2010 USA Cycling Coach Summit-Mad Skills
The USA Cycling Coach Summit dove tailed off the Junior National ID Camp in Colorado Spring October 13-17. That, and the perfect weather, gave me an opportunity to ride the Garden of The Gods almost every day during the two weeks at the Olympic Training Center. Which was good, because this is the only time during the year when I eat three square meals a day.
The Coach Summit is a great chance for me to see all my friends and make some new connections while learning some of the newest science of coaching. Sam Callan, USAC Coaching Education Manager, asked me to present my Mad Skills curriculum to the Coaches attending from across the Nation. My classroom presentation had 20 Coaches soaking up information. The on-bike sessions were equally well received, as I explained and demonstrated the WHAT, HOW, WHY, WHERE and WHEN of teaching cycling skills to their clients and athletes.
It wasn’t just me teaching. I practice a very cooperative coaching style, enlisting feedback and observations from the student coach. The coaches were extremely qualified and experienced in their craft. Their input was valuable information for me to apply into my continuously evolving skills curriculum. The overall consensus from all, “every coach should have the opportunity to attend this class and be certified”. My thanks to Sam Callan for asking me to present at the USA Cycling Coach Summit. 
2010 USA Cycling Junior National ID Camp
This year’s USAC Junior National ID Camp had some great weather compared to last year’s camp.
Benjamin Sharp assembled a top shelf staff including Renee Eastman, Barney King, Jon Heidemann, and Billy as we performed field testing on Cheyenne Canyon and conducted classroom presentations for 40 Road and 5 Mountain Bikers. I got my paws on the 45 riders, introducing them to a couple days of my Mad Skills sessions. Check out the official news report published by USA Cycling.
http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=5612
Along with the awesome weather this year, there was no sight of the Swine Flu that kicked a dozen rider’s butts, including mine, last year. Looking forward to seeing the rider’s results, in 2011, as they apply their experience from the camp.
2010 USAC Junior Nationals at Bend, OR.
Willo and I trekked to Bend, OR. for the 2010 USA Cycling Junior/Elite Championships.
This year’s events proved to be another epic experience to log into the “Rich Valuable Life Experience” category. The courses proved to be demanding for the participating future “Rock Stars” of American cycling. And the riders came ready to conquer the courses and their competition.
The crit course proved all day long, in every category, that the course was going to have to be dealt with. The third and forth corners were the prevailing and deciding factors as all competitors tried to decode the technical section and their competition. All too often, the course would have it’s way, taming the riders. Only the strongest, smartest and courageous riders would spoil the best intensions of the rest.
The road race was no less merciful on the competition. Their were many heroic battles fought, but only a few could win the war. I was fortunate to be in the YAHOO Team car and witness one such fight for the podium unfold in the Elite category. EVAN HUFFMAN had raced the U23 road race the day before, but had a deep seated goal to contest the Elite race and help his Yahoo Team podium.
The Team meeting laid the strategy out, and Evan’s role was to go early with the break, making the other teams work and show their cards. Along with four other guys, Evan stayed away for over 4 laps. The five man break eventually exploded, and Evan was the last man to give the lead back to the angry field with 3/4 of a lap to go. The plan worked, putting two Yahoo riders on the podium.
Willo and I had a wonderful time seeing all our friends and dosing out our special blend of mojo. Some mojo rubbed off on Eric Volotzky as he won the 15-16 Crit. Morgan Ryan fought like a gladiator in the arena, as did his sisters Alexis and Kendal. I enjoyed a nice dinner with Kevin and the family afterwards. Overall, an amazing time, Willo was a trooper traveling… she wants a bike now.
VeloHeitz Studio Opens in Taos, New Mexico
Michael Heitz, has opened the door of a long time dream. The VeloHeitz Studio in Taos, NM. will provide professional bike fittings and other coaching services to the Enchanted Circle Region.
As the VeloHeitz Studio is strategically located next door to Eske’s Brew Pub & Eatery, this will ultimately ensure that our clients will have access to essential hydration and nutrition after their rides.
While the doors are open now, there is much work to be done to make the VeloHeitz Studio a premiere destination for cyclists coming to Taos from across the Nation.
Some projects on the work bench include, creating a 4 Day Olympic Sports Festival for Middle and High School students. Conducting Skills Clinics for the Taos Police Bike Patrol and USA Cycling Teams and Coaches.
Another goal of ours, is to develop a VeloHeitz Road Bike Tour service that introduces riders to the many Enchanting sites of the region, like The Water Tour to OJO Caliente Hot Springs, The Churches Tour, The Cafe Tour, and The Photo Tour of the Enchanted Circle.
The VeloHeitz Studio is equipped with the state of the art technology for bike fittings from Computrainer, Fit Kit, Serotta Science, Trek and others of the industries premiere leaders in the bike fitting science . Michael has 25 years of experience of fitting knowledge melded with todays science of biomechanics to meet every cyclist’s needs. Please call to schedule your bike fitting appointment or coaching consultation today.
