NorCal High School Mountain Biking Manual
Table of Contents
OTHER USEFUL DOCUMENTS
Why bring cycling into our schools?
In June of 2001, before final exams, I asked my class (I teach Algebra) this question: Do you think you can get good at a sport by watching it on TV? I wanted to drive home the point that watching the teacher do algebra problems on the board wasn't going to help if they did not also practice the problems. I thought everyone would laugh at the question. But the majority of the students said yes, you could get good at a sport by watching it on TV – all though you might have to watch it a lot. They knew that I wanted to prove them wrong and they could see I was alarmed by their view. I asked a more specific question: Can you get good at hitting a home run by watching baseball on TV. Yes. Can you get good at throwing a touchdown pass by watching football on TV? At this point a student who is also a football player speaks up. "No you can’t!" The kids know the football player, his emphatic response speaks of the hard work and practice required to be a good football player. They respect and believe him and the lesson is saved. As The point is made and I underline it: If you want to do well on the next test you better practice the problems.
The school I teach at has about three thousand students. It also boasts a wide variety of sports to choose from, more than any other public school in the country. The students can choose from the mainstream sports like baseball, football, and basketball more up and coming sports like soccer or even lacrosse, field hockey or crew. In all ?? sports to choose from. And yet despite all these sports being played – the vast majority of students are not involved in any extra-curricular athletic activity. Some of the most important life lessons, lessons that are learned through extra-curricular activities are being missed. Cycling presents an opportunity for a vast array of important lessons, and often proves to be a tremendous builder of self esteem among a population of students who are often on the fringe, under achieving and full of a lot of pent up energy.
Why mountain biking in particular?
There is multitude of cycling disciplines, and it may not be obvious why mountain biking makes the most sense for a youth program:
It’s the safest. Forget what you've seen on TV. Mountain biking is not about daredevils careening down hills. The average speed on a mountain bike ride rarely exceeds 10 miles per hour. It’s a sport that gets kids into the woods and away from the dangers of automobile traffic associated with road cycling.
The sport of mountain biking calls for a wide variety of skills including agility and balance, requires both upper and lower body strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Given a small network of trails, the rides are easy to facilitate and incorporate a wide range of abilities
The equipment is becoming more and more affordable. Mountain bikes for as little as $300 can be state of the art plus $100 for helmet and shoes a kid is ready to go.
In addition, and most importantly, many kids are very into mountain biking. Of all the cycling disciplines it has an image which appeals to many kids. Kids that might have shied away from the skinny tires and tight pants of road cycling won’t think twice about wearing baggy mountain bike shorts and jumping on a fat tire bike.
A note to other cyclists: I have noticed that the growth of our mountain bike club has caused a proportional increase of enthusiasm for the other cycling disciplines. As mountain biking takes hold as a sport in our public high schools their will also be a significant increase of juniors participating in the other disciplines.
Why Start a Club?
As my teaching career began the demands of the job quickly became at odds with passion for cycling. I was working full time and trying to ride enough to continue with my racing. I had never been so acutely aware of my energy levels. To keep a classroom on track and inspired takes a lot of energy. It was noticeably difficult to teach the day after a hard ride, just as it was hard to go for a hard ride after teaching. I teach a needy population of inner-city youth and I felt guilty that I squandered so much of my energy riding. I kept it a secret from my students and fellow staff. Sometime during my first year of teaching I made a decision "One last season."
I finished my season short of some my goals – one of which was to race in Italy. At the end of that "last" season, and just before the next school year began I happened to overhear someone talking about a local criterium that was going to feature a high school event. When school began I put in an announcement for the daily bulletin to see if I could put together a squad. The next day five students came to my room. They wanted to start a team – only thing was they were mountain bikers.
I was only too glad to drop the idea of a road squad and to sponsor a mountain bike club. Before long we had a cohesive mountain biking club that met for after school rides and traveled to a single event that year. I was still riding, except now I was riding with students. And I kept on racing and my level increased as did the students. The kids were a source of renewed energy and inspiration. The following summer I had a season of racing I will never forget – in Italy.
