I'm the volunteer coordinator for the NorCal League this season (2012). I have also been the coach of the Peninsula Composite (2010), and team captain, then coach for the Stanford University MTB Team (1997-2000). Through my local bike shop Passion Trail Bikes, I have also been leading a beginner's ride I call the "Fat Bottomed Girl" Ride (that would be me, not the participants). I also lead a whole lot of volunteer trailwork projects. I do it because I think it's so important to support the base of the sport, the youth, the beginners.
Everyone has to start at the beginning, and without a good set of experiences the first few times, enthusiasm can wane. My motivation comes from the smiles I get with each interaction. I feed on that, big time. It's my goal. Get people the right sort of experience so they can't help but smile and feel good, about their accomplishments, about the natural world they are riding through, etc.
In coaching, my focus is on etiquette, and basic and technical skills, not so much fitness or speed. I think everyone needs a core set of skills to be able to ride safely, avoid crashing, and to be able to share the trails with others so our sport continues to have access to nice trails. If you get those basic skills mastered, speed will come with more hours on the bike, and then a more focused training program.
Patty Ciesla
Here's the view from the volunteer tent at the season opener at Granite Bay on 2/26/2012:
Last edited by knobbyknees; 02-27-2012 at 11:03 AM.
"...So forget all your duties, oh yeah! Fat bottomed girls, they'll be riding today..." Freddie Mercury
If you get those basic skills mastered, speed will come ...
Patty Ciesla
I wish more NorCal coaches knew this but it is a hard sell to hammerheads who are far from when they learned, amidst adult goals, and who really don't understand how to teach.
I'm a coach in Utah. I volunteered to help because I am new to the area and wanted to make some mountain biking connections. Also, I wish that my school had this type of club when I was back in high school and I wanted to contribute something positive to my new Utah community. I like volunteering and there is no better way to be service oriented when it revolves around doing something you love. This is our first year participating with NICA in my area and I am excited to be a part of it. So far we have had two group rides and they have gone pretty well. I am excited to see how things progress this year. Our seas doesn't start for a while and we have an insurance limit for how many rides we can do but we just want to do rides to keep interest up over the summer.
1997-1999 Windrush Dust Devils Bike Club- Founder/Director
1999-2001 Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay
2001-2012 Established and produced the Wildcat Roll now within the BTCEB.
2001-2007 Produced Kids Rides.
2002-2008 El Cerrito Racing (NorCal High school)-Founder/Director/Head Coach
2005-2011 Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay-Director
2006-2009 Albany YMCA MTB program-Founder/Director
2007-2010 Albany High Cougars MTB Team-Director/Head Coach
2008-11 Produced IMBA Kids Rides for BTCEB.
2010 Brought NorCal Coaches Summit from Marin County to Albany High.
2011 Brought BTCEB sponsorship to 10 East Bay NorCal Teams.
2011-2012 President BTCEB
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Originally Posted by knobbyknees