YOU’VE GOT TO TRUST YOUR BIKE
THE BIKE IS YOUR MIND
THE FOCUS IS THE RACE
VELOHEITZ STUDIO
POWERED BY MICHAEL HEITZ
PROVEN BY CHAMPIONS
2010 SCNCA Junior Camp – WOW
The 4th annual SCNCA Junior Camp legacy continues to grow. 55 California junior cyclists participated over a two-day camp this year. I saw 17 repeat riders from the previous three years. We had 5 women (3 repeats) and 5o men (14 repeats). Ages ranged from 10 to 18 years old. The 17-18 category 22 participants were outstanding this year with the inclusion of riders from Major Motion, Santa Barbara Echelon, Encino and SC Velo… making a great mix. Tony Cruz and Jeremiah Wiscovitch were excellent role models and ride leaders for the Elite 17-18 riders.
Dominic Galenti, the SCNCA Junior Program Manager, put together another top shelf volunteer staff. Dom was gracious by allowing me to borrow a bike and let me drive his Vespa… the only way I would be able to observe the 17-18 Elite riders. I rode with the 10-14 category on Saturday morning, conducting the skills session. And rode with 15-16 category on both afternoons. All three categories had their own follow vehicles for support. I conducted a 2K Time Trial on Sunday morning for all categories.
Overall, an outstanding camp with fantastic California weather, great ride leaders, friendly roads, volunteers, lunch food for both days, San Dimas Hospital classroom, and parents for getting their juniors to the camp. I would like to thank the SCNCA for the privilege and opportunity of assisting them in their vision of Junior Development. I’m looking forward to 2011 and continuing this legacy. 
Mad Skills Introduced to USA Cycling Coaches
USA Cycling Education Manager, Sam Callan has rolled out a new venture, a Skills Clinic for USAC certified coaches, which I am privileged to be apart of. My first assignment was at the Cooper Clinic in McKinney, TX. March 13-14, 2010.
With the cooperation of the Cooper Clinic and Texas hospitality of Chris Gescheidle, this proved to be an excellent base to conduct a skills clinic, providing a great classroom, eatery, parking lots for skills and staging area for group rides, and a pool for unwinding afterwards.
Twelve coaches from across the Nation attended, receiving two days of professional instruction in the classroom and applying principles on the bike, which I called Mad Skills. The coaches gained a very clear picture of what, how, where, and why teach skills to their clubs and clients. The general consensus echoed by the participating coaches,” The USA Cycling Skills Clinic was a tremendous success… just wish for more time to cover more stuff”. I totally agree, I want to keep this program rolling, ultimately benefiting the USAC competitive, noncompetitive riders and sport of cycling.
Stay tuned, USA Cycling and I are scheduling more clinics in the future near you. 
2009 USA Cycling Junior Nationals, Bend, OR.
I had been looking forward to Bend, OR. all year long. This was a great opportunity to assist my riders and visit with families and friends. I believe that I knew at least half of the 15/16 – 17/18, and a quarter of the U23 fields. To make the complete experience a total vacation, was having my wife jet out and hang with us for several days of bicycle racing and a motorcycle tour through the hills neighboring Bend.
Sometimes, I just have to pinch myself. I don’t see how it continually gets better every year… I say to myself ” this was the best”. And what happens, uuhhh, it gets better. 2009 has been an amazing year, that has been built from skill, courage, speed, strength, wisdom and perseverance. Read this news story
2009 Tour Red River Gorge UCI 2.1 Junior Elite
The USA Cycling SW Regional Camp in Flagstaff, always has a deep talent pool attending, and 2009 was no exception. It was this camp that would bring riders from other regions to one common place and goal. That is, to race on the ARIZONA SELECT Team at an UCI Nations Cup or at the first UCI Junior Elite 2.1 event held in the United States. Three of the top riders from the camp qualified and opted for the UCI Nations Cup event. I was blessed with other top riders to complete a Six Man Team. My guys for RRG were Morgan Ryan, Connor McCutheon, Griffin Easter, Stephen Leece, Jordan Campbell, Robert Chorost, and alt. Drew Albert. Watch out Kentucky, here comes the ARIZONA SELECT.
2009 USAC Regional and National Camps
I need to start by acknowledging USA Cycling’s continued commitment to Junior Development. This shared vision has proven success measured by deep pools of high quality riders performing well at National and International events for the last several years now. I want to THANK Ben Sharp, Sam Callan, Clay Worthington, Jim Miller, Steve McCauley, Sean Petty, Steve Johnson, and the 12 Camp Directors for continuing to ask me back each year. It is a tremendous privilege, that I can practice my craft at this high level and be a part of the many athlete’s development. In 2009, I attended 3 Regional Camps during the summer and have been asked to assist at the National Camp, Oct. 8-12, 09. Read this news story
Sparticals > making of stars
I first met GRANT DAVIS at the 2006 USA Cycling SW Regional Road Camp in Flagstaff, AZ. The camp consisted of five days of riding skills and class lectures, three of those days were dedicated to field testing, used for talent id and selection to attend the UCI Tour de l’Abitibi. This particular camp is known to attract some of the most talented riders from the entire Western US.
It was during one of the evening presentations when Grant contributed his input to the conversation with a single word that instantly grabbed me to the core, it was “HUMILITY”. The conversation was about “what are the ingredients of a good rider and teammate?”. At this point of the camp, Grant had already earned his 1st place GC status with his results in the field testing ITTs. At the conclusion of the camp, Grant was invited to race with the Arizona Select Team at the prestigious UCI Tour de l’Abitibi. Read this news story