Graham Seers
Graham Seers founded the club in 1988 and in the same year established Graham Seers Cyclery which he ra
n till 2005. Graham extended his commitment to cycling even further in 1993 when he took up a position as the Coaching Coordinator for the Real Aussie Kids Cycling Program, a post he held for 17 years. His role involved the identification of young cyclists with elite ambitions including many local legends. He organised and conducted altitude training camps in Boulder, Breckenridge USA, which focused on personal development as much as the physical skills and ability required of the sport. Graham’s coaching skills were evident in the success of those under his guidance. See this PortNews article for an example.
From 2007 – 2009 Graham was the Coaching Coordinator for Cycling NSW where he identified and worked with potential athletes for future development. He also implemented a coaching network to assist with coaching development and opportunities. In 2009 Graham was head-hunted to the Indian Commonwealth Games Organising Committee where he was head coach of the Indian Cycling Team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. During this time he developed the National coaches and organised training camps in India and throughout Australasia. From 2011 to today Graham has been the coach of the Malaysian National Cycling program. Here is his tale of the club’s beginning.
Kudos Graham
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In the beginning.
Hi Everyone,
My name is Graham Seers; yes, I am the one that had an idea in 1987 to create a cycling club here in the then seaside town of Port Macquarie. I had just moved from the Saint George area of Sydney where I had raced for many years as a competitive racer for the club St George, my State N.S.W. and Australia, to reside in this town and was to open Graham Seers Cyclery in March 1988.
With no local club in Port Macquarie my plan of creating a club for the young and old to commence in the sport of cycling soon became a reality. The club initially started its days in June 1988 as a dual club, The Port Macquarie Cycle and Triathlon club, the first of its type in Australia. Within 12 months over 100 cycle and triathlon new members were on board to enjoy a new experience of cycle club racing which took place at the Blackmans Point area near the Hatch, an out and back slightly undulated six kilometre circuit of which 4 laps were encountered. This road racing was done during winter months, however to cater for the triathlon side of our membership, duathlons were initially conducted in the same area with run, ride run on the same Hatch circuit before the full triathlon was innovated on believe it or not Hastings River Drive near the Andrew Miedecke dealership. The canal was used for the swim 750 meters out and back, a 23 kilometre ride out Hastings River Drive, onto the Pacific Highway, Old Highway then back onto the Oxley then back onto Hastings River Drive for a 6km run out to the Port Macquarie airport and back to finish.
Those days are now long gone, and during the Port Macquarie Cycling Club years many rides have come and gone, some reaching the highlights of National and International stardom. Riders of note some of us may recognize, Gay Heagney, Angus Morton, Lachlan Morton, Lauren Kitchen. From the triathlon side also to have prospered, Peter Murray, Dot Adams, Wayne Ellis and Tim Berkel , are just a few of the hitters on the International arena from a small clubs humble beginnings in the former seaside village now continually growing town called Port Macquarie.
Though I no longer reside in the town of Port Macquarie, I still call Port Macquarie home and visit regularly to see family and friends and now observe the many numbers out on the road and feel privileged and satisfied that as a part of my vision many people now ride the area and really enjoy what the sport of cycling is and what it has to offer.
If it was not for people like John and David Leigh, the late Fred Goggins the first Club President [RIP], Dr Warwick Wickham, Murray Sallaway, John Patrick and David Morton who kept taking the club to another level to where it is today and now in the hands of Kevin Fletcher as President and you, the many members participating in its further evolving to become a number 1 sport in the Hastings.
Keep enjoying the sport of cycling and stay safe. See you on the Road,
Regards, Yes, still riding, here in Malaysia.
Graham Seers
