Your certification is still accepted as a leading industry certification by employers, bikes parks and businesses around the world. You can also hold both… send us your PMBIA Certificate and we’ll send you the equivalent GSMBC Certificate! As founders of the PMBIA, we are very proud of those certifications, they’re awesome!

GSMBC is an independent organization and is not affiliated with PMBIA or its programs. Any references to past contributions are intended solely to reflect GSMBC’s history and experience in the industry.

Yes!

We welcome certified coaches to come check us out and join our education and certification system. As a certified instructor it’s FREE and EASY! Simply send us a copy of your certification and we’ll send you the equivalent GSMBC Certificate. More details are available here

We’re passionate about offering the best mountain bike coach education and certification courses in the world. The team behind GSMBC has extensive experience in developing high-quality coaching programs and establishing industry standards. As we continue to evolve, we’re embracing a new structure that allows us to respond quickly and effectively to the changing needs of the mountain bike community. This approach ensures we remain at the forefront of innovation and help shape a strong future for the mountain bike coaching profession. GSMBC’s structure encourages collaboration with Trainers, Members, and the Industry to deliver outstanding programs for years to come.

Yes.

Our insurance providers for instructor and coach training, have confirmed that, because course curriculum and standards for each GSMBC Certification level will be equivalent to industry standard, GSMBC certifications will be acceptable professional standards for insurers.

After 20 years of developing top-tier courses and certifications, we’re excited to continue building strong global partnerships. Our home park, Whistler Mountain Bike Park, along with others like Silver Star Bike Park, recognize GSMBC certifications. Across Canada, the USA, Australia, NZ, Europe, and Chile, many bike parks and coaching companies value our contributions to the industry. This recognition reflects the dedication of our team, who has trained coaches, bike parks, clubs, and businesses over the past two decades. It’s the people behind GSMBC that make it a trusted leader in the field.

Beyond features like top-notch courses, competitive pricing, no mandatory membership fees, no expiration dates, and new mentorship programs, the key to our success lies in our people and the quality of our product. Led by Paul Howard, a 20-year leader in mountain bike and snowboard instructor training, the expert team behind GSMBC is committed to delivering world-class education and certification programs for mountain bike coaches. We’re proud to offer a fresh approach to coach education, designed to meet the evolving needs of both coaches and riders, ensuring an engaging and impactful learning experience.

The GSMBC course content and design represents both fresh innovation and the natural evolution of what we've developed over the past two decades. For those instructors we've worked with in the past, you’ll find exciting new elements while still feeling right at home.

At GSMBC, we’re thrilled to continue evolving—driving the pace and style of development across all areas, from our website to course content, program design, materials, and Mentor Training. Our goal is to offer a dynamic and cutting-edge learning experience that meets the evolving needs of our community.

The syndicate model is designed to provide exceptional equity, incentives, and compensation for our Mentors—individuals who play a crucial role in bringing GSMBC to life. This independent business structure fosters innovation and growth, allowing us to meet the high standards set within the industry. The Global Syndicate was created to build a strong and stable organization that is well-positioned to adapt to the evolving global market, ensuring long-term success.

Mountain biking is a fast-paced, dynamic industry, and as a leading education and certification organization, GSMBC is excited to embrace the opportunities ahead!

No, only if you choose to. We aim to inspire people to join the Global Syndicate by offering various membership tiers that provide innovative training opportunities, such as webinars, podcasts, and online coach education programs. These memberships also support GSMBC, helping us continue to develop top-tier tools, resources, and courses for the mountain bike coaching community.

Once you gain a GSMBC Certification, it’s yours FOREVER! However, we strongly recommend that coaches retrain or ‘level up’ at least every three years to stay current with the latest developments and ensure you're using the most effective teaching methods in this fast-paced, evolving landscape. This is why we have developed an innovative online coach education platform to make it easier than ever before for coaches to stay up to date and continue their education.

Our mission is to provide a strong value proposition to coaches and instructors by reducing barriers to coaching and offering world-class coach education resources.

To keep this simple (this can be a BIG topic!), while both instructors and coaches can work with riders of all levels, the term ‘coaching’ often implies a deeper connection between coach and student, with a more holistic approach to developing skills, confidence, and performance. GSMBC focuses on training coaches who prioritize the human experience as a key aspect of their practice, helping them adapt sessions to the unique needs of each rider for optimal social, learning, and riding outcomes.