My coach in Italy, Ron Pallazzo, was a source of additional inspiration. At 71 years old he was a picture of health and vitality and still joined his athletes for the team rides. He knew that my goals beyond Italy were muddled. He told me "Don't ever stop! You will always be healthier, happier, have more energy and more zest for life when you are racing." I believe him and plan to remain involved with cycling indefinitely.
For me coaching junior mountain bikers now balances nicely with teaching. The after school rides leave the stresses of the classroom far behind. Riding with the kids keeps me from over-training. And the rewards of coaching are no less than the rewards of teaching. You can see what an esteem builder it is for the kids. And you can see the lessons they learn and the vast improvements from season to season.
I once had to call a parent. I was concerned about the student’s grades because the student was riding so much. The parent gleefully exclaimed that for the first time the student was motivated and doing well in school. "The more he rides the better his grades get." I was at first surprised, but looking back I see that cycling helped carry me through college. The regular exercise creates a momentum to your days – you rarely feel lethargic or unmotivated. Your life becomes goal oriented and your days are structured for achieving goals. When you start a mountain bike club for kids, you create an opportunity for students to get involved and inspired about their life.
Cycling is a life long sport. Due to the relatively low impact cycling has on joints – one can look forward to a lifetime of cycling. You will be introducing some students to a life of cycling. And if all this is not enough, and seems overly altruistic, then wait until you have the opportunity to watch your team members as they cross the finish line, or as they climb onto the podium.
How to start a Club.
Who can start a Club?
Administrators, teachers, students, community members, anyone could potentially begin a cycling club at their local high school. Every district works a little differently. But most schools athletic programs depend on the support of community members. Visit your school and ask questions about their current sports programs and clubs. Whether considered a club, or an athletic program, it is important to find support from the school.
A sponsor teacher within the school possesses great chances for early success. Students themselves are encouraged to form clubs of various types and need only find a sponsoring teacher. The experience with kids will prove invaluable as well as knowing the inner workings of the school (The daily schedules and seasonal? schedules). It will be important for the program to mesh well with the rhythms of school life. Proximity to the students is bonus, access is important for any truly public program.
Schools that are unable to sponsor a club (for instance in the case of no teacher willing to sponsor) may be agreeable to announcing the existence of an after school program available to students at the school. The club can then operate as an independent club. The club may or may not be allowed to use the school name, but the league will recognize the team as being associated with the high school.
Requirements
Extensive cycling experience is not necessary. Learning as you teach can be one of the most effective ways of both learning and teaching. One should simply have the desire to go mountain biking and learn more about the sport.
You should have some spare time. It doesn't have to be a lot. Our club meets three days a week in the months previous too and during the racing season. The rides are twice a week after school and on Sunday morning. Some clubs may begin with less riding. Consistency is what matters when you are working with kids. It’s important to follow through with the plans that get made -- try not to plan too big and let things grow each year.
You should enjoy working with kids. Your main objective should be about having fun and riding bikes.
If you are not an employee of the school district you may need to become a registered volunteer and get finger printed.
Insurance issues
Most schools have insurance that can cover the activities of a cycling club. If mountain biking can not be covered by the school’s policy then insurance is available that may have comparable coverage. Very affordable and comprehensive insurance is available through USA Cycling that covers everyone involved. Coach's liability insurance is also available to those having obtained coaching certification.
If you are coaching and are worried about your own liability then you might consider getting a USA Cycling license. Once you obtain a license, comprehensive coaches insurance is available for $75.
To see USA Cycling's insurance policy go to http://www.usacycling.org/membership/?docs/insurance.html.
Convincing PTA/Admin - Avoid the knee jerk reactions
There are ways of approaching administrators that are more likely to lead to success than others. Simply asking a principle for approval may lead to a quick end to your hopes. Once you get a ‘No.’ It may be hard to proceed. Principles have a lot of authority but ultimately we hope their decisions reflect the will of their communities.
