Coaches

The Miers

Paul Miers, previous Head Coach, and Level 3 NICA Coach and USA CYCLING level 1 coach and also is one of the head coaches for the Reno Devo junior cycling team. Ann Miers, Level 3 NICA coach and keeper of all things for Galena. Paul and Ann are parents to two pretty cool and fast riding boys. They helped start the Galena team back in 2016 when their oldest was racing the NORCAL series and spending so much time traveling for that. Much to their delight the team exploded the first season and has not stopped growing! They enjoy every minute of these amazing kids and watching the progression through the season.

Paul is a seasoned racer competing both on the local, national and international level. He bring so much knowledge to these kids from just pedaling, to riding over rocks to climbing up a steep hill. You will forever be a better rider because of him by the end of the season.

Ann is affectionately known as Momma Ann, and usually the sweep for all these kiddo’s and making sure they get to where they need to be and when they need to be there.

We are so very blessed for this opportunity to share the love of this sport with these young athletes. There is nothing quite like the biking community and something you really need to see to understand. Teach a kid to ride a bike and you open up the world to them, so come join the fun, we can’t wait to meet you

Samuel Echo

Sam is from Marin County in California, moved to Reno 2007. He is the proud father of three beautiful girls, also a cofounder of the Galena team. He is a level 3 NICA coach and one of the team directors. On any given day depending on the season you can find Sam riding the trails further and faster than most or hiking the back country with a set of skis on his back. He lives and loves the outdoors.

Coach Sam brings a lot of fun to the team, whether it is making kids go faster or just being one of the “bros”, the kids love him. He loves teaching others and getting “taught” by some of the riders ;). Every ride with Sam is an exciting new adventure that brings happiness to all that are in his group. The night rides with coach Sam are especially fun. Sam is a great mentor and is an amazing overall human. (Written by Lucas Miers)

The Ouzounians

Colleen brings over 20 years of experience riding and racing mountain bikes and cyclocross. She has competed in a range of cycling endurance events: cross country, time trial, hill climbs, 24 hour, gravel, stage, and cyclocross. She won a master’s national championship for mountain biking and has had numerous national podiums in both mountain biking and cyclocross. Colleen served on the Board for the NorCal Interscholastic Cycling League. She started coaching women’s mountain biking as the lead of the Bay Area Luna Chix Ambassador Team. She is a founding member and coach on the Galena Mountain Bike Team and is the Girls Ride Together (GRIT) Coordinator for the Northern Nevada League. She is a mom to two mountain bikers, Sam and Cole, and wife of Steve, her partner in the adventure of life. In her spare time, she runs a marketing consulting business.

Steve “Oz” Ouzounian has been riding and racing mountain bikes for over 30 years. He’s been an assistant coach to the Berkeley High team, a Director for the NorCal league, and assisted with NICA operations. Steve is now the Chairman of the NV NICA league Board of Directors and is a level 3 coach with the Galena team. Steve is the father of two mountain bikers, Sam and Cole,.and is married to a national mountain bike champion, Colleen Wanty. Steve has been Oracle’s Global Retail Consulting lead and a partner at Accenture before taking the past few years off to spend more time with family.

Brian Evans

Hi my name is Brian Evans. I am one of the level 3 NICA coaches. I have been part of the Galena MTB team from the first year of the Nevada League. Both of my kids have raced in the league. Mountain biking is such a great lifetime sport and NICA is such a great promoter of the sport. I love to see the athletes progress through the seasons. The skills and friendships made during the season are life long.

The Bucks

Jana Buck has been Head Coach of the Galena MTB Team since 2023. Jared and Jana Buck. We have lived in Reno since 2010. This is our third season with the Galena MTB club. Both of our children ride with the club. When we’re not riding our bikes we enjoy snow skiing, fishing, hiking, pretty much anything outdoors with family and friends.

Niki Cutler

2020 will be my fourth year coaching with the Galena MTB team, I absolutely love riding with student-athletes and look forward to small group training practices and however our season may look. In college I swam for San Jose State University and Colorado State University and I’ve ridden mountain bikes recreationally since high school.

