As I make my way through the coach journal/portfolio and revisit old but still good material, along with some new and appealing ideas; this one came up. I think that it is pertinent not only to younger and youth riders but even more so with adults: The High Five®️Principles! They are;

  1. A caring leader – instructor, teacher, coach!
  2. The opportunity to make friends, find riding partners, communicate and learn with them
  3. An opportunity to play, to have fun while learning a skill or technique; WB pickup. Unstructured play; bike ballet, follow the leader.
  4. An opportunity to master skills, to participate in repetitions, to practice in a progressive manner. To let loose that innate drive to strive and learn a technique that imparts confidence with competence.
  5. An opportunity to participate in healthy competition with your fellow riders and along with that, the opportunity to support and cheer them on.

In a program based on these principles, activities include everyone and provide a huge opportunity to let loose that famous slogan from the AM Fondo in Penticton, ‘Ride Hard, Smile Often™️’

I strive to make skill sessions, clinics, even workouts, that follow the above principles although I didn’t have a catchy name like High Five®️!

And that’s Day 10, what’s strong with me.

Coach Be