One should first find out where they can find support within the community or school. It might be amongst teachers, board members, or other active community members (Students parents). When you approach the principle it should be to first introduce yourself and tell them the kind of program you want to build. Ask them if they'd be willing to look into things, if they foresee any problems. Be prepared for the question of liability to come up and do not argue that it is a safe sport. It’s not a question of how your perception of the sport may differ from theirs (many perceive it as dangerous). It is a question of whether the school can include it as an activity within their policy. Many districts have a business department that does risk assessment and is responsible for making these decisions.
Organizational status (club or team?)
Most organizations will start as clubs. Students are allowed to organize clubs at their schools. These clubs vary in size and activity. You might find a DJ club that meets to spin records in a classroom once a month. Or you might find a chess club that meets weekly to practice, and travel to events where they compete as a club representing their school. Like the chess club a mountain bike club can also form and represent their school. It exists technically as a club, but can work together much like a sport team. Our club often refers to itself as a team, but we are still years away from existing as an official school team within the athletic department. There is every reason to think that this will happen in the future. Rules differ from state to state but sports such as snowboarding and skiing have recently been added to the list of official school sports in some state’s sections. Before a sport can become an official school sport, there has to be a minimal number of participating schools. Forming a club is the first step towards having an official team. As your club forms it may be beneficial to know the guidelines for becoming an official team early on.
Recruiting kids
You have the go-ahead from your administration, maybe you already know some students who are into mountain biking. You are now ready to make cycling accessible to the masses. One bulletin may be all that separated you from a roomful of enthusiastic and excited students. So. . . STOP! And make sure you are ready for what's to come. Make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to do and are able to do as your club begins. While it’s you think you are excited wait until the students arrive with their dreams of full suspension downhill bikes, jerseys, and full sponsorship. The students know what they want but often don't have the experience to know how much work is required to achieve certain ends. As a senior rider I've come to distrust most newly designed bikes, I know what a heap of work it is just to obtain team jerseys, and I've seen adults fight and friendships end over the spoils of sponsorship. But club meetings are not the time or place to teach these lessons or be cynical. Be ready to acknowledge their ideas and dreams, they serve as the impetuous for achieving the single most important goal: Getting the kids out riding their bikes.
Other recruitment ideas include
using the school PA system
posting the announcement around the school (try to get some students to do this for you).
Get an article in the school paper.
Many schools also have email lists which are used to make announcement to the student body, parents, and community.
When first starting a club the goal should be to get the word out to everyone. It may become difficult to initiate a club that has enough participation to support regular activities. A critical mass is required for the students to feel comfortable and a part of something that's important and validates their interest. Try to generate a crowd realizing that it’s unlikely the club will be too big to handle in it’s first year. There is a natural fall off as students become involved in other activities. The number of students who become active participants is generally about half the number of students who attend the first meeting. I find that the students who disappear are mostly busy and involved with conflicting sports and activities.
The first meeting
If at all possible, all meetings should take place on school grounds during regular school hours. Most classrooms are available at lunchtime. Try to find one you can use regularly. Our club meets monthly in the fall and about every other week during the race season. The classroom has also become the lunchtime hangout for members of the cycling club.
Be prepared for the first meeting and keep your goals simple. In addition to introducing yourself and a loose idea of what the club could become (cross country mountain bike team), you should walk away with a list of names, emails, and a stack of surveys (see Appendix A) to help you understand the potential members of your club. Knowing their experiences and interests will help you move forward smoothly and cohesively. And having their names and email will make it easy to make announcements and hold subsequent meetings.
Dealing with a wide variety of interests
While it may be your goal to have a cross country mountain bike club, you may find that you have a wide variety of interests. BMX, Dual Slalom, Downhill, and road racing are all interests and talents you can expect to find a lot of. It will be important to acknowledge these talents and interests. For example, if you don't show much regard or respect for downhill you may find that you have alienated yourself from half the bunch. If the issue arises you can use the reasons stated in section one for explaining why the club needs to be a cross country club. Be sure to emphasize that the training programs used by the best down-hillers and dual slalom riders includes a large portion of XC riding.
