INTERMEDIATE COACH
LEVEL 1 MTB CERTIFICATION
Keen to start teaching mountain biking and connect with new riders? Maybe you already teach but want to learn more? Join the syndicate and let us train you to help discover your true potential as a coach over this 3-day course!
3-DAY COURSE
TEACH & GUIDE BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE RIDERS ON TRAILS & OPEN AREAS
20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS WORLD LEADERS IN MTB INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
DEVELOP YOUR OWN SKILLS AS YOU LEARN TO CONNECT, INSPIRE & COACH OTHER RIDERS
COURSE OVERVIEW
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Intermediate riders seeking to teach beginners to low-intermediate riders.
Aspiring coaches eager to support their community through mountain bike programs.
Volunteer, club, high school, or recreational coaches aiming to enhance their skills and gain top-tier certification.
Riders looking to develop their skills as a foundation for better coaching.
Passionate riders eager to connect with and inspire others through mountain biking.
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The Intermediate Coach Course empowers participants to inspire and guide riders on beginner to intermediate terrain. This comprehensive curriculum focuses on essential coaching skills, including effective communication, risk management, technical proficiency, and advanced teaching techniques.
Participants will also explore a human-centric approach to coaching, learning how to create meaningful connections with riders to foster confidence, progression, and a love for the sport.
Through hands-on practice, coaches will refine their skills with real-world teaching scenarios on trails and in open areas, receiving personalized feedback on both their coaching and riding abilities throughout the course.
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The course consists of 3 days of in-person training, plus 2–3 hours of pre-course reading and online workshops
Totalling at least 27 hours including assessments.
Assessments include:
Online Workshop
Skills Coaching Assessment
Riding Skills Assessment
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A Focus on Coaching: While the course offers some riding improvement, the primary focus is on teaching skills. Riders should have confident riding abilities to fully engage in learning coaching techniques.
Riding Skills: Confident on intermediate, technical terrain (e.g., green, blue, or light black trails), capable of guiding and teaching other riders on technical and flow blue trails, anywhere in the world.
Preparation: Complete pre-course reading and worksheet.
Experience: At least 36 months of mountain biking experience.
First Aid: 40-hour Wilderness First Aid certification recommended but not required.
Age: Minimum age is 15. Coaches who are under 17 who pass this certification are required to work with an adult as a tail guide or assistant coach.
BECOME A LEVEL 1 CERTIFIED COACH TODAY & SHARE YOUR PASSION!
BECOME A LEVEL 1 CERTIFIED COACH TODAY & SHARE YOUR PASSION!
Discover how to connect with riders and create memorable, human-centric biking experiences for your community.
Learn to deliver safe, effective lessons for beginner to intermediate riders.
Enhance your riding skills to confidently demonstrate techniques to others.
Develop essential leadership skills and build your confidence as a coach.
Have fun! Spend three days riding, learning, and getting stoked to inspire others.
Personal video analysis on every coursE WITH THE Sportsense coaching app!
COURSE INSIGHT VIDEOS
Take a look at these videos to see a few of the common riding maneuver, skill and terrain examples from the Intermediate Coach Course.
This video highlights some of the core maneuvers coaches are expected to demonstrate during the course, along with common terrain types they may encounter, whether the course is delivered on natural cross-country trails or in lift-accessed bike parks.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR?
Front, rear and pedalling wheel lifts and slow tight turns
Intermediate terrain ridden with confidence, flow and consistent technique.
This video highlights some of the key riding skills and movement patterns coaches discuss when demonstrating and teaching Stability & Balance.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR?
Climbing: Look for the movements of the hips and shoulders
Descending: Look for the tall Neutral position a rider moves from and the sequence of movements a riders uses to get lower but stay centred.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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BIKE: We recommend a modern, well maintained trail or enduro bike with 5 - 6 inches (125-150mm) of front and rear suspension with good quality disc brakes and tires, is ideal for this course. It doesn’t need to be the latest and greatest, just well maintained and appropriate for riding advanced, technical terrain. Click here to view an example.
A good quality, well fitted mountain bike helmet.
Gloves and knee pads are recommend.
Food, water, tools, spare tube and clothing to suit the conditions that day… we ride rain or shine!
First aid kit not essential, but recommended.
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Every GSMBC course aims to finish between 4 - 4.30pm, depending on the conditions that day and the specific course location.
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The Intermediate Coach Course is for riders and coaches of all ages but the minimum participant age is 15 years old. We want to encourage all shredders to join the amazing career of mountain bike coaching by levelling up and becoming a professional mountain bike coach.
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Yes! You will receive the Apprentice Coach Certificate for simply attending this course, which enables you to work as a tail guide or assistant coach, to help gain more experience before you return for your retest.
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Yes! Your GSMBC Mentor will work with you to develop your bike set up and technical riding skills.
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During the Intermediate Coaching Course, coaches will have several opportunities to practice teaching, lead groups, and demonstrate their riding skills.
Upon meeting the minimum competency level in both coaching and riding assessments, coaches will receive the GSMBC Level 1 Coaching Certification.
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Our goal is to create a fun, friendly, non-intimidating atmosphere, so coaches can learn and progress at ease. The coaching and riding skill assessments continue throughout the 3 day course as an overall impression, avoiding a ‘final exam’ senario. This human centric approach reduces stress and lets coaches explore, learn, and grow through experience.
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Coaches are assessed using the PECAM Marking System that we have adapted from the Coaches of Canada Skill Development Model.
Processing | Emerging | Consolidating | Autonomous | Mastery
Level 1 Coaches are required to be at the ‘Consolidating’ stage of skill development in both the coaching and riding skill assessments.
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Level 1 coaches must be able to show consistent technique when riding at trail speed on green and blue single track terrain. Some technical examples include:
Dynamic Positioning: able to control their own body mass to ensure a strong, yet mobile position on the bike when climbing and descending off road.
Speed Control: able to use the brakes on loose surfaces to slow down or maintain speed, without skidding.
Flow: able to scan varied terrain and choose the appropriate lines to ride safely, efficiently and smoothly.
Corners: able to connect or disconnect from the bike to control its direction at varied speeds, on a variety of corners.
Bumps: Able to use their body as suspension to control bumps and rollers in technical terrain.
Tech Tricks: Demonstrates proper technique and application when performing foundational technical maneuvers such as front and rear wheel lifts, pedalling wheel lifts and roll downs.
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Level 1 Coaches must first connect with students so they can effectively adapt, plan and deliver fun, relevant and safe lessons. Level 1 Coaching Standards include:
Connecting with students to promote socially safe, fun learning environments.
Prioritizing safety and risk management at all times.
Leading groups with confidence in inherently risky mountain bike terrain,
Using the GSMBC Coaching Models to execute safe, effective lessons that inspire and progress the students.
More standards are outlined in detail in the GSMBC Course materials, following registration.
Course Includes GSMBC Coach Reference Guide, Course Booklet & Online Workshop
Don’t forget to grab yourself some GSMBC Merch from our custom store!
COURSE REQUESTS?
If you or your team, friends or community are looking to book a course at a new location or during a time that is currently offered, please reach out to us via our course request form, available here: