2019 TR Coaches Gathering at Ducati Austin
We’re proud of our MSF RiderCoaches. These folks are the real heroes of our school, and will make your Total Rider experience one you’ll never forget!
★★ Interested in coaching for TR? Click here for more information! ★★
 Jeffrey Alford, Program Manager: I am a native Texan, but have lived all over the world, and been a motorcycle enthusiast all my life. I have over 100,000-lifetime miles, and before getting out of the US Marines in 2013, I became the Battalion Safety Officer. This afforded me the opportunity to become a RiderCoach. I am a lifetime student and will jump at the chance to learn something new. I have completed several advanced street and beginner racing schools in an effort to better not only myself but those I come into contact with. As Program Manager for Total Rider, I have come full circle, from student to RiderCoach, to managing Total Rider’s training program, and truly enjoy seeing new riders share the passion for motorcycling. |
 Tim Sandelovic: I am a native Texan and have been riding motorcycles for 30+ years in one way or another. I started out at a young age riding and racing dirt bikes. I transitioned over to sport bikes and road raced for many years. While racing I began a career that paid me to ride motorcycles daily. Yes, that’s right, I was paid to ride a motorcycle everyday! During this time I earned my certificates/licenses and became a nationally certified MSF RiderCoach, a certified Police Motorcycle Instructor, as well as a Race Instructor (road racing). Recently I retired and now focus solely on instructing. I am proud to work for Total Rider, and all the students I teach, whether it’s new riders, or experienced riders. My goal is to have everybody enjoy riding their motorcycle, and have the knowledge and training to be safe while doing so. |
 Choon Gan: I live in South Austin, but am originally from Singapore. I came to Austin for college and just fell in love with the city. Motorcycles fired my imagination early in my childhood when I used to pour over my father’s old photo album every so often studying the pictures of him astride his Norton. By then, my dad had long given up riding, so the only way for me to get my motorcycling fix was to beg my uncle for rides on his Honda Cub whenever he came to visit. I’ve now been riding bikes for over 35 years and been a RiderCoach for over 20. It has been and continues to be a pleasure to help folks learn to ride and to see them on their way to becoming better, safer riders. |
 Amanda Stark: I have always had a passion for riding and currently own a 2010 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide. In the years I have been riding, I have ridden to Mexico, Louisiana, all over Texas, and currently ride as my daily commute. Shortly after I started riding I found myself mentoring other riders, so I decided to make it official and became a RiderCoach. Riding motorcycles has been the most exciting and rewarding experience and I want to share it with everyone I can. |
 Glen Pugh: I am originally from Van, Texas, and currently retired from the Air Force at Dyess AFB in Abilene. I have been riding steadily since 1999 and have just under 100,000-lifetime miles in the saddle. I started teaching for the MSF in 2001 at Sheppard AFB, TX in Wichita Falls, and have taught in multiple locations since then. I have owned a 99 Yamaha V-Star Classic 650, 98 Honda Shadow Spirit 1100, ’01 Suzuki Intruder 1500a and I currently own an ’03 HD Road King Classic as well as a ’15 KTM 1290 Super Adventure. I became a RiderCoach to help others enjoy motorcycling and to keep my skill sharp as well. |
 Kenan Rappuchi: I grew up in Northern Virginia where I started riding mini-bikes at 9 years old. My first ride on a ‘real’ motorcycle was a neighbor’s 1973 Honda SL70, on which I learned the hard way to straighten the handlebars before applying the front brake. After serving as a Seabee in the US Navy, my profession moved me to Boston and then Northern California where I became a licensed competitive motorcycle road racer in 1997. During my 9-year racing career, I met and raced with several top professionals at some of the best racetracks in the country. I also mentored aspiring new racers for licensing qualification and advanced street riders during track days. I moved to Round Rock in 2006 and continued instructing for several track day organizations, and also worked as a Tech Inspector for the July 2011 US MotoGP round at Laguna Seca. I became an MSF RiderCoach in November 2017 and now enjoy casual riding on my 2017 Street Glide Special, as well as helping new riders become knowledgeable, safe riders and lifelong learners. |
 Barbara Gatta: What do I love most about riding? The exhilarating feeling of riding a well-tuned machine along a twisty road smelling spring flowers along the way. I’m a native Texan that grew up in an adventurous family which fostered my love of riding. My motorcycle experience started out early in life. At about the age of 9, I learned to ride on a Honda 50, graduated to a Honda Trail 70, then to a Yamaha 125. My whole family rode motorcycles and it was just a thing we did! About 3 years ago, I got the fever to ride again and took a basic rider course. I easily now put on 8,000 to 10,000 miles a year riding in the Austin hill country, Colorado mountain roads and in the Rio Grande Valley on my Triumph Speed Twin 1200. My experience is in teaching and education, so coaching how to ride a motorcycle safely and skillfully is comfortable, fun and rewarding. |
