The Finesse & Fury by Kim Geist Coaching program provides comprehensive coaching to a peer group of young endurance track cyclists, supporting admirable personal character and aspirations of success in national and international competition.
Our Mission
The Finesse & Fury by Kim Geist Coaching program was born out of experiencing the best and worst of the coaching support systems behind success in national and international endurance track cycling competition, during a greater than 20 year career in the discipline. This career spanned grassroots junior programs all the way to the national governing body national team. It was also born out of a true love of the athlete journey. The day to day process of giving our best to meet process goals along the way is what we enjoy the most. Medals and accolades may or may not be earned in the end, but it is in sticking to the path of the journey in which we have the most pride.
Finesse & Fury is the only known program in the country that provides all the identified characteristics of the most successful coaching support programs for athletes with aspirations of national and international success in endurance track cycling:
- Coaching based in experience and education
The program is backed by a coach who has experience all the way to the top of the sport and has a formal education in exercise physiology and related fields. - Narrowly-focused peer group
The program is made up only of those individuals who have goals of success in national and international endurance track cycling competition. - Flexible resources
The program fosters access to closely related areas of supplemental physical and mental performance enhancement, but does not dictate their use. - Character component
The program supports admirable personal character in both training and competition and well as in life through daily commitment, a selective admission process and through offering a unique work-study program.
Finesse & Fury is also one of the only programs in the country that has its own physical home, the Kim Geist Academy. The Academy is one of the largest of its kind, with room to even further expand. Learn about the Kim Geist Academy here.
Learn more about the key aspects of Finesse & Fury:
The best coaches identify the demands of the sport from the skill, tactical, and mental perspectives as well as truly understand the physical demands. We recognize that integration of skill development alongside implementing a scientifically-sound physical training regime maximizes chances of success. We have the ability to not only talk about skills, but demonstrate them. We have the ability to not only describe the reasoning behind the training in gross generalities, but teach in detail why an athlete completes the training he or she does. This leads to the best understanding and therefore the best internalization and replication by the athlete. Learn about Coach Kim Geist’s competitive and educational background here.
Narrowly-focused peer group
The majority of the time of a track cyclist is spent in training and in training races, with few “A” events. Therefore, making the most of training is top priority. We recognize that training as part of a consistent group of like-minded and like-ability athletes inspires each individual athlete to put forth his or her best effort. It creates a competitive but yet supportive environment in order to maximize the training effect. Athletes are treated as individuals and undergo individual training programs, certainly not always completing identical workouts. But training phases tend to track together when the goal events are the same, and this narrow focus allows for easy scheduling of high quality workouts in a group setting. Athletes complete some workouts on their own and some are completed in the group setting, as often as is beneficial and practical.
Flexible resources
A strong coaching program is the backbone to athletic success. But there are many other closely-related physical and mental areas from which athletes may need supplemental professional assistance in order to maximize their efforts. We recognize, however, that just like in choosing a coaching program, athletes need to make highly individualized choices as to with whom they work with in other areas. We offer direct connections with quality resource partners who we recommend an athlete consider, but we do not limit an athlete’s support system to these recommendations. We integrate feedback from resource partners into the individual’s training program. Learn about our current resource partners here.
Character component
Regard for self, others, and the journey is a vital part of success in athletics. We recognize that having a successful journey in sport is best achieved through having a humble personal drive and daily commitment in working towards specific goals, and through upholding a respect of oneself and others involved in the process along the way. In order to foster a respectfully supportive yet competitive environment within the program, we admit athletes based upon an application and meeting process to ensure they hold character traits that align with a humble personal drive.
We also recognize the need for access to a high quality coaching program regardless of economic status. We therefore offer a unique work-study program for athletes to not only be able to gratefully give back to the program that gives to them, but also to be able to assist in creating an affordable program for themselves. Each individual in the program has the opportunity to earn back a portion of their tuition through completing small jobs that help the program run and even add to their own education. Many of these work-study jobs are based in the Kim Geist Academy. Learn about the Kim Geist Academy here.
Learn about what Finesse & Fury is not:
A team
This is a coaching program that provides training and provides direct resource recommendations for other closely-related physical and mental areas. The program itself does not provide equipment, uniforms, or other tangible items necessary to train or compete. We do our best in assisting athletes with relationships and recommendations to teams or clubs who can provide support for these items. Learn about the team we are currently aligned with here. We provide information and assistance with scholarship and grant opportunities to which athletes may apply for help with purchasing tangible goods as well as receiving financial assistance with race entry fees, travel expenses, etc.
A generic cookie-cutter group program
This is an individual coaching program supported by a group setting. That is, the athlete receives an individual training program and comes together in a group setting as often as is beneficial and practical in order to maximize that individual program. The program is limited to a small size at up to 8 athletes maximum, as to ensure individual attention. The individual athlete maximizes his or her training through the supportively competitive environment created by all the members of the program who are working towards similar goals along side one another.
A place for athletes outside of the narrow focus
The program is for athletes who may or may not be currently competing at the national or international level, but who at the least possess the enthusiasm and desire for success in national and international endurance track racing and who reside in the area. All other athletes who are interested in other disciplines, have other goals, and/or who reside remotely may work with Coach Kim Geist through other programs. Learn more about other Kim Geist Coaching programs here.
A place for ill-mannered individuals
The program admits athletes who align with certain character traits of humble personal drive and respect for self and others. These character traits are needed to foster the environment of supportive competition. We also expect athletes to consider giving back to the program that provides for them, through the work-study program.