girls Arizona state mountain bike champion and a proud cycling advocate. According her mom, Kara, Olivia is deeply involved in its activities, from riding to volunteering on trail projects. “Olivia wants more trails that younger kids can ride. I think she’d like to have a few more girls involved for friendship and competition,” says Kara. “Most of the trails in this area are quite challenging. Kids who aren’t experienced wouldn’t do well. The other problem is that parents who don’t really ride aren’t going to
be able to take their kids on those trails.” Olivia followed her father into mountain biking at the age of 9. She took to the competitive side of the sport unexpectedly after entering a race just for fun during a family camping trip in southern Arizona. “With IMBA assisting the CCBA, I’m looking forward to building trails for all ability levels,” says Olivia. “I can’t wait to start riding them. Once we have more kid-friendly trails, I am sure more juniors will start to ride.”
CREATING A PROGRESSIVE, ALLINCLUSIVE SUMMER RIDING PROGRAM The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crews travel the world to teach trail building and address other mountain bike topics. When the Santa Fe Fat Tire Society (SFFTS) of New Mexico received a visit in 2010, challenge areas for the group were identified, including a lack of youth programming. Shortly thereafter, SFFTS member Pat Brown decided to use his experience as a ski coach and get involved. “I just like working with kids,” he says. “If I can do something I enjoy and share it with kids, it’s a lot of fun. It’s all about watching kids get it and seeing the big smiles on their faces.” With the help of a few adult volunteers, Brown established an eightweek, progressive summer mountain biking program for his junior ski team and any other kid who wanted to join. The kids had to have their own bikes and sign up as members of the SFFTS (an IMBA chapter). Beyond that, the program was free and designed not to leave anyone behind if they missed a week for a family vacation. Twentynine kids registered that first summer, ranging in age from 8 to 15. For the first two weeks, the group met at a
facebook.com/ IMBAonFB
local park to practice basic riding and bicycle maintenance skills in a grassy field and on a nearby pump track. Two local bicycle policemen also got involved, setting up a skills course and volunteering one day as guest instructors. By the time the group hit the trails on the third weekend, they had been divided into four, adult-led groups. The terrain was smooth doubletrack for the kids who had never been on a mountain bike before and singletrack for the rippers. “We never wanted to put the kids on something that would scare them off,” says Brown. “The kids were totally ignited by the rides. For us, it was about teaching them proper and responsible riding and having fun.” By the end of the summer, the most talented riders were personally invited to ride one of Santa Fe’s most beloved trails: the Windsor. The challenging ride was a huge success and two of its participants have become dedicated racers. “The program was built outside the club, and now the club is embracing it big time,” says Brown. “These kids are the people who will be riding with us in the future. If we can teach them responsible riding early, it will go a long way.”
#takmbd
5