michael's story
The snapshot
I’m a dad, a husband, author, coach, podcast host and motivational speaker, inspiring people to dig deep, lean in and stay true. As a coach I’m a confidence giver, specializing in mental endurance coaching for sports performance. I’m also a storyteller, level 2 USA Cycling Coach, water lover, wilderness advocate and amateur age-group endurance athlete.
Idaho born, Washington raised, with deep Wyoming roots, I’m passionate about my four generation Western family history and this deep sense of place always inspires my adventures and race calendar.
With fifteen years of coaching experience, working with individuals, teams, corporations and organizations, I meet athletes where they’re at. Through my performance and cycling coaching, my mission is to help athletes achieve their highest potential by becoming their surest, strongest selves. Through my coaching, writing, speaking, podcast and Be Audacious blog, my mission is to help others break down barriers of conventional beliefs, leading to a more meaningful way to live, explore and experience personal ‘success’—what I’d reframe as personal fulfillment.
Since receiving my B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana, I’ve been fortunate to wear a lot of different hats including working as a ranger naturalist in Yellowstone National Park, Montana fly-fishing guide, nonprofit founder and director, performance and high school basketball coach. I’ve spent over a decade diving deep into the world of performance, mindset development and sports psychology—which has influenced every aspect of my professional life.
Meaning: Few things make me feel more alive than riding and racing my mountain bike or competing in an open water swim with my daughter; but connecting with and guiding an athlete, a team, a business leader or an auditorium full of people looking to uncover meaningful adventures, unlocking their fullest potential en route to a path and journey uniquely their own, certainly represents those times that most inspire me.
Purpose: I’m a firm believer that our habits, thoughts, routines and rituals matter and that we need to put our focus where we have some influence, the few areas we can control; always meeting athletes and audiences where they are at, I strive to foster purposeful endeavors.
Connection: For me, it’s all about connection—connection to people and place. Whether it be one-on-one coaching, speaking at corporate events, or to clubs, colleges, high schools and nonprofits, I’d love the opportunity to connect with you, your student athlete, and team. You can take it to the bank that I’ll share a positive coaching message about how we can be the best versions of ourselves by leading audaciously, authentically, and from the heart.
The deep dive
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest (born in CDA raised in SEA), where my love for wild places and a counter-culture approach to life were fostered at an early age. I discovered my first burning passion while living in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. With an ALL IN approach to hoops, I became a standout basketball player—and trend setting knee-high sock wearer—traveling the country on AAU teams and competing with some of the best players in the Seattle area. After a car accident when I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with a rheumatic disease that ultimately ended my days on the hardwood, and hijacking my triathlon and ironman dreams, forcing me to embrace the remake.
RANGER YEARS
Before the books, coaching and motivational speaking there were the ranger years. For the nearly a decade through and following college, I worked as a ranger naturalist in Yellowstone National Park. The backcountry adventures were remote, rich and abundant. The peaks climbed and rivers forged were many. I became Yellowstone’s first Internet Ranger and one of the park’s two Bear Education Rangers before moving on to the next chapter.
ADVENTURE
As a nineteen-year-old athlete with widely recognized talent and a future to match, I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis—a systemic rheumatoid arthritis that affects the entire body. I have spent much of the last two decades learning to live with the aches, pains and injuries that come with this disease; yet the adversity and physical challenges have not deterred me from making life-long adventures and daily exercise a reality. My love and passion for wilderness, mountains, rivers and the ocean have provided the motivation for me to overcome adversity in order to pursue adventures as an amateur endurance athlete, wildlife, fly fishing guide and outdoor enthusiast. By finding ways to adapt to my physical challenges with AS (and poorly shaped hips), and a rare clotting disorder, my hope is that my adventures, racing and daily training will serve as inspiration for those who may believe that certain options are not possible, or certain dreams not within reach. With the right mindset—the determined, audacious mindset—the possibilities are endless.
coaching
From the hardwood to singletrack, hoops to gravel. I began my coaching oddysy in 2006 as the skill development and fundamentals coach at Gardiner High School, on the doorstep to Yellowstone National Park. The Be Audacious vision was born, coaching a group of girls in small-town Montana, where the boys got more love. After nearly a decade of working as a head boys’ basketball coach in Southwestern Montana, my basketball coaching journey came full circle, taking a gig as the freshmen girls’ coach at Gallatin High in Bozeman, Montana (working under the future Montana Hall of Famer, Wes Holmquist). This grassroots coaching experience was a wild and fun run. Our style of play was fast and furious, full of energy, fight and fire. With a passionate and handsy approach to defense, we put the league on notice and fostered a positive learning environment where our girls felt confident and capable on and off the court.
