im thinking about starting as a coach in cycling as i have done so for years and coached many people for free .

i have been out of work for months and people keep saying i should do it for money.

what are the minimumn requirements needed to start up?

does anyone know?

coached people to national titles/level in mtb/road/tri already

I think this is the best idea in the world!!! The more I think about it the more ideas pop into my head!!!

I’d say coaching along with skills training and getting the most out of people would be your best direction to go in.

On the way back last night I remembered the old gym I used to be a member at had a guy who was the trainer there. He didn’t have any formal qualifications but his experience, enthusiasm and personality made him very successful. He did pretty well from it.

But I’m not sure how this works these days whether the rules are stricter or not. I can’t see what is wrong with starting with one client you train and growing the number of people over time.

In fact, I used to do martial arts under a very famous teacher and he didn’t have any formal qualifications or training – but managed a class of about 50 people!!!

I’d say you should be fine, but see what people say on this.

B

its what you said yesterday that got me thinking dude.
cycling is in my blood through and through.

contact british cycling.
i presume it will be easier to get work if you are qualified?
i will say though that your ideas of how to coach may be very different to those who are ‘qualified’. my flatmate has done his level 1 and is taking his level 2 track coaching test this weekend. it’s quite surprising the level of detail they go into and the thinking behind it all. being a good cyclist yourself does not necessarily mean you will be a good coach.
there is a lot of paperwork involved studying but if you are currently out of work it will be easier to do. the courses cost a few hundred quid but you may be able to get funding for the fees?

Have a look here

http://www.mastercoach.co.uk/

mrsmith, i have coached for years already for no payment and am good at it.

jedi – I got qualified a couple of months back with the Association of British Cycle Coaches – good in that they cover all disciplines and there is a good progression up through – including the whole physiology and nutrition side of things. They have liability insurance and a good networking side as well. I could recommend them as worth a look.

I’ll back up that Jedi is a good coach!!!

You would presumably need some kind of liability insurance which might be harder to come by/more expensive if you don’t have a qualification?

i think as a memeber of herts shore we have liability insurance but will look at that

Jedi, have you kept a log of all the riders that you’ve coached/mentored? If you’re wanting to work with BC you’ll need to do a qualification.

Look at your target market and figure out how you’re going to pick up the riders that are discarded by BC.

I did some coaching with some young up and coming riders and BC picked them up and took over. If you’re not a BC coach will not give you any help and will advise riders not to use you.

im looking at bcf and ctc

Liability insurance available through the CTC’s activity provider insurance. Believe me, you’ll be hard pushed to get it cheaper and it’s the exact cover you’ll need. Expect to find a very competitive job market if you do go for it. Well worth getting qualified as a National Standard Instructor as well to provide Bikeability training. Most County Councils are desperate for NSI’s and most will provide free training. The CTC can also help with funding. Most of my work comes through Bikeability. Expect to be skint and treated pretty badly as a sub contractor for the council but you’ll be doing what you love.

Join up the BC coaching scheme. Gold membership and coaching qualis should give you all you need(maybe)

CTC also run their own scheme.

Time they were all joined up!!!

Although not a coach I have smbla and Cycling Scotland qualis I use here;
http://bikingheaven.com/stepping_stanes/
To do Go-Ride you need a min Lev 2 BC coach. Where SMBLA comes in is to take the kids out of the “safe” environment that coaches cannot. So there are limits to what coaches can do.

This may frustrate someone of your abilities as I have witnessed recently.

Working with kids you will need the equivalent of our Scottish Disclosure Scotland check system.

Sad fact of life though is that people are reluctant to part with cash once you declare you are now a “pro coach” and want paying. As with turning any “hobby/volunteer” activity into a living.

Worth maybe speaking to someone like Cyclewise to discuss the pros cons and pitfalls.

http://www.cyclingscotland.org/educationandtraining.aspx
Using this quali I work with our LEA Active Schools Co-ordinators to deliver cycle skills to mainly 10yr olds.
This quali could be used to “train” all the people joining up on their works C2W schemes. BC have their Bikeability scheme. CTC have something to.

I do all this as a volunteer btw. Work shifts atm but if the work keeps drying up as it is then I will be joining you and asking for payment(which I have been offered)

Guid luck

trailmonkey
“and treated pretty badly as a sub contractor for the council but you’ll be doing what you love.”

Only if you let them. Had a meeting with a school yesterday regards delivering a few sessions and having worked with amny a teacher(my daughter) I now know how to “work” with them. Just don

l

s not hurting it`s not working” sort of way. Not the modern heart rate/scientific way.

i have registered for bikeability course in sept(earliest they have down here)

Good luck with your new venture Jedi. Judging how much effort you put into your “woodwork” projects I know you will go far!

See you at the Olympics!

i am still looking into starting an indoor skatepark(50,000+ sft) set up as business and applying for charity status.
coaching will be as well as that.

i feel like i have lots to offer cycling

You do and I’m surprised you aren’t doing something in cycling “full time”

If you want to be a BC coach previous experience does not count

level 1 (don’t bother)

Level 2 Go-ride lets you coach groups of novice riders in a non specific environment (not a track, not on any technical/ hard off-road, not on the open road). No 1:1 coaching

Level 2 discipline specific is for groups in a specific environment (road and track and BMX only available, MTB XC next year (it was next year three years ago)). No 1:1 coaching

Level 3 lets you coach 1:1, track and road only available

Level 4 doesn’t exist

level 2 is generally easy, the pain is getting the sessions you need to qualify and the paperwork

ABCC is different but most of them cross qualify

you need to join one or the other or both to get cheap decent insurance and BC will do a CRB for you as well. BC donot recognise ABCC qualifications

BC are lauching a “ride leader” qualification with Sky for leading road rides this summer, its free and you get paid for the rides (see the BC website)

abcc??

If you want to find out about the CTC system and instructor training/accreditation/qualification then get in touch with Ian Warby at the CTC.

allbikedup.com (Surrey Hills) are part of the network of qualified instructors under that scheme, and indeed instructor training courses are run here in Surrey Hills by us. If you want to fond out more about that send an email to Richard via the allbikedup web site.

I don’t doubt you are an excellent coach – most of the work will be with beginners and intermediates (from our experience) and there is actually quite a lot to discover in terms of how to maximise effectiveness with that kind of group. Having said that, our system caters for all levels of skill and experience – right up to world class downhill riders, several of whom have attended instructor training with us.

i have emailed ian. waiting his reply