2nd Annual U.S. Motorcycle Coaching Association Summit Event Recap
The Meeting
On Friday, February 9th, 2018, the United States Motorcycle Coaching Association, also known as the USMCA, met with over 100 motorcycle coaches and industry professionals in Southern California at the Temecula Creek Inn to discuss motorcycle coaching and how we as a community can grow the sport of motorcycling. USMCA Founder Jeff Emig welcomed attendees with an introduction to the team and his co-founders Jon-Erik Burleson and Mark Blackwell.
USMCA Founder & Chairman Jon-Erik Burleson kicked off the Summit with the official messaging of our vision, purpose, mission and manifesto developed by the association over the last few months as well as how the USMCA will benefit motorcycle coaches. Jeff Emig and USMCA President & Founder Mark Blackwell teamed up and presented attendees with the current state of the USMCA and an affordable request to insurance for motorcycle coaches.
Insurance
Together with K&K Insurance, USMCA now offers USMCA Certified Coaches with insurance for both road and dirt, closed-course sessions. Purchased individually, sport bike insurance will cost a USMCA Certified Coach around $197 per year and dirt bike insurance will cost a USMCA Certified Coach around $392 per year. Coaches will join on the USMCA’s K&K insurance policy which is effective starting February 1, 2018 and will need to be renewed after policy comes to a year-end completion on January 31, 2019.
Barrier Of Entry
We learned from motorcycle coaches, track owners, road racing, off-road and motocross riders on the subject of coaching and how we can lower the barrier of entry to new motorcycle riders and help advance the curriculum for Level 100 coaches and their riders. In a recent survey, the results revealed that 72% of the surveyed were first time attendees at a USMCA event and with that the USMCA gained valuable knowledge from the new stakeholders.
Road Racing
Current and former Professional road racing, Supercross, motocross and off-road riders spoke to the large group about what being a USMCA Certified Coach is, why it is important and what is involved as we build on Level 100. The road racing session started off with Chris Ulrich’s colleague of racers including Jake Zemke, Josh Hayes and Jason Pridmore. The discussion involved converting riders from top level track days to novice club racing, introduction to mini bike dirt track training, transforming parents who are uncomfortable with their kids racing motorcycles to supportive motorcycle parents and other various cross-discipline topics.
Off-Road
Former factory off-road racer and multi-time Champion Destry Abbott brought the attendees into the off-road session with an introduction to the off-the-pavement, off-the-track discipline. Destry discussed off-road riding and racing, how it differs and how we can make it safer through off-road drills and skills, trail etiquette and preparation on the bike and rider whether trail riding or entering their first off-road race. Off-road riding is one of the most widely participated areas in the sport of motorcycling with nearly 1000 places to ride off-road in the United States, it is important that riders be coached properly on the use of our sport at a recreational level as well.
Track Safety/Racing Standard
Recently retired Professional Supercross/Motocross racer and Racing Standard founder/owner Trey Canard led the attendees into track safety and how the sport can develop standards to address situations about track development, design & safety, track hot spots, communicating a rider’s concerns and the world of coaching.
In each session, the Q&A element prompted many important questions and concerns that have and will help the USMCA structure Level 200 content in the future as we build on the foundational Level 100.
Partners
We would like to give a huge thank you to our Premier Corporate sponsor Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance for the support and foundation that Wells Fargo CDF has provided the motorcycle industry and community of motorcycle coaches with. During our session on Protect & Grow your business, we introduced “Wells Fargo Works For Small Business” from our Premier Corporate Partner, and handed out out a reference sheet. We discussed holding quarterly webinars or other opportunities for USMCA Certified Coaches to gain ideas and help to grow their small businesses.
Our Founding Partner Sponsor Husqvarna Motorcycles North America continues to provide continued support in our mission to grow the sport of motorcycling. Thank you to all of our supporting sponsors who believe in our mission to bring 250,000 new and returning riders to the sport of motorcycling.
View photos from the 2nd Annual USMCA Summit at www.usmca.org/usmca-summit-2018-photos/.
For more information on the United Motorcycle Coaching Association, please visit www.USMCA.org.