Updated for 2022 Session 1 (June 6th – July 31st)
First-Time Attendees: If you’re new to the Coyotes, welcome! We’re excited to have you on the team. Please be sure to officially join the team before your first ride. This is a mandatory step to cover you under our insurance in case of injury.
Communication
Mountain biking is somewhat dependent on the weather. Your kids are tough, and a little rain isn’t going to hurt them, but many of our trails close when it rains. Nobody wants to be in the woods when a severe thunderstorm rolls through, either.
Coaches will keep you informed by using the following tools (in priority order). Please sign up for the following, or if you don’t really like email and social media, you can stick to Band which is where all announcements will be made.
- Join our group on the Band app. We use Band for practice schedules, notifications, and last-second changes. Team members use the Band app to swap gear, share photos, get their questions answered, and connect with each other for carpools. This is private to team members, so your membership request in Band will be approved once you’re on the team. Weather-related changes to practices will be posted to Band. Please join so you know what’s going on.
- Email Newsletter: Sign up to get the latest information and updates in our weekly newsletter (use the form on this page). But please join the Band app as that’s where timely communication will be posted.
- Follow our Social: We use Instagram and Facebook to communicate to the world. Stay in touch and follow our progress throughout the year. But please join the Band app as that’s where timely communication will be posted.
Arriving at / Departing from Practice
- Please RSVP for practice by noon on the day of practice. This is done in the Band app (see above).
- Please plan to arrive at practice 10 minutes early so your child can check in with their pack leader. We have limited time on the trail together, so late arrivals may find their pack already departed for the day.
- Once you’re assigned to your pack, you report to the pack leader for each practice. Packs will have signage of some sort at each practice so you know where to report.
- If you’re late and your pack is already riding on the trail, do not send your child alone into the woods to look for us (with some exceptions for high school riders who ride alone all the time anyway). If your child was not checked-in, we are not able to ensure they get out of the woods safely.
- Before you leave practice please check out with your pack leader. We will go back into the woods to look for your child if they appear to be missing. Checking-out ensures we know they’ve left with you.
- This all seems formal, but it’s to ensure people are kept safe.
Practice Packs
For the past two seasons, we’ve used “practice packs” to sort kits by speed (instead of age, for example), ensuring a group of relatively similar riding speeds in our practice groups. This helps build confidence and friendships as the group of riders stays the same throughout most of the Session 1 season.
- Practice packs have roughly 10-12 riders.
- Practice packs have at least 3 coaches at all times
- Practice packs are “no-drop” so the group you start each practice with is the group you finish practice with.
- Practice packs are how you check-in at the start of practice, and check-out at the end.
- Most trail riding will be done with your practice pack
- Parking lot games, skill work, and other non-trail riding is often done in larger groups, but always check-in with your pack leader when you arrive at practice, and check-out when you are ready to depart.
Practice Schedule
Practice schedules are posted in a shared calendar in the Band app. RSVPs are required to ensure we have coaches and riders paired up correctly. RSVPs occur in the Band app as well. You can subscribe to practice locations in the Band app.
Information about the trails we ride is available on the Trails page of our website.
Please note: Practice schedules change frequently. Be sure you’re signed up for Band notifications to be notified of last-second changes.