Shred Sisters is focused on bringing you the most passionate coaches that are dedicated to your development. Our coaches are constantly improving themselves as cyclists and as instructors. To enhance your overall bike experience, we strive to have the best local coaches in each town we offer our programs!
Canmore coaches
- Audrey DuvalCanmore & Golden, Mountain Bike & Yoga InstructorAs an instructor and coach, Audrey cares about her client’s goal and knows that technique is not all: “I like to understand where my clients are coming from and see how I can help them get over their fears, or do a feature, a specific trail they didn’t thought they could do”
- Nicole RomanowMany of our coaches are interdisciplinary—Nicole is no exception. Having spent a lot of her youth focused on competitive cross-country skiing, Nicole wasn’t necessarily looking to expand her focus to other sports. However, a friend of hers who competed in mountain biking struck up a deal with her: he would try skiing if she tried mountain biking. Although it was not her first time on a mountain bike and she had a general idea from cross-training with the ski team in the summer, she had never really given mountain biking her full attention or effort. After that fateful summer where she changed her tune with the coaxing of her friend, she was hooked.
- Erin WoodrowCanmore Bike CoachMeet Erin Woodrow. Perfectly emulating our mantra of “strength, skills, and sass” this coach hung up her boxing gloves about five years ago to pursue mountain biking after boxing for the Canadian National team for three years. She has no fear of a world stage as she competed at the national and international level in other sports as well and Erin has competed in numerous cross country and endure mountain bike competitions. Erin is an advanced cross-country rider who’s also working on her downhill skills.
- Alyssa CollinsBlazing down the trails of Banff, AB on her trusted steed Joey (a Rocky Mountain Altitude not a horse!), Alyssa Collins wants to focus on you having fun on your bike. But not to worry, you’ll hear her coming, as she’s a self-proclaimed noisy rider. Curiosity drives Alyssa’s biking style, and having a background in both Massage Therapy and doing her yoga teacher training she really understands the foundation and body movements of biking.
- Lynsey DobishCanmore Bike Instructor & OsteoAs a coach, Lynsey enjoys working with riders who scared or nervous about trying new things because she has had to overcome these feelings herself. Lynsey is always pushing to improve her own skills and feels that she has a lot to share as a coach. Lynsey is also an occupational therapist and she is currently studying osteopathy.
- Melodie ChanCanmore CoachCow veterinarian by day (well actually all of the time), and one of our new bike coaches by weekend, Melodie is a down-to-earth girl who will get you not just motivated but feeling supported as well Her favourite courses to teach are the Beginner and Intermediate courses because “it is always such a pleasure to introduce others into this sport in a fun and positive setting”.
- Darlene ParanaqueAlways prepared for anything and everything, Darlene Paranaque is ready to help you grow your strength, skills, and sass! Not a stranger to our biking community, Darlene has been riding with Shred Sisters since 2015! Her coaching has developed as a natural progression from this experience as a downhill racer, a XC rider with plenty of miles under her belt, and has started on Enduro races as well.
Golden Coaches
- Brittney DicksonBrittney spends her time coaching and teaching in the winter she was an extra lucky girl growing up. Raised on a big piece of property in southern BC, her family built mountain bike trails full of jumps and stunts all around the property. So, needless to say she was hooked at a young age. She’s also the founder of Stay Wild Backcountry Skills!
- Audrey DuvalCanmore & Golden, Mountain Bike & Yoga InstructorAs an instructor and coach, Audrey cares about her client’s goal and knows that technique is not all: “I like to understand where my clients are coming from and see how I can help them get over their fears, or do a feature, a specific trail they didn’t thought they could do”
- Jessica PyperMountain bike and yoga instructorJessica loves helping people let go of their fears through mountain biking and yoga. The mantra she personally uses when she’s scared is to repeat “I’m a bad bitch” over and over until she believes in herself. Since having great success with this mantra herself, she has shared it with many others who also love the idea of it. Jessica loves empowering other people by allowing them to believe in themselves.
Calgary/ Bragg Creek
- Suzanne MacRaeCalgary Coach + Enduro, DH RacerSuzanne’s approach to coaching is to teach her fellow female riders that it’s okay to be afraid and that failure is a natural part of learning and developing in any sport. She teaches her students not only how to technically approach a challenge but also mentally. She teaches her students how to visualize their line, approach challenges with positive thinking, and to never stop practicing.
- Tracey ShermanBack in 2012, Tracey began volunteering as an assistant coach. She was able to learn more about her own riding through coaching others and found a sense of fulfillment seeing others master skill they never thought possible. Tracey progressed to becoming a lead coach, completed her PMBIA Level 1 in 2016, and found a new home with Shred Sisters! For Tracey, becoming a mountain bike coach was an easy transition from her career in Kinesiology...
- Laura KarlWith a background in racing, raising her two children, downhill skiing and nursing, Laura is a coach that we are super excited to have on our roster! She started riding back in 2004 during a summer job at the Kananaskis Golf Course and dove in head first (no joke she’s coached diving too)—because of course biking is better than golf. With 3 seasons of ABA races and a handful of Enduro races under …
- Melanie MatthewLike many of us, Melanie’s childhood transportation was her trusty bicycle. Traveling around her neighbourhood with her friends growing up established her bike in her life at a young age. When she hit her early twenties, she expanded from touring her neighbourhood to exploring the back country. Her biking skillset grew as she joined women’s groups, took courses, and met other friends keen on biking...
- Jackie KowalenkoBike Coach & Bike MechanicMeet Jackie. Having barely survived some ‘surprise’ downhill runs with her brother at Fish Creek park while in Middle School—surprise meaning scary single sketchy tack lines—we can say she found the thrill in mountain biking. Not just one to simply enjoy the thrill of the ride though, Jackie took a job later on working in a bike shop and learned a lot about the more mechanical side of biking. …
- Christine SharpVan-living is where Christine spends about 1/3rd of her year so she can be found all over the place! The rest of the time, Calgary is home. Not new to teaching, Christine has been a University course instructor since 2006. Taking her expertise as a teacher and applying it to mountain biking Christine is ready to get you out on your bike and falling in love with mountain biking just like her! Maybe you’ll even have as hard of a time picking ‘one’ favorite trail as her by the end of your lesson (she named off about 6!).
- Deanne CoishDeanne started first thinking of biking back in high school because of a neighbour she had who was really into it. However, this might not be exactly what you’re thinking. The neighbourhood boys had a different idea of biking than a lot of us might, as their style included dropping off of roofs, finding the highest and longest skinny, and doing stair gaps to flat hoping their crank arms won’t fail.
Invermere
- Becca WrightWe grow when we take calculated risks, have the courage to challenge our current conventions, and remain open to new opportunities." Becca has had a lifelong passions for sport, fitness, and outdoor adventure. Having grown up in the suburbs of Toronto and spending summers at camp on Beausoleil Island in Georgian Bay, she was exposed to a vast array of athletic endeavours. It was during this time that her desire to share her experiences with others was also sparked.
Kimberley
- Julie GamacheKimberley
- Ali Wilson
