COACHES

Coaches are the backbone of our team...

We believe that every athlete deserves a POSITIVE and WELL-TRAINED coach. Coaches in the Georgia Cycling Association are some of the most trained and qualified adults in youth sports today. 

Before accompanying your child on any coaching session, all coaches are required to undergo a background check and complete training in areas such as concussion management, abuse prevention, bike handling skills, and effective communication strategies to ensure consistency in messaging. These are the fundamental prerequisites for attaining the role of a level 1 assistant coach. However, level 2 and level 3 "master" coaches are also mandated to undergo more extensive training, including practical field experience, ongoing education, and first aid/CPR certification. These criteria must be renewed annually or semi-annually, providing assurance that your child is in a safe environment and working with a coach dedicated to their success. 

Coaching Staff 

The Jaxco MTB Staff are comprised of amazing women and men who want to provide great opportunities for your child to succeed and fall in love with healthy habits and riding bikes. We have a great core of coaches that allow us to keep our numbers low per coach (1:6 Ratio). Our coaches come from all walks of life from education, medical services, first-responders, business, and technology. Our athletes benefit from a diverse array of backgrounds and professions. 

Head Coach: Zach Taylor 

Coach Zach Taylor is entering his 7th season as the head coach of the Jackson County team. Coach Taylor has been an educator for over 15 years and has been at Jackson County since 2018. In 2021, he was honored as the Coach of the Year for the Georgia Cycling Association. He has enjoyed seeing young people build confidence and skills not only ready for the trail, but also life as well. In 2024, he was invited by the league to become a Coach Supporter for Georgia Cycling and mentors and supports teams in the Northeast Georgia area. He has presented at the Georgia Cycling Summit on developing relationships between schools and teams, and practice strategies. 

Jackson County Mountain Bike Team Coaching Staff

                       Coach Murphy    (7th Season)              Coach Heist  (4th Season)                   Coach Nalder (2nd Season)

  Coach Meeler    (2nd Season)              Coach Wraight  (3rd Season)             Coach MacDowell (4th Season)

Coach Weldon  (3rd Season)               Coach Spivey  (3rd Season)                 Coach Rudolph  (2nd Season) 

                                                                                                  Coach Boebel (2nd Season)