Jockey Coaching Update
The latest Jockey Coach recruits are now well under way and nearly all now have been allocated jockeys based on their geographical location and experience.
The aim of the BHA’s programme is for all Apprentices and Conditional jockeys to have access to a dedicated coach and with these new coaches on board the scheme is well on its way to achieving this goal. Each jockey is entitled to 4 hours a month with coaches offering advice and support in a range of different areas.
Neil Pollard, one of the new Jockey Coaches, commenting on his experience working with George Wood, apprentice with James Fanshawe, said, “Over the past three months I’ve been coaching George, he has had his first few rides and I have really seen the results of the hard work he’s putting in. He always arrives early for his session and I can see that he is listening and taking on board the advice and that has really helped him improve both in his races and in his coaching sessions.”
An exciting new development this month is the launch of a new web based coaching recording system to support the coaching programme. Each jockey will have their own profile page where they can log in and view their coaching sessions, post videos and photos and where the coaches can upload comments. Trainers can also log on to see how the jockey is getting on.
Talking about the new IT system, Jennie Durrans, on behalf of the British Racing School who manage the Jockey Coaching programme said, “The implementation of an online management system for the JCP is fantastic. Not only will it help us administer the programme more efficiently it will make the coaching process more effective. It is an important step in the progress of the Programme and the coaching available to develop young jockeys”.
The jockey coaches will receive training on the new system over the next couple of weeks. Talking about the use of technology, Neil Pollard said, “I have an ipad on which I record videos of the sessions and it makes a real difference if the jockeys can see how their style is changing.”