Eric Yelsa

Eric is a clinical psychologist currently in practice at the University of Utah Hospital Pain Management Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. He completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a specialty in Health Psychology in 1995 from the California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles. He holds an assistant professor appointment through the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Utah Hospital and served as an executive board member for the Utah Psychological Association. He has participated in competitive cycling since 1980 and was Utah State Criterium champion in 1997. He is a member the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and assists with improving mental hardiness with competitive athletes

Steve Robinson

Steve Robinson graduated from Florida State University with a master’s degree in recreation management, and has more than nine years of experience as an outdoor recreation professional.

Steve began his career as the assistant director of outdoor adventure at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he coordinated outdoor excursions such as backpacking, rock climbing and kayaking, as well as educational programs. He also worked as the assistant director of outdoor adventure at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia; and as a backcountry guide in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an adaptive ski instructor and a camp administrator.

Steve first came to the National Ability Center as a sports and recreation intern in the winter of 2006 and then as a full-time ski/snowboard instructor in 2008. He returned in 2014 as the sports and recreation program manager because he believes strongly in the organization’s mission, and wanted to be a part of the continued development of innovative new programs, such as spearheading a progressive rock climbing series and adaptive mountain biking programs

In his free time, you’ll find Steve playing outside on a trail, rock or slope. Or you might find him cheering as the Seminoles make another National Championship run. Go Noles!

Bart Gillespie

Bart is a professional mountain bike and cyclocross racer who has often been referred to as “The Working Man”. He juggles a family of 4 beautiful girls, a career as a physical therapist, instructing at the University of Utah PT School, owner at Gear Rush and Gear Rush Skills, and teaching people how to shred on bikes! His 25 years of high level racing experience, passion for cycling, and teaching ability provides him with the attributes needed to help any rider raise their game. More confidence, more speed, more fun! He is also a licensed Skills Instructor through the NICA, and certified to teach MTB 101 across the country for NICA.

Judd Zimmerman

Judd is a licensed Skills Instructor through NICA and certified to teach MTB 101 across the nation. Not only does he have the skills mastered himself, but he is fantastic at teaching skills to any level of rider from beginner to pro, and most importantly teaching our coaches how to teach them to students. He has been the Head Coach of Division 1 Pleasant Grove Biking Vikings team. His professionalism and enthusiasm has created a strong and vibrant high school team. At his first team meeting in 2012, only 1 kid showed up, but that didn't thwart Judd and by the time the season started, they were a Division 1 team with over 12 student athletes.

"I have always loved mountain biking. When I was 14 a friend of mine and I would have our parent’s drop us off at the causeway to Antelope Island regularly and we would ride across the causeway out to the trails. We'd spend a few hours out on the trails and then back across the causeway. We use to ride 3 miles to Binghams Cyclery in sunset just to look at bikes and get all the catalogs. I would study the bikes and than tear out the pictures and hang them on my wall. I use to drool over the GT Avalanche and Specialized Rock Hopper. Fast-forward 17 years and I am still drooling over bikes:) But now I do my riding with my new best friend my wife. I am so lucky to be able to share my passion with her. We have 3 kids 2 of which love to get out and ride the striders and no doubt the 3rd one will when he's big enough.

I wanted to coach because I love sharing my passion with others. I always wanted something like this when I was in school. I also want to do it for my kids so when they are old enough they have it there if they would like. The kids today are the future of everything we will have. I want to see the sport I love grow and what better way is there then through introducing kids to the fun and healthy activity of mountain biking that they can have their whole lives."

Heather Goodwin-Nelson

Heather has a diverse an educational background and holds licenses in Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Special Education. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University – Hawaii and a Master of Science in Special Education from Brigham Young University. Based on research during her graduate degree, Heather presented at four National Conferences:  Three for the National Research Center for Paraprofessionals and one for the Council for Exceptional Children- Teacher Education Division. She also co-authored an article in the Journal of the American Academy of Special Education.

In her employment, Heather has worked in public, charter, and private school settings as a teacher, mentor, educational coach, administrator, and consultant. Heather has worked specifically with startup schools to create and implement Special Education and Response to Intervention programs.

To help mentor other schools, Heather was asked by the state to present at the Utah Charter School Conference. She was also recognized for her innovated practices in implementing a “Teacher in Excellence” program which mentored and recognized teacher’s instructional practices. Wanting to expander experience and expertise, Heather turned to online education. She currently works as a Instructional Facilitator for Utah based online Elementary and Middle School.

Heather grew up in Oahu, Hawaii and Tokyo, Japan and currently resides in Provo, Utah. She is a single mother of three and volunteers as the Head Coach for Provo's Mountain Bike Team.

