USAC BMX James Herrera Wins Coach of the Year
Last year, (March 31, 2011, to be exact), BMX News reported the hiring of Coach James Herrera as head coach for the Elite and U23 (under 23 years) programs for USA Cycling BMX at US Olympic Training Center/Chula Vista.
Fast-forward 326 days, and James has accomplished a lot in preparing Team USA’s BMX athletes for their trip to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London this August. The feedback from the athletes has been profoundly positive, and the results were quick-and-tangible. Arielle Martin directly attributes James’ coaching in helping her top the podium at the Chula Vista World Cup last fall, saying in a recent forum post: “I credit my first ever SX World Cup win last October to James and his exceptional coaching.” We look forward to more of that kind of success as next month’s Chula Vista SX signals the calendar-2012 season opener.
Cycling, as a whole, is a pretty big world. BMX Racing competes for recognition on the stage with Road, Track, and Mountain (among Olympic disciplines). Only through outstanding performance can our sport advance its profile.
This weekend, The United States Olympic Committee awarded James Herrera their “2011 National Coach of the Year for Cycling” Award. USA Cycling has over 1,400 coaches, so for this award to come to BMX Racing is quite an accomplishment, and speaks volumes for the recipient.
BMX News is very happy for James, and the whole staff at OTC/Chula Vista. This award is proof-positive that BMX Racing is on a solid footing in the cycling community, and definitely on the radar of some important people, leading into London 2012.
James is currently hip deep in an Elite training camp out at the OTC, but News sent off a couple quick questions, which will serve as an appetizer of sorts, with the main course being a Podcast interview we hope to record later in the week (covering the award, but BMX coaching, in general).
News: Were you aware of the award prior to winning it?
James: I was aware that I was nominated for the award, but didn’t really think a BMX coach would ever win. The pool of BMX coaches under the USAC umbrella is incredibly small compared to all the other cycling disciplines. But hey, we’re a pretty medal-capable sport!
News: What does winning Coach of the Year mean to you?
James: I’m definitely on some hype from winning the award. It speaks volumes for our staff, athletes, and program. Our program has grown by leaps and bounds from what I remember in 2007. We’ve taken a much more calculated, scientific approach to training, recovery, and nutrition, are working closely with our sports partners, and Mike King and I have a great working partnership. One of our mottos is, “take care of the process and the results will follow.” That was the plan when I was first assumed my role with the team, and it’s still what guides us today. Our athletes are doing well and the results speak for themselves. Ultimately, the Coach of the Year award validates the success of our program. The award has my name on it, but it really should include our JDP and U23 coaching staff, Mike King, the CV OTC, USA Cycling, and our athletes who are going to clean house in London.
Congratulations to all involved, and continued success! Watch for the full interview later in the week.
—Mike Carruth
