In this special summer edition, we're excited to give a bit more insight into what’s happening with the USA Cycling Coaching Development and Education program.
Coach Developers: The role of the coach developer is a combination of training and mentoring coaches, with a focus on supporting coaches in their chosen pathway. We have an initial cohort of potential developers identified. Training will take place this summer through our partners at the US Center for Coaching Excellence. We will begin implementing coach developers in 2024 in conjunction with our curriculum enhancement. They will be a key part of the coach development process.
Development Pathways: Much like athlete development pathways, coach development pathways are basic guides for coaches on how to engage and develop in the sport of bike racing.
Level Curriculum Enhancement: This challenging process has begun in earnest. The program curriculum will be a continuous work in progress moving forward. The initial overhaul will take around 12 months and entail cohesive program objectives that are delivered from the initial contact with potential coaches through our highest licensing levels. The first group to experience some of these changes was at the Level 2 Clinic at Endurance MTB Nationals, July 5-7th. With the valuable experience and input we all gained, Level 2 will continue refinement before moving on to Level 3. Our Level 1 curriculum has remained dynamic and relevant over the years. Many of those enduring qualities will now play a more influential role in the composition and learning objectives for Levels 2 and 3.
Website Revisions: A significant revision of the coaching section of the website is underway that will more thoroughly and visually display these revisions. Looks for more as soon as it’s ready for feedback from our existing coaches.
Sport Integrity: We’ll begin grouping SafeSport training, Background Check and USADA TrueSport training under the umbrella of Sport Integrity. Look for more next month on the importance of this change.
Marketing and Level Names: As these changes are implemented and begin to impact our coaching demographic, expect to see more marketing and engagement on them throughout the bike racing ecosystem. Before doing so, now is the time to review our Coaching Level nomenclature. USA Cycling is one of the only sports governing bodies to have coaching Level 3 be introductory and Level 1 at the top. Most are reversed, 1 as introductory and 3 as the top level. If anyone has any strong opinions on this, please send your thoughts to coaches@usacycling.org.
2023 Clinics
We’re excited to have clinics outlined for 2023! Registration for the Bentonville clinics will be open on Monday, August 7th
October 22-24, 2023 - Bentonville, AR
Level 1 and Level 2
Held following Big Sugar
Schedule to allow for traveling early on the 22nd and late on the 24th
Come check out the trails and roads of Northwest Arkansas. We'll have free time to ride worked into the clinic. Come early or stay late for more!
PREREQUISITE online courses will need to be completed after registration and prior to attending. These will be courses specially developed for USA Cycling by Fast Talk Labs.
Safe Sport
As a reminder, SafeSport Training needs to be completed every 12 months. This is part of a much larger effort and program to ensure our sport remains trustworthy, inclusive and safe. The effort is much more than just minor abuse prevention and we all play a role in it, no matter what age athletes we work with. The coach athlete relationship is an inherent imbalance of power that gives coaches the responsibility to ensure a safe and productive environment.
Please note that USA Cycling maintains a list of Disciplinary Records. This includes a recent coach addition. Additional records can be researched in US Center For SafeSport Centralized Database
Please stay up date on your training and remember, if you see or hear of something, say something.
Coach of The Year
Every year, USA Cycling recognizes excellence in our coaching ranks. We have several categories that are in line with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Coach of the Year awards.
Elite Coach of the Year
Coach of a national-level team, or the coach of an elite athlete who competes at the highest level of their sport
Junior Coach of the Year
Coach at the youth club, high school or junior level, or a coach directly responsible for training athletes to reach the junior and/or elite level
College Coach of the Year
Coach affiliated with a Collegiate cycling program
Development Coach of the Year
Coach who aggressively grows the sport through bringing in new athletes and helping them develop a life-long, healthy love of competitive cycling
Volunteer Coach of the Year
Coach who does not receive payment in any form for their involvement in coaching at any level
Coaches who are awarded this recognition have been selected from a pool of highly qualified nominations based on:
Their impact on the sport
Their impact on their athletes
The strength and depth of their nominations
The 2023 Coach of the Year Nominations are currently open. The nomination window will close in August.
Please carefully review the nomination form and consider your answers before submitting. Multiple USA Cycling members are encouraged to work together on a single nomination for a coach.
Fast Talk Labs
A growing wave of masters athletes is making the case that older athletes have a lot to look forward to as they age. Here’s what science has to say about physiology and performance as we age.
Coaching Industry Meet-up Series
The May meeting had an IT issue with an invalid Zoom link. Corrections have been made so please update your calendar with our next meeting on August 18th.
USA Cycling would like to help our coach employers engage with each other to talk about issues, ideas, and generally create some industry cohesion. If you've got the time, we've got the Zoom meeting to join. We'll have intros and then let the conversation take over.
At this time, these sessions will be limited to companies that employ two or more coaches as part of their day-to-day business. In the next meet-up, we will continue our previous conversation that concluded with the idea of "weeding the development garden".
#3
Friday, August 18, 11:00 a.m. MT
#4
Thursday, November 16, 11:00 a.m. MT
Want to put all four sessions on your calendar? Download the calendar invite below!
Coaching Clothing
Need some t-shirts for those hot summer races? Head on over to the USA Cycling Store for some new coach clothing! We've got new designs to help show your role at events, practices or just out and about. It's definitely worth checking out.
