LITTLE RIDER CO – ‘Industry Inspiration’ Interview Series -Combo Camps
How did you get your ‘job’?
Having worked in Whistler as a kids specific bike coach for the last 4 years, I was approached by the team to join them in a managerial role to help elevate the Kiddy Combo Program. Over the past 6 months however the role has expanded across all of the Combo Camps Programs. It’s been an exciting opportunity to use my passion for biking to get kids active and outside but also to expand my expertise into an older age range.
What is your business/brand and WHY do you do what you do?
Combo Camps is a multi-sport camp in the heart of Whistler. We have a huge variety of skill based sports and professional coaches on the team which allows us to ensure every child can get outside and get active.
Before joining Combo Camps as a manager, I coached snowboarding in the winter and biking in the summer. I do what I do because I LOVE biking and I want to share my stoke for riding with ALL our campers. Seeing their smiles at the end of the day makes the hard work all worthwhile
What is a typical day in the life look like at your business / brand?
We spend the mornings working on our skill based learning in our chosen sport. Our biggest camp by far is Bike Camp, but we also offer Tennis, Adventure, Improv, Dance and Sailing.
Our afternoons are all about the lake activities, getting kids out on the water paddle boarding, canoeing or kayaking. Peak summer in Whistler can get really hot and there’s no better feeling than jumping in the lake after a long morning riding.
What are your goals and future-plans for your business/brand?
As we move to the future we are looking to elevate our programs by increasing coach training opportunities and partnerships with like minded companies to ensure best practices when working with children and supporting our community.
We also aim to expand the reach of our programs - we have a unique opportunity here in Whistler that we want to share with communities that don’t necessarily have the same trail networks available to them. The pandemic put a pause on on these plans, but we have an exciting announcement ready when restrictions ease.
How do you currently see the kids cycling scene?
We have an amazing kids bike scene here in Whistler - there are opportunities to ride and be coached for any level of rider, from the casual pedaller to the race team pros, Whistler offers everything. It’s a scene that grows EVERY year and it’s absolutely amazing to see. Each School/Camp has their own unique selling point and there really is room for every business to thrive.
The unfortunate truth is, that this is not the case for other communities - there is often a lack of professional coaches/guides outside of the core biking communities and furthermore a lack of safe trail networks. We are so lucky to have our entire town supported by our Valley Trail Network, allowing everyone to get around town on their bikes without the need to travel along highways or busy roads - which is such an important element when teaching children to bike. I think if the kids cycling scene is to continue to grow worldwide our local councils have to be prepared to invest in this basic infrastructure.
Biking should be accessible to everyone at any ability.
What impact would you like to make on kids cycling, and how do you see the future?
I hope to ensure that every child that comes through our Camp leaves with a smile on their face and a passion for riding their bikes. Helping to make happy memories for these little riders, will only continue to spread the bike stoke far and wide.
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that keeping active and getting outside is essential for both our mental and physical well-being - for the future I’d like to see every child learn to move their bodies in a way that they love, regardless of the activity
Where do you take your inspiration from? Who inspires you in the industry?
The people in our community inspire me, especially my fellow coaches- watching them, learning from them and sharing ideas with them all inspire the programs we build and the direction Combo Camps is taking.
Within the biking industry, we are inspired by the likes of PORCA, WORCA and SORCA who all give back to the community and ensure our trails remain clean, safe and fun. Also, ZEP and PMBIA are leaders in coaching quality and we are definitely inspired by their professionalism, experience and pure stoke for riding.
What goes into the research when developing your new products / service?
We develop our new programs based on feedback from our Combo Camps Families, the Whistler Community and our coaches. We also draw a lot on our own experiences as children, what did we enjoy, what were our most memorable moments - these all feed into how to make every day the best day ever
How can people find out more about your work and your brand/business?
Visit our website and if you have any questions, just give us a call or drop us an email. We love talking about what we do and we’ll happily talk you through a day at Camp.
Any other comments / content you would like to include?
Stay tuned on everything Combo Camps by following our instagram and facebook! @combocamps
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!