Came to this via a post from somewhere else and a second important question answer that should be asked here is what makes a good mtb coach, especially for kids/youth. Darren brought up some good points about the importance of some sort of education and certification. If I was going to boil it down there'd be three things I'd look for in a coach either for myself or a kid:
1\. Coach training via the NCCP program or something similar such as the PMBI
2\. The requisite physiological knowledge preferably via a post secondary education program in something like human kinetics or kinesiology. This should also include an understanding of the psychology of sport.
3\. Enough practical experience to understand the nuances of the sport and what it takes to be good.
That person may be better off in some of those areas that others, but someone who say is an great ex racer who doesn’t have the proper physiological knowledge will be limited in their effectiveness and vice versa as well. For the parent looking for a coach for their kid ask about credentials and check up on them. I should also add that the parent should be sure this is something their kid wants to do, not something the parent wants their kid to do.
As to the original question which really didn't get answered, Matt should definitely bring his concerns to the trail association. I'd let them know why you think what they're doing needs improvement and also offer some suggestions as to how they can improve things such as making sure the person running those free clinics are qualified to do so.
Dec. 10, 2018, noon - Mark
Came to this via a post from somewhere else and a second important question answer that should be asked here is what makes a good mtb coach, especially for kids/youth. Darren brought up some good points about the importance of some sort of education and certification. If I was going to boil it down there'd be three things I'd look for in a coach either for myself or a kid: 1\. Coach training via the NCCP program or something similar such as the PMBI 2\. The requisite physiological knowledge preferably via a post secondary education program in something like human kinetics or kinesiology. This should also include an understanding of the psychology of sport. 3\. Enough practical experience to understand the nuances of the sport and what it takes to be good. That person may be better off in some of those areas that others, but someone who say is an great ex racer who doesn’t have the proper physiological knowledge will be limited in their effectiveness and vice versa as well. For the parent looking for a coach for their kid ask about credentials and check up on them. I should also add that the parent should be sure this is something their kid wants to do, not something the parent wants their kid to do. As to the original question which really didn't get answered, Matt should definitely bring his concerns to the trail association. I'd let them know why you think what they're doing needs improvement and also offer some suggestions as to how they can improve things such as making sure the person running those free clinics are qualified to do so.