An All-New Leaders' Jersey for 2020
As cyclists, we spend a lot of time in the natural environment and probably tend to think we have a greater appreciation than most for its significance and beauty. The Super Series takes in some of the best landscapes that the state has to offer – the coastline off Aldinga, the plains of Wallaroo and the valleys and hills of Lenswood and the Adelaide Hills. This affinity we have for these remarkable places pales into insignificance when compared to the deep connections that the traditional custodians of these regions – the Narungga, Kaurna, Peramangk and Ngarrindjeri people - have.
In February, Cycling SA began the process of introducing our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), a commitment and a framework for how we as an organisation will support the national reconciliation movement. The first RAP will be a “Reflect” Plan, where we prepare our organisation for future RAPs and reconciliation initiatives. Through these plans we intend to build relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and encourage a greater rate of participation in the sport of cycling we all love so much from within those communities.
One of our focuses here at Cycling South Australia is to ensure that our sport’s trajectory is always trending towards being more inclusive, and generally that looks like prioritising higher participation numbers, being aware of keeping the costs of racing as low as possible, providing opportunities for new juniors and adults to enter the sport with Come and Try sessions, and ensuring that people have positive experiences of the sport. While a RAP alone won’t necessarily make our sport any more accessible (we have our expensive and specialized equipment, seemingly complicated disciplines, and plenty of customs that can look strange) it is a critical step, and we need to start somewhere.
With all this in mind, we realised that the design of the Leaders’ Jersey for this year’s 99 Bikes Super Series was as good a place as any to make small step towards these goals. We approached Adelaide-based creative firm Ochre Dawn about helping us find an artist to design this year’s 99 Bikes Super Series Leaders Jerseys, and through that partnership, and thanks to the generous support of Maxima, we were thrilled to have Kaurna/Narungga and Ngarrindjeri artist Carly Tarkari Dodd design the jersey for this year’s Super Series Leaders. As was the case in 2019, our friends at SCODY have provided the jerseys in both Men’s and Women’s sizes to suit all leaders of the 8 senior grades at the 2020 99 Bike Super Series.
We’re excited for this to be the beginning of a longer partnership between Carly, Ochre Dawn and Cycling South Australia, and we hope that all of you who earn one of these Leaders’ Jerseys throughout the 2020 Super Series appreciate the opportunity to get up close with Carly’s artwork!
Carly Tarkari Dodd was chosen as one of eight artists participating in the ACE Open South Australian Artist Survey, and you can see her art at the Lion Arts Centre, North Terrace from now until the 12th of December. You can read more about her art practice over at CityMag! The design for the jersey is a representation of the places we are racing the Super Series in 2020: Wallaroo, Moonta, Gawler, the Adelaide metropolitan area and Aldinga Beach. Obviously, we had the jersey designed before we had to move Round 5 to The Bend!
Maxima is a not-for-profit organisation that supports people in their pursuit of meaningful work. With a keen interest in diverse employment and recruitment services, Maxima’s scope includes Disability Employment Services, Temporary and Permanent Recruitment, and Indigenous Employment. Maxima help to overcome barriers to employment and meet the needs of jobseekers and employer – bringing the two together to mutually beneficial outcomes.
Ochre Dawn is an Adelaide-based creative firm that provides creative services to local and international clients by trading responsibly with Indigenous and multicultural artists. Ochre Dawn celebrate culture and encourage collaboration between businesses and artists. They provide a range of services including promotional material, Reconciliation Action Plan services, and apparel, and were the link between Carly, Maxima, and Cycling SA that has facilitated a great end product!
One thing that we have learnt from our focus on more inclusive practices is that the problems that prohibit underrepresented groups from becoming involved in the sport – the barriers to entry - tend to negatively affect everybody who wants to get started. We encourage all our members to consider the barriers involved in the sport, and how they can positively contribute to a more inclusive and welcoming cycling community for all people.