Juniors interested in road racers may also note that professional mountain bikers all use road bikes to train and often times make the transition to road racing. The advantages of mountain biking as a junior include increased handling skills, larger number of peers, and greater competition. A junior very serious and intent on road racing may consider doing both. If a junior chooses to do road only they may be discouraged by the lack of organized competition and peers.
Structuring the club/constitution
Before you structure your club make sure you know the schools guidelines and requirements for clubs. Most schools require a constitution which includes the meeting time and place, the officers, the mission statement, club goals, and most important – the rules. Involving the students in this process is their first opportunity to make the club something of their own. The objective of the second meeting could be to initiate this process.
Formulating a mission statement will help you clarify your own objectives for forming a club.
Instead of an election, taking volunteers might be more appropriate. It’s important to think about your own role and how much responsibility you want the students to carry. If you had the role of coach in mind, it’s important to realize most sporting teams are essentially run by the coach. In this case a team captain might be the most important role. It should be taken by someone who feels comfortable taking on a leadership role. While the President, Vice Pres., Etc. become more honorary positions new and small club, the students granted these titles should however be prepared to help carry out some of the work. On the other hand, if you hope to see a more student driven club, where they do the majority of the work, it may be important to carefully define the roles and responsibilities of the various offices.
See Example Mountain Bike Club Constitution (Appendix A)
Have a parent meeting
If your club seems to be gaining momentum and has reached a critical mass it might be good to have a parent meeting. Our club did not have a parent meeting until it’s third year. I was reluctant to do so and it was the parents themselves that organized the first meeting. The sudden parent enthusiasm and support was a great surprise.
Keep the meeting short and to the point, their questions alone can extend the meeting for hours. Have an informational packet to hand out. Introduce yourself, explain who you are and what your cycling experience, and explain why you started a club and what you hope to achieve. Describe the structure of the club, the schedule for rides, when the season starts and ends. Have a short presentation on mountain biking, a short video can be worth a thousand words. Some recommended videos are. . .(Don't show an extreme video!) Video tape an event off OLN. Be sure to explain the logistics of your riding plan as well as the risks. It would also be a good time to get the waivers signed. Get any missing emails.
Record keeping
Be sure to keep organized from the beginning. Paper will quickly accumulate – start out with some binders before things become a mess. Use students to help with data entry to organize the roster and information from the survey gathered at the first meetings. You should print out and copy the roster for the whole team to have. Set up your email account so you can email the whole club at once. I have my emails sorted into two groups: Students Only and Parents Only. My announcements usually get sent to both groups.
The rapid dissemination of information via email is one of the modern conveniences that makes running a mountain bike club possible.
Utilizing parents
To run a fully operational cross country mountain bike club can be a handful of work. One of the best resources for assistance is the parents. Allow the parent to volunteer for specific tasks, the ones with enthusiasm and time will step forward. It’s best to avoid vague job descriptions such as "Parent Coordinator" which could mean different things to different people. If someone volunteers as the "ride coordinator" it’s clear what they have volunteered to do, and that you can call upon this person for coordinating rides to races. The following is a list of duties parents can volunteer to do. Don't expect to fill all of the positions, as the coach of our club the jobs marked with * are still done by myself.
Administrative Relations: This responsibility is most easily carried by the sponsoring teacher. It’s important to find out who oversees club activities and learn what is required of school clubs. As the activities of a bike club are varied, off school grounds, and have the risks associated with sports the club coordinator may not be the most appropriate person for advice. A principal or vice-principal (given that you have approval – see getting approval) should know the best people for you to speak to. PE and Athletic Departments may also be consulted. (It may useful to know that the PE department and Athletic Department can be two very separate bodies. PE department oversees regular PE courses for all students where as the athletic department is concerned only with after school competitive sports.
