TEAM SMBA

Amaryth Gass aka Amo

Credentials

  • BICP Level 3

  • PMBIA Level 1

  • Wilderness First Responder

  • Raced Collegiate Level XC

  • Certified Yoga Instructor

Amaryth was born and raised in the woods of New Hampshire, spending all of her free time outside. Mountain biking gradually became her preferred outdoor outlet, accelerated by living and racing in Colorado and Arizona. Amaryth loves to ride, guide, and instruct the technical and ever-changing terrain of Sedona because it empowers rider's confidence in the saddle. She has bike-toured through both Europe and Asia, and continues to be amazed by the universal language of bikes.

 

Britta Berube

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 1

  • Wilderness First Responder

  • Wilderness MTB Guide

  • Sprockids Leader

Britta has an innate passion for helping others cultivate their love for the outdoors. She built a MTB program for at-risk youth, tests her limits at local XC races, and is dedicated to encouraging others to build confidence, challenge their comfort level, and develop strong foundational mountain bike skills.

 

Judy Tincher

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 1

  • Wilderness EMT

  • Certified Health and Life Coach

  • Ski Patrol at Flagstaff, Snowbowl

Judy is a long time mountain biker who found her way to SMBA as a client. After renewing her focus on her skills, she went all in for MTB instruction and guiding, joining SMBA as an instructor in 2022.  

Judy’s enthusiasm and encouragement will boost your confidence and make you feel good. She’ll help you understand what’s holding you back, and invite you to commit to results-oriented action. 

Judy loves rocky and rooty terrain, and loves the sense of accomplishment of riding a tough line well. She hopes you feel the same sense of accomplishment on your ride.

 

Jon Merrifield

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 3

  • PMBIA Level 1 Course Conductor

  • BASI Level 3 Snowboard Instructor

  • Wilderness First Aid & CPR

Jon is a versatile rider and instructor, at home on smooth flowing trails as well as chunky tech, enjoys technical climbing almost as much as the descent on the other side, and will happily spend hours in a parking lot in the never-ending quest for a better wheelie. He is qualified to help you with all aspects of riding including jumps/drops, steep descents, technical climbing, and maneuvers such as manuals, bunnyhops, and nose pivots.

Originally from the UK, Jon now splits his time between Sedona and Alaska, where he swaps the red rocks of Sedona for slimy tree roots and bear encounters, or hangs up the bike entirely to teach snowboarding.

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Mason Bond

Credentials

  • BICP Level 1 Certification

  • Professional Enduro Racer

  • CPR + First Aid

  • Sponsored by Revel, Hand Up, TRP

Mason has been racing professionally on an international level for several years. His experience and creativity on the trail are unmatched. His down to earth mentality and welcoming soul make him a great fit for any level rider. Mason is an excellent choice for bike park riding, enduro training and just about any mountain bike skill under the sun.

 

Molly Joyce

Credentials

  • BICP Level 1

  • CPR + First Aid

  • 200 Hour Yoga Teacher

  • Product Manager at Specialized

A rare unicorn - aka, a Sedona native - you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who knows Sedona's terrain better than Molly. She didn't find mountain biking until her mid-20s after 10 years of rock climbing, but became addicted to the sport's knack for establishing confidence, body awareness, and mental sharpness. From her background as a registered yoga instructor and rock climbing instructor, she loves to hone body position and muscle activation to help her students feel engaged and in control on the bike. Adventurous, quirky, and yet clear and methodical, Molly will help you unlock technical terrain like a Nintendo 64 cheat code. From mellow flow trails to Sedona’s Hiline, she can’t wait to help guide your mountain bike journey.

 

Kelly Murphey

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 2

  • BICP Level 2

  • Wilderness First Aid + CPR

  • SafeSport

  • Leave No Trace

Kelly has an unabashed enthusiasm for coaching, zest for two-wheeled adventures and absolutely loves helping riders develop confidence, technical skill and endurance on trail. Kelly’s love of bike riding was ignited during his late teens when he jumped on the Eastern US triathlon circuit which ultimately led to racing XC and MTB endurance 100k’s. Kelly has since worked all over the country as a mountain bike coach & guide, outdoor educator, snowboard instructor, homebuilder, wildland firefighter and trailbuilder but calls Sedona home in the spring and fall months. When not pushing pedals, Kelly can be found dodging trees on his snowboard or planning ambitious backpacking expeditions to uncharted parts of the world.

 

Adam Smath aka Smath

Credentials

  • BICP Level 1

  • Wilderness EMT

  • Courtesy Ski Patroller at Arizona Snowbowl

  • Former Ski Instructor

    A NH native, Adam’s first true love was an untouched snowy landscape and the sound of his skis carving down a mountainside. He substituted skis for bikes under the NH humid summer, finding local trails and plenty of mud and mosquitos.

    Having a passion for people and the outdoors, Adam earned an undergraduate degree in outdoor education at the University of New Hampshire, then a masters degree in parks and recreation at Northern Arizona University.