 William Go: I am originally from Pennsylvania and retired to New Braunfels, TX after a career in the Marine Corps and some time as a government contractor. I’ve been riding motorcycles since 1980 and have used a bike as my main mode of transportation for the last 20 years. I enjoy all types of motorcycles and have toured, road raced and ridden off-road. I am currently riding a collection of BMWs and a Harley Davidson Road King. I’ve been a RiderCoach since 2007 and enjoy helping people get into motorcycling safely. |
 Jason Morris: I’ve been riding since the early eighties starting with a minibike on a dirt road in the country to cruisers and sports bikes before finding my passion in distance riding. Nothing makes me forget my worries like putting a few thousand miles on my bike while wandering around the Continental Divide. By the start of 2020, I had visited 22 states, and with every state, my bucket list gets longer. Becoming a RiderCoach is one way I can give back to the community that has fueled my dreams and adventures for most of my life. I consider myself a perpetual student—always striving to be better, safer, and smarter on two wheels or off — and sharing that with others through the MSF Curriculum is in itself a milestone for me, and something I look forward to continuing for a long time. |
 Travis Prescott: Riding motorcycles is something I was born to do. Both of my Grandfathers rode motorcycles, as well as my Father and my Mother. My Father, in the middle to late 1970’s, was a top 125 and 250 B Class Motocross racer in SE Texas. One of my favorite things to do as a child was sit down with him and look at his trophies, pictures, and hear his “war stories”. That is where my passion began as a young child. Following in his footsteps I raced Motocross all over Central and SE TX, and moved to street bikes in my late teens. In 2018, after 19 years of riding motorcycles, I was given the opportunity to give back to the passion and lifestyle that has given me everything, including my wife, and I became a MSF RiderCoach. Now, after living life “behind bars” for so long, I wouldn’t know what to do without motorcycles. I still ride every day, wherever I can; all over Texas and the United States. If I’m not on the range passing on the passion, or riding my own motorcycle, you’ll find me glued to the TV watching Supercross or Pro Motocross, or even traveling to watch a race in person. |
 Zach Morris: I have been riding since I was seventeen, I usually use my bike to commute to work or cruise around Austin. I also like long-distance riding, riding out in New Mexico has been some of my favorite riding I’ve done. I plan on riding in every state in the country at some point and I would love to ride in other countries if possible. I became a RiderCoach so that I could work in an environment I actually enjoy, I love seeing people learn the skills to become successful and safe or safer riders. I currently ride a Honda CB500x and plan on getting a sport touring bike for those longer rides and also a regular sports bike, I also plan on getting a dirt bike soon. |
 John Siegel: After listening to my dad talk about his days in the 70’s racing motocross and flat track, I saved up my money and bought my first used XR80 when I was 10 years old. I haven’t lived a day since then without owning a motorcycle. I rode that XR80 on our trails and soon I decided I wanted to race hare scrambles. I raced for several years and went through several dirt bikes. When I was 18 I bought my first Harley Davidson. When I was 21 I sold the dirt bikes and joined the Marines. I stuck with street bikes though over the years. In 2020 I began riding Dual Sport/ Adventure bikes. I have done several offroad camping trips with my DR650 since then. I am slowly getting back into riding dirt bikes now. Now with over 25 years of riding motorcycles I decided that all that riding, racing, and talking about motorcycles still wasn’t enough and that I wanted to be involved even more. I decided to become a Rider Coach. |
 Rolando Vazquez: I grew up in San Antonio and began riding dirt bikes in 1983. I still have the first dirt bike that my parents bought for me and have taught family members how to ride using it. It‘s a 1984 model and it still runs! When I was 18 years old I bought my first street bike and obtained my motorcycle license when the highway patrol administered the road test. I have ridden on and off road ever since and have had many other motorcycles. For the last 20+ years I have lived in the Texas hill country. I’m able to ride easily to some of the nicest places in Central Texas for riding. I still ride dirt bikes and four wheelers as often as I can. After working in a career with the state and retiring, I obtained my MSF RiderCoach certification and TDLR Motorcycle Instructor license in 2023. I have enjoyed my time being involved in the MSF program and look forward to many more years of motorcycling and coaching. In my opinion, Motorcycling is one of the most fun things that you can do and being safe when doing it is the key to longevity. |
