Creating learning opportunities is one of HopOn’s key goals.
With Cycling BC’s head office moving to the North Burnaby area in 2019, our team wished to build upon previous partnerships with the City of Port Coquitlam (2017-2018) and Simon Fraser University Camps (2017-2019) and create a comprehensive program offering for children, youth, and aspiring teachers in the area.
Thanks to a partnership with the City of Coquitlam starting in 2019, we’ve helped visit and support young bike riders throughout the area. What began in 2019 as a last-minute effort to get more youth signed up for our then 2nd annual iRide Leadership camp has turned into a full menu of in-school programs, after-school programs, spring break camps, summer camps, and a new youth club!
Nico Lutz, a 2nd-year HopOn instructor, first started as an iRide Leadership camp participant in 2018. An experienced BMX rider, road racer with Escape Velocity DEVO, and big brother with a passion for teaching, Nico has been planning to become an instructor with our program for a long time. After jumping in to teach summer camps in 2021, Nico returned to lead our 2022 spring break camp, where he mentored another new instructor, Cole, and partnered with Elizabeth to instruct an after-school program at Leigh Elementary and Mundy Park. In reflection, Nico says …
The 2022 Hop on season was very different from the previous year. I had a bit of experience and confidence coming into the 2022, and a much better understanding of how things worked and what to do in different situations.
This season was very fun for me because I felt much more confident and less stressed, I felt like I was able to bond with kids and help them improve. I’ve also learned how to make things fun, with the goal of teaching but also in the most enjoyable way for the kids.
This year I also had the opportunity to work with new members of the team and although at the beginning of the year it felt like a big stress and weight on my back, I was able to guide these new instructors and encourage them to continue teaching or even start their own program. Now as a post-secondary student at Douglas College, I hear from many others how they find is so difficult to balance work and school, but for me I always looked forward to the Friday after-school programs because I had fun hanging out with the kids. Since the kids were genuinely excited to learn new skills and challenge each other, it was a great environment and it reminded me daily of childhood memories of riding bikes around after school.
This year as I also had a bit more responsibility and it made me realize how difficult it is to run programs, but how fun they are for the kids when they are done properly.
To learn more about Cycling BC’s 2023 HopOn Leadership camp and how you can become a HopOn instructor next season.