Kirk Korver

I was born in Susanville, CA and moved to Reno in 1977. That same year I got my first bicycle – A hand me down from a friend-of-a-friend. It was bright yellow, had a banana seat and tall cruiser handle bars. It made a statement! A few years later I upgraded my ride with paper route money. Eventually I graduated to having two bicycles: a BMX and a 10-speed. While my friends raced BMX, I never did. Instead I would ride with them everywhere. In college a bicycle was my primary transportation. When I took a year off of college to study in Europe, my bicycle made the travels as well. Many years ago, my son joined the Galena Mountain Bike Team. A year later my daughter joined. While I have progressed from being “one of the dads” to “one of the L3 coaches”, I have steadfastly remained “the slow coach”. I have witnessed the growth of athletes from timid riders to powerhouses-on-a-mission. I look forward to riding with you and your children. If you would like the opportunity to explore the outdoors and watch kids smile, then please consider becoming a coach. Slow parents are welcome. It is lonely back here! Please join me.

Scott Westover

Born and raised in Reno, I have spent my life exploring and creating memories in the Sierras. When my wife, Theresa, and i had kids, although it changed our type of adventures, it didn’t slow us down. As a family you can find us skiing, biking, backpacking, hiking, climbing, and just enjoying life. My son Dylan will be a sophomore at Galena this year and my daughter Rachel will be a 8th grader at Herz, and both will be riding for the Galena mountain bike team. This will be my third year helping with Galena and first year as a Level 2 coach. I coached high school baseball for several years at Reed and then Wooster, and have always had an amazing time watching the kids grow and develop their skills.

Working with Paul, Ann, the rest of the coaches/parents, and of course the athletes has been exciting and is a great group of people to be around. The life skills and friendships created within the biking community will be treasured by our family for years to come.

Mike Trainor

2020 will mark my third year being involved in NICA and my second season with the Galena Team. I moved my family from Gillette Wyoming to Reno three years ago and we love exploring the Sierras by bike, on foot, and on skis. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t on a bike and love to see others discover mountain biking and a lifetime of adventure. As a coach I enjoy watching riders grow as they build skills and confidence on the bike. I’m looking forward to a great season of trying to keep up with all our talented riders, or at least some of them.

Maureen Vergara

Thirty years and thirty pounds ago I had the great privilege to race my bicycle professionally, a career that lasted almost a decade. My specialties evolved to road racing and velodrome racing, and eventually to the Olympic Games where 5th place was my best result on the velodrome.

Today I have 13yo twins who, surprisingly, have discovered the love of cycling! The Galena Mountain Bike Team has solidified their love for this sport.

I became a NICA level 1 coach when my twins started racing with Galena in 6th grade. Now, in their 3rd year of racing, I am a NICA level 2 coach and also a certified coach through the United States Cycling Federation. I enjoy working with student athletes from beginner to expert. To see a beginner go from zero experience to racing confidently is amazing, and to share Olympic level race tactics and strategies with the more advanced kids is super fun too!
The Galena Mt Bike Team has become a very important part of our family and we are honored to be part it!

Heather Brown

Hi my name is Heather Brown and I am a NICA one level coach for the Galena team. I have coached for one year and really love being a part of such an awesome program. I wished I had this when I was growing up! I have ridden mountain bikes since I was in high school and through out my life.

My son Houston rides on the Galena team too. He has learned a tremendous amount being on the team, plus the friendships that are developed. I really enjoy what the team provides for the kids and giving them a safe and fun environment where they can have a lot of fun and work on their skills. As a parent/coach this is such a rewarding experience to be a part of and participate in. There is nothing better than seeing the kids achieve levels and challenges that they weren’t sure they could before and then they have the break through!

Kristina Hurlbut

Hi, my name is Kristina. I have 2 children, Liam a senior and Elli a sophomore. They started on the Galena MTB team in 2017. I love doing anything outside-hiking, skiing, camping, running, even yard work, it makes me happy! The first year we started I would drop the kids at practice and usually hang around and go for a hike; secretly wishing I could do it too! By the end of the second year I finally got the nerve to get on a bike to see if I could keep up:)

I’ve been officially riding with the team for 2 years, and I look forward to every practice I get to be at. The camaraderie of this team is truly unique. I am so grateful that my kids and I are part of it!