and follow-up via telephone one week prior. Champions are granted access to the online registration system and can run a report of who has registered online. We recommend that students are told registrations closes 1 week before our visit to ensure timeliness.
If your students and staff enjoy their HopOn program, a great way to say thank you to our program sponsors is by taking a few moments to share their favourite moments in a thank you card. Cards can be mailed to our head office or picked up by our instructors on day 3.
Due to strong demand for iRide, Cycling BC suggests schools consider booking every 2nd year.
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Responsibilities
Please acknowledge your responsibilities as the school’s HopOn Champion:
- Enroll at least four classes
- Ensure adequate field space
- Send home Parent-Letter
- Ensure all students are registered online
- Welcome instructors on day 1 (one hour early)
- Ensure a school staff member is present to supervise each HopOn session
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My region isn't listed ...
If our in-school program is not available in your area, please consider these options:
- Apply for an HopOn Community grant and create your own after-school bike club (3-6 weeks).
- Contact Cycling BC to discuss how to bring an HopOn fleet to your region next spring.
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How are schools selected?
School requests are selected based on geographic location, previous visits, and sponsor requests.
Spring visits are confirmed each autumn after budget approvals by Cycling BC’s board of directors.
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Student Reminders
Bicycles and helmets are provided for students at no additional cost. However, we recommend that all students bring their own equipment to help ensure everyone can participate on a correctly-sized bike. Our fleets are sized for students 48-60 inches tall. Therefore we request any grade 3 or 7 students participating bring their own equipment.
HopOn takes place rain or shine (except in extreme weather conditions), so it is recommended that students bring weather-appropriate clothing, including jackets, gloves, extra shoes, and gym clothes.
In hot conditions, please ask students to bring water bottles with them to the field.
For safety purposes, students are expected to exhibit excellent listening and attention skills when participating in HopOn programs.
2023 Spring bookings are almost sold out!
2024 Spring bookings are now open!