Assistant Principal (Secondary)

Beware of the MAMIL

‘Zwift’ power riders (individual superstars)

I’ve journeyed the classic PE teacher life in terms of injuries. Growing up, I played many sports; this has been something that I’ve continued throughout my life. However, injuries are part of that life. It's something that you need to be aware of; not to be afraid, rather overcome. That trajectory means that there is a correlation between my age and ever gentler sports. For the last few years I’ve found my way into cycling. It’s a slippery slope from getting a cheap mountain bike, to starting to wear lyrca, to becoming a fully lycra-covered road cyclist. I now find that I’ve joined the MAMIL tribe (Middle Aged Men In Lycra).

I find cycling intriguing as it has the façade of an individual sport, but is very much a team sport. There is a huge amount of team play at work when riding together. Learning who’ll take the front position during a ride (the hardest position), positioning yourself in a pack in order to have the best position for a sprint, and learning to ride together in a cohesive bunch that actually benefits all. Interestingly, over lockdown, a new species of MAMIL evolved: an extremely powerful rider who was almost incapable of riding in a team - an individual superstar whose power became increasingly dangerous; namely, the Zwift power rider. 

Zwift is an online platform that allows people to turn a push bike on a stationary trainer in the garage into a virtual world of training (I’m not receiving any sponsorship money for this mention, haha). During lockdown, this product had a boom in sales. Many people took up cycling as a way to stay fit in the privacy of their own garage, while escaping to virtual worlds in the French Alps. This led to some riders becoming extremely fit and powerful, but unable to ride as a team as riders on Zwift do not need to learn to steer, don’t have to ride 3cm behind their teammate while travelling at 40km/hr, are unable to position themselves in a pack to ensure they can sprint safely whilst maintaining speed and are unable to actually talk, communicate, joke or laugh while riding, as they just spent two years developing individual power.

As these riders have emerged from the confines of their lockdown pain cave (aka their garage) and tried to ride with actual people on actual roads to actual destinations, they have been treated with a fair amount of caution as their power and individualistic determination means they’re potentially dangerous to ride with. They ride in a team with a disconnected drive and an almost nihilistic ideal but struggle to function with people, struggle to relate to people and struggle to work for the betterment of other people. Living a life in community is an antidote to the above-mentioned way of living.

One of the strengths of Aitken College is the sense of community. Living in a complex life as we do, it is imperative that students learn that a community's success is their own success. As the 2023 Year 11 and 12s have started their Early Commencement, I’ve loved seeing whole teams of teachers chatting with students, trying to create the best possible mix of subjects that will allow for each student's best possible outcome. The process is part art, part science, but is so much stronger when done within a team, a community. We’re wishing the 2023 Year 12s the best of luck; many thoughts and prayers will be sent your way. 

Mr Chris Graham

Assistant Principal (Secondary)