ŻUŻEL/NEWS/M2E: How to Become a Speedway Racer at ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz? Recruitment for the Black Griffin Academy is Ongoing

ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz invites youth aged 12 and up to join the Black Griffin Academy. The sessions are led by the highly experienced Bydgoszcz trainer Jacek Woźniak, who shared insights on the path from signing up for training to starting a speedway racing career.

• The Black Griffin Academy is already in its second season. The first recruitment started in the spring of 2024.
• Training is conducted by Jacek Woźniak, who trained, among others, the 2017 Polish Individual Champion Szymon Woźniak and the 2024 Junior World Individual Champion Wiktor Przyjemski.
• – You need angelic patience with children. You train younger ones differently than older ones. You have to adjust and know how to reach each of them, says Woźniak.
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Jacek Woźniak is a former speedway racer and a graduate of ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz. In the past, he also represented clubs from Gdańsk, Krosno, and Łódź, and after retiring from his career, he fulfills himself as a speedway sports trainer. Currently, he is still associated with the club in Bydgoszcz, where he oversees the Black Griffin Academy. – The Academy was established in the spring of last year. At that time, about thirty-five eager boys came. After initial exams and selection, ten remained. From that ten, only four are left now, and six more have joined. I receive calls from parents about four times a week, so the word is spreading, and there’s no shortage of interest, says Woźniak.

The age range at the Academy is not large because there is also the BTŻ Polonia mini-speedway school in Bydgoszcz. – The youngest apprentice is 12 years old, and the oldest is 16. We also don’t want to admit boys too young because we have that principle and agreements with the BTŻ Polonia club that our activities do not overlap, explains the coach.

So how do you enroll in the Academy, and what needs to happen for an apprentice to get on a motorcycle? – Initially, there is direct contact with me. Then we meet with the parent along with the apprentice and discuss how everything will look. Later, he is directed to a sports medical exam, and with all the completed documents, he comes to the club. Then there are trial rides on pit bikes. If the apprentice passes these trial rides, we can move on to the large track for specialized training – explains Jacek Woźniak.

To be admitted to the school, an apprentice must already have some experience. – This is revealed in the interview. If an apprentice has not handled a motorcycle, my rule is not to accept them because a speedway motorcycle is very demanding, and a “raw” person might not manage it or could hurt themselves. They must be people who have already had contact with a motorcycle, dirt bike, scooter, or pit bike, he adds.

Coach Jacek Woźniak has already trained many speedway racers, and among his greatest achievements are Szymon Woźniak and Wiktor Przyjemski. Currently, under his guidance, are trainees like Maksymilian Pawełczak, Emil Maroszek, Mieszko Mudło, and Jan Rompkowski, who could represent a future strength for ABRAMCZYK POLONIA Bydgoszcz. – Indeed, quite a few of these boys have come from under my wing. Some have achieved successes not only in Poland but also internationally, while others have become solid league players. Any medal, whether in Polish, European, or world championships, is a success for me. We aim to achieve results, not just ride, which I also remind the apprentices, the coach says.

– You need angelic patience with children. At BTŻ, we start training from the age of eight. You train them differently than older ones. You have to adjust and know how to reach each of them. Patience, commitment, and consistency are essential because anyone expecting quick success will, unfortunately, be disappointed. They don’t come from year to year. It’s not like the school is full of talents. I, Jan Ząbik, and other coaches have to go through, train, and sift through many boys for the chaff to fall away and the best grains to remain. You also need to know how much you can demand from someone. If someone consistently progresses with small steps, you should demand more, concluded Jacek Woźniak.

Marcin Rusewicz