Public Relations/ Alumni Relations: You won’t find some of the best sources of support for your club, they will find you. But they won’t know about you with out good public relations. A public relations should be someone comfortable and savvy with all or some of the following: making a pamphlet to convey what your club is all about, writing press releases to get newspapers and television stations interested in featuring stories about your clubs activities. Managing a database of community members and leaders, media connections, or even building an alumni associations of cyclists who at one time attended your school. (See sample press release, sample pamphlet, managing email)
Bike Shop Liaison: It’s important to be on good terms with a local bike shop – even if they do not officially sponsor the club. A shop can make a big difference when it come to solving mechanical problems and equipment shortages. This person ideally worked at a bike store and understands that bike stores owners are not very wealthy and should no demands or expectations for discounts or free stuff should ever be made. Most shops will be most eager to help when it becomes clear that your club will have a policy regarding shop usage (see bike shop agreement ). When the bike shop has problems or complaints regarding the conduct of your club members it’s essential that there is an adult to call upon.
Coach's Liaison: Of the fundamentals of coaching kids, it should be known that the parents concerns and opinions are at times going to be difficult to manage. It may at one point even become a source of discouragement and frustration. If this is the case it may be useful to have a coach's Liaison. This would ideally be a person of the parent age and understands their concerns, but who has racing experience and understands your coaching philosophy. Since this person may be hard to find it may be best to understand that most often if you simply acknowledge the parents concerns or opinions (instead of debating or trying to explain why you don't do what they are suggesting) and that you'll see what you can do to address it – you can then move on with business as usual.
Fundraiser Organizer: There are many creative ways to raise money, nearly all of them require a fair amount of organizational work. This is a great job for enthusiastic parents. (See creative funding ideas)
Grant Proposal Writer: There are huge opportunities for funding through both public and private grants. If you can find someone willing to research available funding and write proposals you are almost guaranteed some money to help build your program. (See sample proposals)
Sponsor Liaison: Someone should be responsible for both obtaining sponsorship and keeping up good relations with sponsors. It’s important to share the club’s accomplishments with the sponsor, often in the form of emails or mailing, and to thank the sponsors at the end of the season. (See Sponsorship)
Event Planning (BBQ’s Etc.): Non cycling events can really bring together the club and get parents more interested in supporting it.
Equipment Manager: The equipment manager should be someone who plans on attending most or all of the races (See Equipment).
Treasurer: When you obtain some funding someone needs to be responsible for the budget. You will be asked (usually by club members, parents, or the source of your funds) about the money and if you cannot account for the money spent people can get very disgruntled and you may lose your funds.
Scholarships: If you have students who are economically disadvantaged , have a policy for assisting them. It may mean waiving team dues, or you may have funds designated for purchasing equipment. The person in charge of scholarships should assess need. It’s important to first communicate with the family.
Lunch after races planner: Having someone take care of this detail is hugely appreciated when the race is over.
Handbook production/distribution: Having a club handbook for parents at the beginning of the club will help with a variety of things. It’s convenient for everyone to have a club binder that can be added to as the season moves on (see example handbook).
Recruitment Planner: While a school bulletin will recruit the majority of your riders. Getting the word out to the kids at a younger age may have some long term benefits. In addition to getting kids excited to be in high school and join the mountain bike club, it may inspire some kids to start riding or even training at a younger age.
Roster Manager: Keeping track of your roster and everyone's contact information can be handed over to a parent.
Rider Licensing: Most of your athletes will not have their license when they arrive at the first race and need it. They will often have to buy a one day license. If someone takes charge of distributing licensing forms and mailing them in to USA Cycling it will make this task easy for everyone.
Race Registration: This becomes an important job. I find that kids are highly unlikely to pre-register for a race with out numerous reminders. I also find that as an event looms some kids will find an excuse not to race. These kids are often the ones who would benefit most from racing – they have a low self esteem and lack self-confidence. Pre-registering months before the race is the best way to get the kids to commit to their goals. It serves as a motivator for training and makes it hard to back out. Designate someone to get the required number of forms, collect checks (or allocate funds), and mail off the race registration. To make this job easier register for several events at once.
