When
Kadee Webber came into the world at Alamander Hospital on the Gold
Coast nearly 16 years ago, she wasn’t exactly born with a tight
grip on a Shimano handle bar.
In fact there wasn’t a pedal cleat in sight
for about 14 years, and then her ridingcareer began to fall into
place.
“I was a runt of a 14 year old and I loved
running long distances” Kadee told CSN. “I was looking for a new
running coach, when I met a triathlon coach by the name of Jenny
Alcorn. I only started with her because I wanted to run, but with
the excitement of learning how to ride as well as swim, well I was
in for that”.
For the next 12 months, Kadee plugged away at
“steadily getting there”, and after achieving top ten placing in
most of her races, she decided that she needed to take everything to
the next step.
Her
father set about getting information about cycling clubs on the
Coast, and when Kyadee discovered that some of the junior boys in
the Tri Club had joined the Gold Coast Cats and were racing and
getting experience with real cyclists, she thought that was
“pretty cool”, and decided to join.
Kadee’s first criterium was in a D Grade
race at Burleigh, and despite have a few doubts as to why she was
doing what she was doing, Kaydee “got herself together” and
finished up doing fairly well.
Fortunately, our budding star, did not stop
here, and over the last couple of years, she has developed into a
highly promising young cyclist.
As with all developing riders, Kadee is full
of praise for her coach and her other riding friends.
“I would have to say that my greatest
influences are be the people who I train with. My coach Stan Brims;
Lauren Rowney, Dianne Monk, Dee Boys , Kane Anderson, Jackson
Wardrop and Lee Hall.
Each of these people have inspiring qualities,
which I one day wish to achieve. Coming into the sport at a later
age, not knowing many of the do’s and dont’s, and really just
learning all I can by being in an environment with the Coast’s
leading riders greatly moves me”.
Being a female in the sport has also presented
Kadee Webber with certain challenges.
“ I think that being a female and getting
into the sport, is actually harder, because once you get to a
certain age, it becomes tough because there aren’t many girls in
the sport and the majority of the girls who do ride are of a high
standard. So being older and less experienced and being trained to
be as good as the girls who have been at it since they were little
tiny takers, makes it a bit harder. But it’s good to know that if
you’re staying with them now, imagine what you could do when
you’re at your peak?”
Kadee races against C grade riders in the
local competition, where her opposition is a mixture of men and
women of all ages.
“I haven’t yet actually been in a race
where there have been a high number of women riders, but what I have
seen by racing locally, I believe that the talent is of an average
to high standard”.
Kadee agrees that the number of females racing
can be disappointing at times, but says that numbers appear to be
better than previous years.
“ I believe that if the women were treated
as if they were men, and had all the same racing privileges as the
men, then maybe more women might be interested in getting started in
the sport. If there was greater interest in the women, maybe it may
inspire the younger generation to follow along”.
At the moment Kaydee is in hard training for
the State Championships on the weekend, and then two weeks after
that, she will be riding headlong into the Nationals!!
“So I’m right in the middle of it all. The
program at the moment is just a lot of building my strength and
increasing my power on hills and on the flats. In saying that, I
continually hit my maximum limits and I’m often reaching new
stages of my cycling career. I’m also in the process of learning
how to race mentally, which we all know, isn’t the easiest of
things”
Life at 15 also presents its share of
problems, but Kadee Webber appears to have it all under control.
“ Personally, I believe that it is important
to balance training and having a social life. I think that if all
athletes can balance their lives, they will do better in their
sport, because you don’t want to train, train, train and have no
fun. I don’t believe I miss out at all socially. I have many close
friends who support me all the way. When I go out to parties I
don’t drink, because I know I can have a good time without being
drunk, and my friends respect that, and if I go out at night I
make sure I’m home at a reasonable hour. So really I think it’s
not a challenge at all to have a balanced life”.
At
the moment Kadee has many major goals which she hopes to accomplish,
including reaching the top level of state and national competition,
being named in the AIS as a Junior Development member, and then
finally being named in the Australian team for the Olympics.
For Kaydee Webber the list goes on.
“I have strong ambitions and wish to go as
far as I possibly can with the sport, so in the future watch you
tail, because I’ll be on it!”.
Kadee can’t wait to move into the Elite
ranks, and already has her sights set on obliterating the
opposition.
“ There’s no point in being (an
“also-ran”) all your life, the only way to improve is to take
the next step up, and show them what you’ve got. I’m personally
looking forward to moving up into the elite ranks because it’ll be
a challenge and I’m always up for a challenge”.
Kadee believes that physically the transition
to the Elite level will be a difficult transition.
“If it was too easy, everybody would be
moving into the Elites” she added. “I believe it will be a
challenge, but it will make me stronger in the end”.
In such a short career so far, Kadee
Webber’s trophy cabinet is not exactly overflowing with cycling
cups and medals, however she recently came away with three Gold
medals in the Regional Championships and finished 7th
overall in the Gold Stars Junior Tour.
“I won a sprint and crossed the line 5th
in the 2nd road race” she proudly told CSN, “and that
was my first time racing against the top girls in Queensland!”
“Racing at Mooball really exited me, as it
was my first big race of the season. On both days I finished well,
placing 6th in the sprint, after surviving the
challenging Binna Burra range, and the next day finishing 5th
in the flatter course around the small beach side towns. But I’d
have to say that my most memorable moment would have been when I
placed first women home at the Australia Day Tumbalgum Handicap
race. I heard that a few people doubted my ability,and said that I
wouldn’t finish, but in the end the limit riders caught me a
kilometre from the finish line and I finished the race, surprising
those who were doubting me”.
“ At the moment, if I were to compare myself
to the top female riders, in my division, I would have to say that
I’m getting there. My development is promising, and I’m
finishing with the irls and women who have had much more experience
than me”.
For the remainder of the year Kadee hopes to
achieve as much as possible in her sport, and then with the help of
her coach, Stan Brims, she wants to make a very smooth transition to
the ranks of the U19s.
“ I believe that in having an ultimate goal,
you must have smaller goals to be able to reach in the meantime”.
And what about Kadee Webber, when she not out
there trying to be Australia’s next female cycling superstar?
This girl loves to go shopping, takes in a
movie or two, and enjoys hanging out with her friends.
Kadee also holds down a casual job in a local
sports store, and is highly appreciative of understanding bosses who
realise cyclists’ needs to train and race and still fit in their
work commitments.
On top of all this, you’ll find her singing
along with Ricki Lee, Missy Higgins or Green Day, or taking an
interest in various sports around the place.
“I have always been interested in sport,
ever since I was teased as a kid. Sport seemed to take my mind off
how depressed I was in those days, and that’s how I got into it.
If I wasn’t into cycling, I think I would be more into the Arts,
as I also happen to have a creative flare, and could see myself
acting or being an artist, because I also like that kind of
stuff”.
Good luck to Kadee in
whatever she tries!!
