New Coach Spotlight: angela olson of BikeMN

At the heart of the League’s Smart Cycling program is a mission to empower people through bike education, and that starts with our network of 7,000+ League Cycling Instructors (LCIs). LCIs are the ones teaching Smart Cycling classes, training people in their communities to ride safely and confidently. But who trains the trainers? Behind the scenes, a group of experts leads our LCI certification seminars to ensure the quality of bike education remains at a high standard, no matter where you take a class — our League Cycling Coaches. 

Becoming a Coach isn’t easy. It requires at least four years of regular teaching as an LCI, proven bike maintenance skills, active community involvement with advocacy groups or bike clubs, and endorsements from experienced Coaches and League staff. Today, we’re proud to welcome a new member to this team: angela olson, Deputy Director at the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (BikeMN).

angela (who prefers a lowercase styling of her name) joins the League as an Organizational Coach, a special category of Coach representing one of our state and local partners.

Organizational Coaches are experienced LCIs, typically chosen from a bike advocacy organization’s staff to be the face of their cycling education efforts. These coaches help their organization run multiple League Cycling Instructor seminars each year, providing long-term support for their community’s bike education efforts and training dozens of cohorts of new LCIs.

We’re thrilled to have angela step into this leadership role and represent both BikeMN and the League!

Here’s a little more about angela, in her own words:

“I grew up in a small town in east central Minnesota, where biking was the best way to get around or go ‘into town.’ When I started biking as my main mode of transportation at 16, my grandpa gifted me his 1970 yellow Schwinn that had been collecting dust in the shed. Since then, I’ve traveled by bike, foot, and transit all over the country.

I’ve been an educator for over 20 years, teaching at various nonprofits in Minneapolis, New York, and Chicago. When working as a mechanic or service writer, I most loved teaching folks new things about their bicycle—ways to maintain their machine, solve problems, and get around by their own power. I’ve worked with brand new riders and experienced racers alike, and I feel passionately that everybody deserves to get around safely and confidently.

Today, I serve as the Deputy Director at the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, where I support our educational and advocacy efforts statewide. From teaching adults to riding with youth, I love sharing the knowledge and joy of biking, walking, and rolling. I’m a year-round e-bike rider, fascinated by adaptive bikes and equipment, and always excited to learn new skills I can share with my community. I live in south Minneapolis with my dog and guinea pig and am thrilled to be a Coach with the League!”

angela joins a strong cadre of League Cycling Coaches across the country. Some, like Malia Harunaga at the Hawai’i Bicycling League, also serve as Organizational Coaches, supporting bike education efforts from within a larger organization. Others are National Coaches—independent educators who travel to lead seminars in communities that don’t yet have the local capacity to sustain year-round, fully-staffed programs. Together, this dedicated team helps grow and strengthen high-quality bike education nationwide.

Wishing your local bike advocacy org had a dedicated League Cycling Coach on staff? Learn about the process of becoming an Organizational Coach by reaching out to [email protected].

We’re excited to see the impact angela will have in her new role as a League Cycling Coach, and we’re grateful for all the ways she’s helping build a stronger, safer, and more connected bike community in Minnesota and beyond. Welcome to the Coach team, angela!