Following a very successful year in which they where crowned Regional, National and British Club Champions of the year Preston Pirates BMX Club have become the first BMX club to open up its own academy. There are currently eight riders on the academy aged between 6 and 13 and between them they hold European, National and British Titles. The club has managed to secure the services of ex multi World and European BMX Champion; British Cycling coach Dylan Clayton.

The academy is only in its early stages having been formed less than six months ago but has already received rave reviews from various quarters . The idea behind the academy came from the club Chairman Ian Brookes who recognised the club needed to structure its club coaching so that every club rider was getting the most from its sessions. The club now holds regular coaching for Novice groups, Expert riders and the Academy. With the help of club coaches and Dylan it's the clubs aim to improve every riders' ability and to progress a rider from novice status to expert and then hopefully onto the clubs academy.

The club has also got plans going through with Preston City Council for another container on the site which will be home to its classroom so the club can host coaching courses and regular club meetings. Some of the academy riders are currently working towards competing in the 2010 European Indoor Event being held in Belgium at the end of January and if their training goes well who knows what results they could come back with following the success of some of the riders at this years event. Dylan has been working hard with Preston's academy since it was formed and with the partnership set to continue who knows one day a World or Olympic Champion could come from one of these little guys.