Portrait of a coach
JEAN-LOUIS PROVENCHER
Identity is closely linked to places, and to the relationships and symbolic ties we have with these places. We create links where things are built….
Born in 1978, Jean-Louis Provencher trained as a forestry engineer. A native of Lac Delage, his great-grandfather was one of the town’s first 3 residents, and one of the founders of the Manoir du Lac Delage.
Jean-Louis currently works as an ecosystem scientist, specializing in the conservation of species at risk for Parks Canada. Behind this quiet, reserved guy at first glance, we discover a great enthusiast with an impressive wealth of experience…
– Jean-Louis, mountain biking, Empire 47 and coaching have been part of your life for some time now. How did it all start?
I started mountain biking at an early age, like a lot of other kids. Then, as a teenager, my interest shifted to motocross. At 18, I bought my first dual-suspension mountain bike. Downhill (DH) quickly became my favorite discipline. Back then, mountain biking took place almost exclusively at Mont St-Anne. In fact, I’ve been buying my season pass there every year or so since 1997.
In 2000, I moved to Western Canada to study at the University of British Columbia (UBC). I discovered Vancouver’s North Shore. One of the most mythical places in the history of mountain biking, featured in numerous freeride films and inspiring generations of trail builders and riders around the world.
I returned to Lac Delage during the summer vacations of 2000 and 2001, and wanted to replicate The Shore style of riding right in my own backyard!
At the time, my parents were among the owners of Les Immeubles de Monts, the company behind the construction of the town of Lac Delage. This gave me the opportunity to have fun building the first version of Empire 47’s now-famous Mirador trail. Originally named La Cardiaque and inspired by the BC.
Photo credit: Jean-Louis Provencher
In 2007, I obtained my first position with Parks Canada, more specifically at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario. In 2008, I transferred to the Resource Conservation section in Tadoussac, for the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. I’ll be there for 5 years.
I moved back to Quebec City to take up my current position in 2013, and finally bought my home in Lac Delage to be closer to mountain biking and my family in 2016. My son, Édouard, is now part of the 5th generation to live in Lac Delage.
My involvement with Empire 47 began with trail building chores to help my friend Jeff Tardif, the builder of the Végétarienne, Voisine and Valkyrie trails, commonly known as the 3Vs.
In 2018, I got involved with the patrol team. A little later, I was approached by Marie-Eve Coutu, the founder of the youth program, for my mountain biking skills, to be part of the coaching team.
My interest in coaching came from a desire to share my passion with others. So, in 2021, I’ll be taking my first PMBIA Level 1 course. In 2022, I’m off to Whistler to complete the PMBIA Level 2 Air training. I had the good fortune to be trained by the PMBIA director himself, the author of the technical bible, Paul Howard. A connoisseur, friendly and demanding. It was a great experience. Of all the coaches who took part in the course, I was the only one to pass the practical & teaching components on the first try.
After more than 20 years of mountain biking experience, I now want to give back to my sport and share my knowledge. I want to help my students progress in a safe and fun way. I like to break down the various techniques involved in developing the skills needed to master all types of terrain and obstacles.
For me, having fun is the number-one condition for learning. No pressure. Everyone progresses at their own pace.
A bit of a geek and always on the lookout for the latest bike trends, I’m also happy to offer advice on bikes and possible adjustments for different types of terrain, to optimize pleasure, safety and performance!
Find out more about our courses and clinics
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Portrait of a coach
MARIE-ÈVE COUTU
PUBLISHED ON
May 17, 2024
TEXT BY
Mélissa Tremblay
PHOTOS BY
@mayauprintemps
Such is the case of Marie-Ève Coutu, 45, a native of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and founder of the Empire 47 Youth Program.
Marie-Ève grew up surrounded by nature, in the middle of the boreal forest and lakes, and this nature is part of her DNA. At the age of 17, she moved to Quebec City to study at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec. She hasn’t left since, and now lives in the St-Émile area.
Marie-Ève, tell us about your background in mountain biking and coaching? How did it all start?
Mountain biking and I started at a young age. First, as a cross-country athlete and then by getting involved with the clubs of the time, including Durand Sport and Lessard Bicycles. Later, I was a counselor at Camp KENO and also got involved with the Chèvres de Montagnes.
In my early twenties, I took part in regional competitions, the Quebec Cup cross-country circuit and the Raids, which were very popular at the time. My involvement as an athlete and coach always ran parallel to my career as a clarinet musician with the Canadian Army.
My work has taken me to different countries for military music festivals and war commemorations. It also gave me the opportunity to take part in competitions abroad, including the Roc d’Azur race in Roquebrune-sur-Argens, in the Massif des Maures, France, in 2005. It was an incredible experience! Today, the event has become one of the biggest mountain bike events of its kind in the world, attracting amateur cyclists from over 54 different countries.
My involvement with Empire 47 began in 2019, on a part-time basis. At the time, I was preparing for my retirement from the Army due to major back problems, and I was taking an evening course (AEC) in eco-education with the Cégep de Rivière-du-loup. At first, I gave workshops for children aged 3 to 5. It was a great opportunity to put all the things I’d learned into practice. That’s how the youth program started to take shape.
In 2020, I officially left my position in the Army and started a full-time job at Empire 47 as coordinator of the youth program. With other employees, we first developed the coaching team, then day camps were born in 2021 with a 3-day-a-week offer, rising to 5 days a week in 2023. To better reconcile work, family and personal life, at the beginning of 2023, I passed the coordination torch to a colleague.
I’m still involved as a coach, specializing in young people and women. My approach focuses on the coach-client relationship and exchange, to make the experience as enjoyable, playful and fun as possible. My method focuses on learning in motion, with a structure based on dynamic observation.
I love the freedom and challenge that mountain biking gives me, and I can’t see my life without it!
Discover Evolution 47’s philosophy and course offerings
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