Carpool Coordinator: Some parents are more supportive or able to give support than others. While some parents will never miss a race, some will be unable to drive their child to the race. Have someone coordinate rides so that nobody gets left behind. This can be done via phone or e-mail.
Uniform Design: This should be left to someone with professional experience with graphic arts. Try to find someone to donate their time. Many jersey companies offer these services (See Uniforms).
Uniform ordering/distribution: Order forms and deposits should be collected prior to your jersey order.
Volunteer Coordinator/Trail Maintenance Coordinator As a club grows it may become highly beneficial to a variety of causes. Mountain bikers should all do their part in helping to maintain local trails. Coordinate with your local trail council. A club may also earn free entry to races by volunteering to assist organizers with the work required to put on a race.
Web Site Author/Maintenance: A web site can become important to a team. The kids enjoy seeing their results and pictures on line. This could be an adult project or something the kids take on (See building a website).
Team Photographer: Parent often take many pictures at the races. You may suggest one of these parents becomes the team photographer. Some schools have photographic equipment available for check out. Using a digital camera makes it easy to support your web site.
Equipment
Having rules and a policy regarding equipment is essential to avoid problems. The kids in your club will own all different kinds of bikes. From expensive high end bikes to low end department store bikes to no bike at all. It’s important to assess each child's bike situation. I've learned from a disastrous first ride that assessment and some equipment counseling needs to come before you ever hit the trail. It may seem a little invasive, but I require that each student get their ‘equipment checked’ before they can ride. I make it clear that this is simply to ensure that everyone has the minimal equipment required, and that their bikes fit, are well maintained and safe. The bike checks are done in a period of time between the first meeting and the first ride (about a month). The kids come by the classroom before or after school and I give their bikes a check over, talk about helmets, shoes, and clothing as well. Don't assume a kid knows not to come to the first ride in big baggy jeans. Because they often don't know.
For the experience kids the bike check is a quick formality. But I can usually find at least one sign of neglect on a bike. A dry chain or a loose brake. Most kids are not best known for their meticulous bike maintenance. But for some of the new kids the bike shop is often the beginning of a process. A process of getting some major bike maintenance of modification, or even a new bike. When it’s clear that a child's bike is not appropriate for your clubs activities it’s important to immediately involve the parents. Don't be afraid to call and explain the situation and that you'd like to help the child get the equipment required to succeed. Most parents will be glad that you called so long as there is no pressure. There is no need to suggest buying a bike. It’s best to have a list of other possible options and if they are able to purchase a bike they will assert this possibility.
No Bike. If funding is available you may consider owning one or more team bikes to be loaned out to kids in need. My own club has yet to raise funds for this use, but last year I went out on a limb and announced that bikes would be provided to those who need one. When a kid truly has the desire to ride – a bike will often materialize. I'm not suggesting you put in a bulletin announcing "free bikes!" But when I announced bikes available to those who need one I did not get a crowd of kids looking for free bikes. As it turned out just one kid was in need of a bike; he had a department store bike that was way too small. The parents were not able to buy any equipment but the kid was not deterred. He impressed a lot of people by riding his jalopy and before long someone lent him a mountain bike for the whole year. A list of places to find cheap or free bikes:
- Borrow a bike from: family members, relatives, friends.
- Talk to other local organizations (ex. Boosters, YMCA, churches)
- Talk to local bike clubs
- Talk to local bike shops.
- Visit bike swaps
- Call Trips for Kids, they resell/donate used bikes to kids.
If you are not comfortable doing the bike check yourself then a local bike shop is usually happy to do it for you. Especially since they are likely to receive their business.
Minimal bike requirement
Bikes that don't fit.
Bikes of very low quality.
