Creating a Positive Experience for the Riders

Coach Joy Gray enjoys being outside and having bike fun with the kids

As a Level 3 NICA coach, the parent of a mountain biker, and the treasurer for the Miners MTB 501c(3) organization, Joy Gray does a lot for the team, but her most impactful contribution might be building the online registration form, which eliminated the stack of registration paperwork and definitely saved a few trees. 

Joy started coaching six years ago when her son Benjamin joined a mountain biking team in El Cerrito. She found a supportive environment that allowed her to learn and grow with her son and she enjoyed being outside, having fun and getting exercise. She got better at biking, and her husband Rick joined her as a coach the following year. “I enjoy the relationships with the kids,” she said. “You spend so much time with them, especially on longer rides. Lots of talking happens and you get to know about their personal lives and what they are interested in, what they are like as people.” 

Now in her 4th year of coaching for the Miners, Joy has learned a lot -- like what a powerful tool humor can be in difficult situations. Her sense of humor helps her fit right in with the teenagers she rides with. “I have a little bit of a potty mouth and the sense of humor of a 15-year-old boy,” she said. “I try to hide it from them, but I laugh secretly, under my helmet.” 

Joy is all about making mountain biking enjoyable for everyone. She wants her riders to do well, and believes providing positive support instead of pressure is the way to motivate them. “When we get to something difficult on a trail, we talk through it,” she said. “We don’t always get the skill right, but the experience is always positive, and I think that matters.” When she isn’t on a bike, Joy can be found busy with her family and two dogs, art journaling, or working as a self-employed creative professional.