Whitney Pogue

Whitney has been coaching since the inception of the Utah League. In 2012, she was the Head Coach for Summit Academy Team and was honored as the SRAM Coach of the Year at the NICA Awards. In 2013 she became the Head Coach for the new Corner Canyon High School and continued her amazing efforts in directing the largest team in the entire nation with over 100 registered student athletes. Directing/managing this massive team was no small feat as practices alone often required at least 25 adult coaches at every practice. Additionally, she brings the expertise of how to successfully attaining sponsorship and raise funds. She and her assistants brought the true spirit of mountain bike racing with them to every race, complete with cowbells for everyone.

Whitney has a long history in the cycling community and in racing. On their first date in 1995, she and her husband went mountain biking. She started racing shortly after that and has been racing ever since. She is always looking for new ways to challenge and test herself whether it be ICUP races, 12-24 hour relays, Leadville 100, Park City Point to Point, LOTOJA or road stage races. She’s always “checking off “ something from her bucket list. Coaching in this league is no exception. She is truly in her element coaching and connecting with her student athletes and finds it so rewarding to be giving back to the sport and introducing others to the sport she loves.

With a BS in Exercise Physiology, Masters in Occupational Therapy, past USCF coaching experience and over 20 years of group fitness and spin instructing she is always striving to stay current with the latest coaching and training strategies.

Whitney’s the mother of 4 children. Her oldest 2 daughters are on her team and are following in their mom’s footsteps. Her other 2 kids are already hoping she will be their mountain biking coach when they’re in high school

Greg Steffen

Greg has been involved with the Utah league since the very beginning.  In 2012, he joined the Summit Academy High School team as a ride leader and was trained by the 2012 SRAM Coach of the Year, Whitney Pogue.  He joined so that he could participate in the sport with his oldest son who was a freshman rider, but he quickly fell in love with the team, the league, and the sport!

In 2014, the league launched the Junior Development program, and Greg completed his NICA training and jumped into the role of Head Coach of the Summit Academy Jr. High School team so that he could coach his 7th grade daughter.  Early in this first season, the team merged with the Eastmont Middle School team, changed status to a Composite team and became "The Chain Gang."  As of the 2016 season, the Chain Gang team had 53 registered students from a variety of Jr. High schools.  Most of the Chain Gang graduates go on to race for Corner Canyon or Alta High Schools.  During these years, Greg has also continued to serve as a ride leader on his children's high school teams.  His youngest son is starting his 2nd year with the Chain Gang and is looking forward to five more years in the NICA program.

"I love the Junior Development program!  The league has done a great job of creating a fun and nurturing environment for our Junior High School kids.  There's something for everybody with this program!  We've helped kids (and parents) of every shape, size, and personality discover the wonderful sport of mountain biking, and more importantly, we've helped them discover their own inner strength!  This sport, and the great leaders in our league have literally changed my life, and I'm excited to share that gift with as many kids and adults as I can."

Jamie Pogue

Jamie gained a love of biking when he was young, riding bikes around the rural Kentucky roads with his dad and brother.  When he was introduced to mountain biking after dental school he truly had found his passion.  Since then, he’s ridden mountain bikes, road bikes and single speed mountain bikes continuously looking for new challenges.  He’s completed several LOTOJA races, road races, criteriums, The Leadville 100, Park City Point to Point, 24 hour relays, 12 hour relays ICUP races and even managed to get on the occasional podium. 

Jamie also serves as Chairman of the Draper City Parks Trails and Recreation Committee which helps to build and maintain the trails in the Corner Canyon Regional Park.  His biggest accomplishment on that committee was developing the idea and overseeing construction of the “Rush Trail” which is a bikes only flow trail in the canyon.

In 2012, his wife Whitney, also an avid cyclist, started the mountain bike team at Corner Canyon H.S. and Jamie became one of her assistant coaches. That team has had the title of "The largest NICA team in the country" since its inception. Jamie and his wife agree that it’s the most rewarding thing they have ever done on bikes.  “It’s so amazing to see the change in these kids and we are so grateful to be a small part of that change”.   They have 2 daughters that have been on their team and 2 sons who are already shredding the trails in preparation for their high school careers.  Jamie is honored to have been asked to serve on the Utah League Board of Directors and looks forward to doing whatever he can to help put more kids on bikes and introduce them to a lifelong sport.

Jamie earned his Dental degree at the University of Kentucky and subsequently received his Specialty Certificate in Endodontics from Boston University.  He supports his bike habit and garage bike shop as the owner of Redwood Endodontics