 Scott Rothfusz: I am originally from Montana and California, and after traveling the country and the world during my 20 years of service in the U.S. Navy, I retired in 2016 while living in South Carolina. My motorcycling journey began in 2004 when I took an MSF course taught by fellow military personnel while stationed in South Carolina. My first bike was a Kawasaki Vulcan 500, which I rode for about a year before selling it ahead of a move to Connecticut. I then upgraded to a 2006 Vulcan 900, logging 10,000 miles before moving on to my current ride, a 2011 Kawasaki Voyager 1700 (Touring), with which I’ve accumulated over 85,000 miles. In 2013, I became a RiderCoach to help train other military members, and I’ve been dedicated to helping riders develop the skills they need to ride safely ever since. |
 Jonathan Matthews: My first motorized two-wheeler was a Honda scooter my parents gave me for high school graduation. I rode that thing into the ground and have been smitten with riding ever since. I’ve had quite a few utilitarian rides over the years and briefly yielded to the flirtations of Japanese 2-strokes in my mid-twenties. My current ride is a BMW F800ST, a sport touring bike zippy enough to be fun but comfortable and powerful enough for a passenger and luggage while exploring the Hill Country. What I love most about being a certified Rider Coach is shepherding inexperienced, nervous students as they become confident and relaxed on their journey to serious fun. |
 Octavio Quezada: I learned to ride motorcycles in my early teens and have loved riding ever since. After taking a break during my twenties and thirties, I got back into it and now enjoy riding whenever and wherever possible. I’m passionate about teaching others and look forward to helping anyone who wants to learn the craft of motorcycling. I can’t wait to see you out on the range! |
 Kyle Mason: After 25 years of living in New Jersey, I had always promised myself I would eventually become a motorcycle rider. So within 1 month of moving to Austin in 2014, I obtained my motorcycle license and bought my first motorcycle. I’ve bought 5 motorcycles since, and my daily ride is a 2015 Honda VFR800 DLX. Riding has become more than just a daily routine; it’s my passion. As a RiderCoach, I want to help build that potential passion for others interested in riding. |
 Scott Rader: Having “the wind in my face” is a lifestyle I came by honestly and early. An old black and white family photo shows me at a few years of age, holding on to the tank chrome, seated in front of my father on his Triumph. After a childhood of riding a friend’s minibikes and go-carts, I bought a Honda CB350 – a friend rode it home for me. I had 2 short weeks to learn to ride it and take the PA motorcycle license test. The following morning, I rode my only transportation 14 hours across 6 state lines to start my second year of college. That was all it took. I have since owned numerous motorcycles and enjoyed commuting, cruising, and touring the US and Mexico. Early in 2016, a sponsoring dealership was looking for new coaches, something I had considered for many years – it took little time to get on board. I am a life-long learner and teacher at heart. I thoroughly enjoy every time a new rider has an “ah-ha” moment – whether it be a “safety mindset” or an “improved skillset”. Ride safe. |
 Arsenio DeLara: I was born & raised in El Paso, TX. My riding experience began when I was in middle school, riding my friend’s dirt bike – without my parents knowing, of course. I found myself having to explain quite a few scrapes, bumps & bruises. I joined the Marine Corps at 18 and never looked back. I experienced an awesome, but very challenging, and extremely rewarding career, filled with many opportunities. I visited and rode motorcycles in many different countries; with many different riders. Riding with locals, I learned a myriad of techniques and riding etiquette that helped me become a much better, well-rounded rider. I became an MSF RiderCoach in 2007 because of my passion for safe motorcycle riding and as my way of giving back to fellow Marines and service members, doing my part as a leader, ensuring each rider is trained and taught how to properly / safely operate a motorcycle, so he/she may have an enjoyable experience as a rider. Since then, as a retired Marine, I have been blessed to continue giving back, off base now, sharing my motorcycle safety education and experience with soon-to-be riders of my community – so they too can become safe/vigilant motorcyclists; embarking on long and enjoyable riding experiences. I look forward to learning from and with each one of you. Keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down! Semper Fi. |
 Gene Prentice: I have been riding for 23 years and have been an MSF RiderCoach since August 2016. In addition to having coached the Basic Rider Course, BRC2, Advanced Riders Course, and the Military Sport Bike Riders Course, I was the motorcycle mentor for over 250 motorcyclists at Brooke Army Medical Center. Volunteering for safety presentations at Joint Base San Antonio in a multitude of areas and planning rides are all ways I enjoy giving back to the motorcycling community. |
 Bill De Sola: I have been riding motorcycles since high school. I use my bikes as primary transportation and for pleasure. I’ve toured practically the entire United States, out on the road for 2 to 3 weeks at a time. My most recent trip was last July, crisscrossing the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Canadian border and back. I have some dirt bike experience having ridden motocross and desert riding for a couple of years while stationed in New Mexico. I am from many places, having been a military brat and serving in the U.S. Air Force. |