iRide partners with Gold Rush Cycling Club.
John Courtney first participated in a Cycling BC NCCP coaching course in 2018 and since then has worked to help bring the iRide after-school program to his hometown of Quesnel, BC. In 2021, we were very excited to visit and train six new instructors and launch a new program in partnership with John’s Gold Rush Cycling Club.
The new program consisted of skills sessions at West Fraser Timber Park and then shifted to the local trail system for some fun group rides.
“The last four weeks of the program progressively built on the cornering, climbing, and descending fundamentals we learned at the beginning of the program and by switching venues we were able to gradually introduce more challenging terrain, said John. “Each session included at least one skill lesson, ample opportunities to practice that skill, and at least one game as well. Having three skill levels, each with two coaches, made it easy to place the kids in an appropriate group as their skills progressed.”
To help provide mentorship opportunities for the after-school program instructors, iRide facilitates a weekly call throughout the spring. The call connects our in-school program staff with our after-school program teams across the BC interior. This scenario creates opportunities for our program leaders to connect and share best practices.
“Reflecting on the overall program, I am struck by the level of commitment demonstrated by everyone involved. I am so grateful to Ben and the rest of the crew at Cycling BC for training our team of coaches and providing the equipment, resources, and back-end registration support to take our program to the next level. It was incredible to see each coach bring their unique skills and personality to the role each week. Working with a team of coaches certainly required some additional planning and communication compared to previous years but the kids and community are so much better for it.” – John Courtney.
The iRide After-School program will resume in the spring of 2022. Program details and registration will open in early February and on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
To find a program near you, please visit our After-School page. If you are 16+ years old and wish to start a program or just instruct, please visit our Start Your Own page.