Wrong kind of bike. You may have kids join your club that have BMX, road, downhill or dual-slalom bikes. They may be able to participate to some degree using these types of bikes. Their ability to participate using these bikes will depend upon your local geography. Downhilling and dual slalom are currently very popular amongst kids and it’s very likely you will have members who already consider themselves ‘downhillers.’ As not to alienate yourself from these kids (who are often very talented ) it’s important to both acknowledge their sport and to clarify the purpose of the club. Make it clear that they will benefit as a downhiller by participating in a cross-country club. It should also be understood that it will be very difficult to participate on a bike made sole for downhilling. Be sure that the parents are also aware of the difference between the clubs focus and their child's interest. They may not realize there is a difference. You may choose to include downhilling in your club activities, but the following are some reasons why you should not:
The majority of insurance claims due to injury at cycling competitions results from downhilling.
The bikes and protective equipment is extremely expensive
The skills required are very specific
It’s not a good entry point for the sport of cycling
It requires cross country skills
It’s not appropriate for public schools, few schools would ever approve
It requires specific venues very much like downhill skiing
NOTE TO DOWNHILLERS: Recently there has been pressure within my own club to include downhilling in our school clubs activities. It is our goal to bring mountain biking into the public schools as an official sport no different than football or track and field. We feel that our best chance requires a focus on cross-country and that if we do achieve our goal it will benefit all forms of competitive cycling. Our own club has a contingency of downhillers who are some of the best in the nation, but their downhill activities are not sponsored by the school club. To include downhilling would jeopardize not only our program, but high school mountain biking in general.
Facilitating Rides
Setting the tone for safety
The leader of club rides must set the tone for safety. A leader must realize that the tone of the rides is entirely set by your acts. If the leader shows off then so will the kids, if the leader does not discourage competition the kids will compete, if the leader takes risks then soon there may be kids who have injured themselves (if the leader goes down illegal trails then the kids will follow). The tone for safety can also be set by having a required safety meeting before any rides occur. This meeting can focus on the rules of the trail AND the road, because inevitably you will find the club needs to ride on the road together. Establish ground rules for conduct and ride formation. Point out hazards such as car doors and wet roads. Don't assume the kids know any of the things you have picked up over the years.
Have a regular meeting place.
Meeting off school grounds has several advantages. The kids won't be distracted by their peers, they won't cause problems on campus with their bikes, and the rides will be more likely to leave on time. Try to find a central meeting place everyone can safely get to and that is close to your nearest trails.
Finding alt off-road rides (dirt roads, residential streets with big hills, spinning at YMCA)
Managing a range of abilities. Beyond waiting at intervals, One way to manage a range of abilities is by finding a shortish loop and have groups do laps. Having groups go in opposite directions (if safe to do so) also allows for interesting possibilities.
After school- recommend 1-2 hour rides
Weekends - recommend 2-3 hour rides
Basics of Coaching
Are you the coach?
There are a range of motives one might have for starting and leading a high school cycling club. Some clubs are based more upon cycling advocacy, bicycle maintenance, or to bring together occasional fun rides, in these cases the motive may not involve competition. A leader of a club may encourage training and competition but if the club is small and the commitment level of members is low – you might not feel like you are playing the role of "Coach." Even as your program grows you may not feel like you are "coaching," especially since our conception of a coach is often someone blowing a whistle out on the field, or barking orders from the sidelines. On the other hand you might already think of yourself as the coach and have one or more members who have competitive goals they are trying to obtain. It might be a goal of your own to help bring some of your athletes to a national level.
Which ever is your case, there are some basic things to know about coaching that will help lead clubs clubs of various levels. By virtue of bringing together and guiding a club you can consider yourself "the coach," and there are a wide range of issues you should be prepared to deal with. As the leader of my own club, I was not comfortable with the title of coach in the first couple of years (I preferred to be called the sponsoring teacher, but secretly considered myself the Director Sportif). I directed the team and took care of a logistics, there was not a lot of individual attention, and the more advance riders on the team did much of their training independently. At one point I even hired a local pro to be our coach. In the end, it was nice to have the "coach" out on some rides – his abilities quickly earned the respect and admiration of the kids, but he was not able to make the consistent time commitment required to build the required relationship. As kids are not likely to seek out the advice and guidance they need, coaching does require pro-active involvement. Because of my regular attendance on the rides, holding meetings, and making frequent announcements via email, I was giving the guidance that gave the program its shape. And eventually I was tailoring individual programs for the more advanced riders. This is cycling specific coaching and it may require some reading and some training before you feel comfortable with designing training programs for both a club and/or individuals.
But first, there are a lot of things about coaching kids that are not sport specific. While I do recommend the leader of any club obtain this cycling specific training and certification, there is much to know about coaching a group of kids that are not sport specific. These include:
Keeping kids motivated
Instilling a sense of sportsmanship
Preventing burnout
Dealing with intense parents
Coping with the stresses of coaching
There is a book published called "Coaching Kids For Dummies." It’s easy to read and will familiarize you with the basics of coaching. I highly recommend it be made a part of your coach's library.
Cycling specific training can be obtained from a USA Cycling Coaching Conference. These seminars are held in various regions. A conference designed specifically for the purpose of youth coaching takes place each winter at the OTC in Colorado Springs. You will walk away with the practical information that will help you to confidently build a program for your club. For me, because I’d been coached and had years of racing experience, I had much of the knowledge. However, it was the training seminar that helped me understand how I could utilize my knowledge to build successful programs for both individuals and the whole club.In addition, upon obtaining your Expert coaching certification, you will be able to purchase highly affordable Coaches insurance (See Insurance).
Conduct a skills clinic
Mountain biking is more than just fitness, it’s being able to ride over rough terrain efficiently, safely descending steep and rough trails, and sometimes trying to get over obstacles such as a fallen tree. The teaching of "technical skills" is only just maturing into a common practice. PMBIA, the Professional Mountain Biking Institution formed in 2001, has created mountain bike technical skills instruction much the way the PSIA, the Professional Ski Instructors Association, has established a norm for down hill skiing instruction. Just as skiing lessons are essential for the progressing, there are lessons that will accelerate the advancement of mountain bikers of all levels.
Having good technical abilities and being able to teach them are two different things. After years of mountain biking I had very little to offer my riders beyond "keep the legs and arms loose" and "pick a good line well ahead of yourself." This all changed when I attended a basic skills clinic conducted by Dylan Gredhant, founder of PMBIA. In a two-hour course I quickly discovered several bad habits and learned techniques for correct braking, gear usage, balancing, turning, riding straight lines, and getting over obstacles. I also learned how these skills could be taught. Many of the drills were simpler than I would have ever imagined. The following is the basic outline for a basic skills clinic, although I highly recommend attending a skills clinic conducted by a professional before conducting one on your own.
Other recommended reading
2001 USA Cycling Training Manual: Mountain Biking Cross-Country and Downhill
The Mountain Bikers Training Bible by Joe Friel
The year long program
June: Reserve Jersey Order Space (The sooner the better)
September 1-30: Bulletins posted weekly to announce the first mountain bike club meeting. (See sample bulletins).
October 1: First team meeting (see first team meeting)
• hand out club info
• hand out and collect surveys
• announce parent meeting
October 7: Parent meeting (see have parent meeting). Parent Volunteer meeting immediately following.
October 8: Begin bike checks (mechanical and fit)
October 15: 2nd club meeting. Discuss safety and rules. Waivers, dues, physical examinations due.
October 20: First ride for new members (begin tue/thur ride schedule). Begin fall weight training for interested members (see weight training). Continuing riders have two options: organize their own rides or join new member rides????
October 26: Technical Skills Clinic #1/ Team BBQ.
November 30: Begin tue/thur cross training and add Sunday ride (both new and returning riders)
January 2: Begin tue/thur spin work outs at the YMCA. Continue with Sunday rides.
January 30: Technical Skills Clinic #2.
February 1: Parent meeting #2. Parent Volunteer meeting immediately following.
February 5: Resume Tue/thur after school rides.
February 12-26 add Wednesday ride.
March 11: First race.
May 16: Last Race.
May 21: Team BBQ.