Know Your Coach

Know Your Coach

Margaret Decker

Home Track: Champion BMX

State: NY

PULL: How long have you been involved in BMX racing?

MARGARET: Since 2009

PULL: How long have you been coaching BMX racing?

MARGARET: One year

PULL: If you had to describe yourself as having a coaching style or being a certain type of coach, what would it be?

MARGARET: Inspiring people to ride and race and leading by example is the style we choose. We are definitely hands on coaches and we help riders by understanding what their individual needs are. I like riders to fine-tune their skills and recognize that each person has their own goals and they need to build their level of racing to achieve their goals and improve their performance.

PULL: Describe the weekly coaching program at your track.

MARGARET: We hold a weekly clinic at our track; comprised mainly of new riders. We start with stretching, and each week talk about nutrition, helmet safety or a hot topic in racing. Then we break into different sessions and focus on skills on the track. We work on gate starts, head position, body alignment,getting to the first corner. We do timed drills, having riders improve their time during each gate start. Then we change our skills each week and include corners, rhythm sections and crossing the finish line first. We have modified USA BMX’s first 10 weeks program and we do a bit each week.

PULL: Describe how coaching has made an impact at your track.