Houshang emigrated to Canada and coached privately in Ontario. He coached Ajax Cycling Club and worked at Ontario Cycling Association from 1991-1994.
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Houshang Amiri
Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC), Coaching Association of Canada
Expert Coach, UCI/World Cycling Centre (WCC)
NCCP Level 4 Coach
Owner and head coach Houshang Amiri has developed his coaching skills and philosophy over four decades as both an international competitor and coach.
Houshang Amiri Timeline
1989
1995
Houshang moved to Vancouver BC and from 1996 – 1999 he was a volunteer provincial coach for Cycling BC. He also coached the Atomic Cycling club. One of his first athletes was Murray Solem who made the National team and the 2004 and 2008 Athens and Beijing Summer Paralympic Games. Murray and Brian Cowie were later to achieve podium performances at the 2008 Paralympic Games in track individual pursuit
1995
1996
From 1996 -1999 he was a volunteer Provincial coach for Cycling BC, then in 1999 the Canadian Cycling Association offered Houshang a coaching position at the PacificSport National Cycling Centre (NCC) in Victoria, BC. Such was his reputation that 10 of his athletes, including Murray Solem, followed him to Victoria.
Houshang continued to develop his credentials as a coach and completed his NCCP Level 4 at the National Coaching Institute at the University of Victoria (1998-99).
2000
Houshang started his time at NCC as second coach with 11 athletes, and by 2003 he was one of three full time coaches running the Centre’s Silver and Bronze programs with over 50 athletes in the program. During this time NCC athletes dominated in domestic, continental and international racing. This was the era of Roland Green who won two consecutive MTB World Championships. Victoria’s reputation spread and many athletes moved to Victoria to be part of the Canadian success and train with the best athletes and coaches.
2000
2004
Following the 2004 Olympic Games, Houshang was appointed Head Coach & Director of the National Cycling Centre and began planning for the 2008 Olympic & Paralympic Games. In 2005, Houshang became the Head Coach of the Canadian Cycling Association’s five National Training Centre’s and was tasked with developing a vision and strategic plan that spanned one of the strongest periods in Canadian cycling. During this time, Canadian cycling saw multiple athletes racing in the highest level events like the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, podium finishes at the World Championships, and a Canadian winning the UCI America’s Cup.
Between 2002 and 2007 Houshang fulfilled the duties of Master Coach at NCI (National Coaching instituted) at the University of Victoria and mentored a number of candidates studying for their level 4 and 5 at NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program).
2007
In 2007 Amiri was named Head Coach for the Canadian Mountain Bike and Track teams. Under his direction Canadian cyclists won 14 medals in World Cup competition. In the same year, Houshang coached Svein Tuft to a Silver Medal performance at the UCI Road World Championship in the ITT. “This result, the first for Canada in 24 years, shows the true combinations of trust, risk and commitment between coach and athletes. It takes a long time to build,” Houshang recalls.
By end of 2008 Houshang was the recipient of a number of coaching excellence awards including two Coaching Association of Canada awards.
From 2008 – 2009 he continued to coach the Canadian Mountain Bike Team taking his team to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. In 2009 he founded the Pacific Cycling Centre in Victoria, specializing in personal online and local coaching.
2007
2010
In addition to running PCC he is Cycling BC, provincial road and track coach at the National Championships, and coach to the Dr. Walker Sports Chiropractic Team, based in Victoria. He also hosts camps for the Sask Cycling team and for Yukon Cycling.
Today
He is also in demand as a Coach educator at UCI WCC (World Cycling Centre) and travels abroad several times a year to deliver coaching courses for coaches. In 2018 he was awarded the 2018 Cycling BC Coach of the Year award, alongside two of his athletes, Alex Amiri who won Male Elite Sportsperson award, and Holly Simonson, who won the Female Elite Sportsperson award.
Today
Coaching is what I love to do. If your goal is to get rich from coaching, you’re in the wrong profession. It’s not about the money; it’s about doing something you love. Every moment is worth a lot to me.