Emma Mac

Who are you and what do you do?

I'm famous for being ‘Emma Mac’, but my actual last name is Mcloughlin, which no one can pronounce or spell, so it doesn't frequently see the light of day, unless I need to put my professional hat on.

I do as much as I can. You get one shot at life, so you may as well fill it doing what you love, especially when it comes to riding bikes! To be honest, I'm quite sure my epitaph will say something bike related, as my existence has been so crammed full of cycling stuff.

I am extremely fortunate to work full-time as the inclusion lead, special needs expert and soon-to-be trained Bikeability Tutor at Go Velo, a Lancashire-based cycling training company. Not many individuals can say they are paid to do what they love, but I most certainly can. Even better, I have the best support from the director, who hired me after hearing about my big dreams for inclusive cycling. I now devote my time to removing obstacles to cycling, not only for children with special needs and disabilities, but for all under-represented groups that require assistance to get into cycling.

It's been a whirlwind of a ride. Six months into the position I received Bikeability's Rising Star award and the Bikeability Trust sought my support to co-create CPD for Bikeability teachers across the UK. The CPD provides information, video clips and offers ideas to Bikeability instructors on how to efficiently cater to children with various impairments or educational requirements.

I'm a coach for Pendle Panthers BMX – my second family and the best club in t’ world. Well, not officially the world, but we were named British Cycling Club of the Year in 2023.

It's difficult to put into words how much I enjoy coaching kids in my neighbourhood. What's more, I get to do it with some of my closest friends, all of us sharing the same passion for cycling. It really does make us the dream team!

This club is not just for the kids; we encourage everyone to be a part of it, whether it's through social family rides, women-only tasters, or, more recently, a diversity day for the Asian community, which was a big success. It warms my heart to see more people using and enjoying the pump track.

If that wasn't enough biking for you, I'm extremely thrilled to be on the Hope Academy events team, which is why I'm writing this blog for you all to read right now.

I was overjoyed when I was asked to join the team, not just as a coach, but also to conduct some special needs courses at Tweedlove this year. It's still early, but I'm hoping that by spreading the word about the Academy's specialized classes for children with special needs and disabilities, I'll be able to keep doing what I love and breaking down barriers to cycling, but this time with a greater emphasis on skill-specific coaching.

I'm extremely thrilled about what the Academy has in store for the future; it's a fantastic group of like-minded individuals who all have cycling deep in their hearts.

What is your favourite cycling discipline?

This is a challenging question. My answer to this question would have been so very different at different stages in my life. I've migrated my way around many different cycling disciplines, all of which still hold a place in my heart.

But if I had to choose one, I'd have to say that right now my favourite activity is mountain biking. It doesn't matter where I ride because the beauty of the ride is that it can be so varied and diverse in terrain, and you can go solo, with friends or with family and tailor the ride to suit.

Recently, I've started dabbling in mountain bike four-cross racing, and I must say I'm having a lot of fun with it. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had won a national series award last year. If anything, it’s really made me push myself to work on my own skills and has taken me out of my comfort zone.

What led you into coaching?

I'd wanted to be a coach at Cycle Sport Pendle since it first started, but due to my work schedule, I couldn't commit to the volunteer hours. Back then, the club mainly concentrated on road cycling and road racing, which suited me as I was also an avid roadie who dabbled in the occasional mountain bike ride.

Back in 2018, life threw one of those existential curveballs at me, but luckily, the opportunity to coach at Pendle Panthers arose at the same time. To be honest it was a saving grace and the opportunity I needed to keep a positive focus, better still it was the chance to support my growth in the field of sport after finishing my degree. So, I threw myself at the chance, and to this day I’m still a very proud Panthers coach.

What’s been your proudest cycling achievement?

That's a tough question, but if I had to pick one, it would be being named a Bikeability Rising Star. It was the first award I'd ever received, and being recognised for the work I was doing to promote accessible cycling made me very proud indeed. It’s not just about the award though, to have someone who can see your efforts and is willing to shout about them is pretty darn special too.

What’s been your proudest coaching achievement?

It's a collective effort, but seeing how far the club has progressed since I've been coaching with the Panthers is something that I am very proud of. When I first started, we had a tiny track and a small number of kids that attended the lessons. We now have an excellent pump track facility and a growing club of keen Panthers and representatives that all share the same passions.

What makes me so proud though is that we aren't simply coaching the kids. We have developed as a club because of our mutual interests and desires to promote a community-based approach in which everyone is invited to participate. As I said earlier, best club in t’ world.

What’s the best coaching tip you can give to someone starting out?

You should not be afraid to fail. We all do it, we all listen to that tiny voice in our brains that tells us we're not good enough and choose to stop because it's simpler than feeling like a failure. For years, I listened to mine and let it triumph, but failing is a good thing. Failure is important in order to learn how to better your abilities. Every pro started as a complete beginner. Just keep going, you can do it!

Any tips for young, passionate cyclists who want to coach for a living when they grow up?

Volunteer at your local bike club. The closest club may not coach the discipline you ride, but it is a portal into the world of cycling and a great place to start. Most clubs will assist you in developing your abilities if you are devoted and demonstrate your enthusiasm for coaching. I’m proof of that, as it's how I got started, and now I have a full-time career in cycling, I’m a trained BMX coach, and I’m on my way to becoming a MTB coach, and all that is thanks to my local cycling club.