    The call of the west for Adam began during college when he spent a whole summer road-tripping and climbing. In 2018, Adam called Flagstaff, Arizona home and uncovered what true mountain biking could be like, and quite possibly became his new true love. His humble and relatable personality will have you feeling connected to the trail and improving your skills seamlessly. Adam will be your #1 fan on and off the trail as you pursue your own adventure on the bike and his favorite teaching moment is watching you succeed!

Agnès C. Rodriguez aka MTB Yogi

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 1

  • Wilderness First Aid

  • CPR

  • Certified Yoga Instructor

Agnès is a PMBI Level 1 Certified Coach. She started coaching to share the stoke and smiles that mountain biking brings. She loves to help riders of all abilities and walks of life. Agnès helps her students build strong foundational skills, trust their skills, which then allows them to progress safely and confidently. Being a yoga teacher as well, Agnès weaves into her coaching mind/body connection and body awareness concepts. Agnès is also a graphic designer, marketing consultant and MTByogi.com founder.

 
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James Barrett

Credentials

  • BICP Level 2

  • Wilderness First Responder

  • CPR + First Aid

  • Wilderness MTB Guide

James has spent the latter part of his life as a wilderness guide running trips all over the country. Now that he has settled in Sedona, he loves to share his passion for the outdoors with others. As one of Sedona’s top riders, James can match his impressive level 2 certification with his stylish riding technique. No matter your skill level, James can relate with his down to earth personality.

 

Tess aka Dusty Betty

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 1

  • First Aid + CPR

  • Creator of an incredible YouTube and Social Media Channel @Dustybettymtb

Although a lifelong outdoors woman, Tess didn't start mountain biking till age 30. When she looked for online content from other female mountain bikers, there wasn't much to be found at the time so she started her own YouTube channel called Dusty Betty. From the beginning she sought to help make mountain biking feel more approachable--especially to other female riders like herself. She began sharing her skills journey, MTB travel adventures, tips, and eventually bike reviews and other tech geekery. As a coach, she enjoys helping riders gain confidence through skills work while keeping frustration low, and enjoyment and progress high.

 

Julie Sebby

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 1

  • BICP Level 2

  • CPR + First Aid

Julie spent her early years riding horses and playing competitive ultimate frisbee. She briefly dabbled in triathlons before realizing how amazing it is to be on a mountain bike. She learned to ride in the Denver front range. Now, she splits her time between Sedona, AZ in the winter and Whitefish, MT in the summer. Julie started enduro racing this summer and has ridden bikes in Chile, Slovenia, Italy, Austria, and Scotland. She loves helping riders overcome their fears, build technical skills, and share the stoke!

Evan Puglia aka Teddy Huxtable

Credentials

  • BICP Level 3

  • PMBIA Level 1

  • Wilderness First Aid + CPR

  • NCAA Scholarship Athlete

  • Wilderness MTB Guide

Evan has a passion for coaching and a love for the outdoors. His background in cycling grew from racing for the Yeti’s Grind MTB Team in Vail, Colorado. Soon after, he entered the mountain bike industry where he went on to work for IMBA headquarters, coaching for VVASA Youth MTB camps, General Manager at Thunder Mountain Bikes and a MTB guide for Hermosa Tours (day trips in Sedona and multiday trips along the Arizona Trail). Outside of biking you can catch him thrifting, mixing music and exploring the great unknown.

 

Dan Giroux

Credentials

  • BICP Level 1

  • CPR + First Aid

  • Single Speed & Endurance Racing

  • Tech Legend

Originally from Massachusetts, Dan first visited Sedona in 2015 and the world class technical terrain has drawn him back ever since. He now calls Sedona home for most of the year.

A once full time, now part time single speeder, with an endurance racing background he’s happiest spending long days on the bike and making the memories that go along with them. When not on the bike you will find him out doing trail work or planning his next big ride.

Dan is excited to work with you to build strong foundational skills, as well as help you develop the skills needed to tackle the more technical and challenging terrain that Sedona has to offer. 

 

Tony Gass

Credentials

  • PMBIA Level 2

  • Wilderness First Responder

  • NCAA Scholarship Athlete

  • CPR + First Aid

After a childhood of elite soccer up to a collegiate level, Tony has found mountain biking to be a sustainable substitute to fuel his athletic passion. Tony has now tailored his life to the sport, and is excited about sharing his stoke with fellow riders through technical skill improvement. He splits his time between Sedona, East Burke, VT, and other mountain biking hubs from his van.

 

Why SMBA?

Every instructor from our team is PMBIA or BICP certified, which means they’ve been trained to teach and are held to the highest educational standards in the MTB industry. Sure there are plenty of great riders out there but can they pass on this knowledge to you?! All of our coaches live here in Sedona and are capable of guiding you on much more than just the trails. Having this local knowledge is crucial to building successful lesson plans and for our client’s learning progression. So come check us out! We have free group rides happening all the time, clinic opportunities, social events and much more. We would love to meet you and show you why Sedona is the place we choose to call home.