Our Coaches

The Roots MTB Coaches are BICP Certified, passionate instructors with one simple goal: Get more people on bikes! ​These riders travel throughout the Midwest competing at races, attending mtb festivals as well as developing and teaching skills at our events. They lead group rides, they educate new riders, and they help create a positive environment for all mountain bikers.

Jay fell in love with mountain biking over 25 years ago and never looked back. Growing up in rooty, rocky, New England he honed his technical riding skills and developed his love of the mountains. After graduating from Plymouth State University with a degree in Physical Education and Coaching, he set his sights on the great Rocky Mountains of Colorado and began his professional career in the cycling industry. Jay has been a part of several influential cycling companies over the past two decades such as Wheels Manufacturing, Specialized Bicycle Components, and Quality Bicycle Products.

With his background in education he is able to provide clear, precise instruction to help riders of all abilities accomplish their personal goals. He is one the country’s only BICP Certified Level 3 Skills Instructors teaching the Level 3 Course. In 2013, Jay won the bronze medal in Dual Slalom at the Gravity National Championships. The following year, he established his company, Roots Mountain Biking, LLC specializing in beginner and intermediate skills clinics and women’s specific mtb weekends. He and his team of instructors conduct these skills clinics throughout the Midwest and beyond. When he is not teaching for Roots, he is probably training new instructors as an Instructor Trainer for the Bicycle Instructor Certification Program.

Jay was voted Best Instructor/Guide in Terrain Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards in 2019 and again in 2020.

In 2020, Jay was nominated to board of directors for the Bicycle Instructor Certification Program.

​​Laura is based in St. Charles, MO and has been a familiar face on the Midwest MTB racing scene since 2004. She has finished in the top 5 at the BT Epic for 10 years straight including the overall win in 2017. In that same year she won the National Championship in the USAC Marathon MTB. Laura has tried her hand at all types of racing from short track dirt crits to ultra-endurance races across the country. She has raced and finished the Leadville 100, the Lumberjack 100, and won the OT 100. Laura stepped out of her comfort zone in 2018 and raced her first Enduro…and she’s never looked back! Since then she has raced Enduros in 6 states with several Pro podiums. She can usually be found training and playing on her favorite local trails, Greensfelder and the Chubb Trail.

Laura is a BICP Level 2 certified instructor and has been coaching since 2018. She is an ambassador for Juliana Bicycles and a member for the Gateway Off-Road Cyclists.

Annie is based in St. Louis, MO and loves traveling with her bike to ride new trails and make new friends. Her racing interests range from cyclocross to enduro although it’s no surprise that her favorite mtb discipline is multi day stage racing. She has finished BC bike race 2x and placed 3rd at La Ruta in Costa Rica. Closer to home, she finished 2nd in the enduro category at the 2019 Pisgah stage race as a proud member of the baggies club. Other notable results are a sliver medal at 2019 marathon mountain bike nationals and podium finishes at the Epic rides events in Bentonville and Grand Junction. Recently, she’s been focusing on enduro racing with podiums in the southern enduro tour and Arkansas enduro series in 2019 and 2nd place at the Big Sky Big Mountain Enduro in 2020. Her favorite trails in the St. Louis area are Matson Hill and Greensfelder. At home, as a BICP level 2 instructor, she has worked at St. Louis Mountain bike camps and coaches for the South City Composite NICA team. She also serves as the adventure coordinator and a coach supporter for the Missouri NICA league.

Allison is based in Omaha, NE but her mountain biking roots go back to western Pennsylvania where she started riding in her 20s. She started in the sport after being convinced by a few coworkers to join them on a ride after work. She was hooked immediately! 20+ years later, she finds herself more in love with the sport than ever. She enjoys traveling all over the country to experience new trails with friends and family. Allison started racing mountain bikes in 2013, and more recently has participated in gravel and cyclocross racing as well. She is currently a Level 3 coach for the Millard Composite MTB NICA team in Nebraska as well as being a Coach Supporter and GRiT Coordinator for the Nebraska league.