Writing
Since embarking upon this Be Audacious endeavor, I’ve authored two books: Be Audacious: Inspiring Your Legacy and Living a Life That Matters (chosen as one of the best YA books of 2015 by FOREWORD Reviews) and a memoir, Grizzlies On My Mind: Essays of Love, Heartache and Adventure, that hit #1 on the local best seller list here in Montana one month after its release. In addition to my books, I’ve spent the last fifteen years working as a freelance writer. My diverse portfolio of essays, op-eds and articles have appeared in numerous regional publications. I’m a big believer in fostering a sense of place through my writing, and this place we call home is both wild and sacred.
speaking
For the last decade, I’ve traveled the country sharing my wilderness advocacy sermons, motivational presentations and Be Audacious message. From the shores of the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast, I’ve spoken in front of packed crowds (and tiny ones too) in theatres, auditoriums, bookstores and some of our nation’s most prestigious museums. I’ve presented on stages ranging from The Wynn in Las Vegas to the California Academy of Sciences and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West (both multiple times, I might add–which is a good sign ya). Few things make me feel more alive than connecting with an auditorium (or small room) full of people.
activism
After seven years ranger-ing in Yellowstone, my thirst to do–and be-more drove me to the nonprofit sector. Unwilling to conform to the predominant and often kumbaya standards of the local nonprofit world, I founded an edgy grassroots nonprofit organization, Yellowstone Country Guardians. During my time as the Executive Director, YCG became known for our nonconventional and fresh approach to environmental programming that resonated with teens of the 21st century. During this period, I also worked as the head boys’ basketball coach at a high school in rural Montana, spreading the Be Audacious message—a bold move in a small town, Footloose style (Kevin Bacon shout out)—with resounding results. It was then that I really knew we had an important message that would become the central focus of my life’s work.
Stories Matter
If you’ve ever been coached by me, you’ll know I’m a big believer in the “Thought of the Day.”
Here’s a few of my favorites to kickstart your morning-
“Our personal story is all we truly have, so make it count and tell it well.” Michael W. Leach
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Decide what your truth is. Then live it.” Kamal Ravikant
“Forget your age. If you have dreams to acheive, you’re still young.” uknown
ohana means family
I’m passionate about being a dad and husband. Nothing in this world means more to me than my family. With deep Wyoming roots (multiple generations), I have a love for exploring the Cowboy State with my family. Born in Coeur d’ Alene, ID and raised in Seattle, WA, my body’s water molecules are made up primarily of Lake Coeur d’ Alene and Columbia River Watershed atoms. I live, coach, write and dream with my wife, Amanda, audacious daughter, Kamiah, supportive parents and beloved Rez dog Elvis in Bozeman, Montana.
Under the surface
A Favorite Memory: The 1st annual Island Radio Music Awards (see picture w/ my loves).
Favorite Ritual: Sunday morning, GF pancakes with traditional Hawaiian music.
Favorite Food: Amanda’s gf pizza, Amanda’s jerk chicken, or any kind of grain and veggie bowl served up by Mmanda’s Kitchen aka my wife.
Favorite Watery Ritual: Ooh, this is a tough one. Annual open water swim with my daughter back on the home waters of North Idado. Our annual open water swims in Kailua Bay. And our annual river trip on a not to be mentioned Idaho river.
Favorite Music: Island Radio 98.9 ALL day EVERY day. Common Kings!!!
Favorite Stage Race: Toss up between the BC Bike Race and Breck Epic.
Favorite One Day Race: Crusher in the Tushar.
You may not know: One of my favorite slashes: I’ve worked as a wedding officiant in Jackson Hole, WY, for over a decade. It’s a family adventure with mountain bikes and singletrack. Check it out: Michael Leach Weddings
Contact Me
Let’s connect.
I love hearing from you! Your stories fuel my fire and fan the flames. If you have questions or want to take a deeper dive into anything I’ve covered on my site, I’d love to connect.
Feel free to email me or fill out this form and I’ll be in touch.
WNbL, michael