2020 FALL MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAM
elgruponorte.org
ADVENTURE: NOT CANCELLED With everything that went on in 2020, one thing that didn't change was the Norte Youth Mountain Bike Team's development of confident, safe, and knowledgeable riders. Fall 2020 was full of new opportunities. We're proud of the season we put on, and to be the largest youth mountain bike team in the state of Michigan!
We expanded practice locations from two in 2019 to seven in 2020. Civic Center (elementary, middle, and high schoolers) Timber Ridge (elementary, middle, and high schoolers) The Commons (middle schoolers) Maplehurst near Elk Rapids (elementary schoolers) Glacial Hills near Bellaire (elementary schoolers) Palmer Woods (elementary schoolers) Westwoods Elementary and Lake Dubonnet trails (elementary schoolers)
We increased enrollment by 41%. The COVID-19 pandemic has led all of us to appreciate the value of building community even more. Norte's programs are a safe, fun way to spend time with friends outdoors. The enrollment growth increased revenue by 28%.
We held six safe Domingos rides for the whole family on new trails. Maplehurst and Glacial Woods in Antrim. Palmer Woods in Leelanau. Vasa Singletrack, GT Commons, Westwoods and Lake Dubonnet in Grand Traverse.
SAFE, HEALTHY, ACTIVE: RESPONSIBLY
We had a big responsibility in 2020 to keep every Norte program participant, coach, volunteer, and family safe — a responsibility we take seriously. As a result, we implemented a similar COVID-19 safety protocol from our experience for Summer Bike Camp.
Our COVID precautions amplified public health messages. Social Distancing – Riders maintained a six-foot distance from others when gathered before, during, and after practice. Masks – We required face coverings on arrival, during breaks, and during instruction time. Riders removed them once they hit the trails. Monitoring – Coaches and teammates completed an online health screening before practice began every day. Healthy Habits – We encouraged riders to follow hygiene measures by reminding them to wash their hands with soap and water before coming to practice. We also reminded riders to sneeze or cough by covering up with a handkerchief or using their arm as a shield.
THE FOLKS WHO KEPT MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAM ROLLING Norte's Youth Mountain Bike Team couldn't have done it without our 44 coaches. With the significant increase in practice locations from two to seven in one year, we counted it as a huge success. And we are thankful to everyone who stepped up to the plate to give kids a safe and fantastic time learning about biking. A huge thank you to every single one. In our post-program survey, participants and their families rated their experience with their coach on a scale of 1 to 5. Our coaches received an average rating of 4.9!
"Excellent coaches — positive and motivating. Thank you!" "The coaches were really nice, which made mountain biking and exercising more fun." "Coaches were awesome, talented, and patient." "My son loved his coaches and his team. He can't wait for another year on the trails. Thank you for keeping my kid active and entertained. It really meant a lot to him and to us."
BIKES ARE FOR EVERYONE. Norte's supply of program bikes allows participants from any resource background to participate in programs with a safe and functioning bike. By teaching kids the rules of the road as well as the joy of biking on a bike that lets them get the full experience, kids are more easily hooked on this fun way to get moving and get places on their own. We have many folks to thank for helping us stay stocked with great bikes for great kids. So much thanks to anyone who has stopped by the Clubhouse to donate their previously-loved mountain bike. On a large scale, grant funding from the Worthington Family Foundation allowed us to purchase bikes for the express purpose of incorporating them in our programs. We also had amazing support from our friends at McLain Cycle and Fitness, whose donation to the Grand Traverse Regional Kids' Bike Library also included some 20" mountain bikes that were of great use this fall season.
THANK YOU!
WHO CAN BE A MOUNTAIN BIKER? EVERYONE! 2020 Fall Program Demographics Our most-represented Grade in Fall 2020 was 4th Grade, a shift from previous years in which older riders were more represented. With 45 students, they overtook the 7th Grade cohort, who began Mountain Bike Team upon its founding. We saw another increase in younger students overall, with 1st Grade rivaling 5th Grade for second-most riders. We've also started collecting information about participants' gender in our effort to get more girls on bikes and increase our programs' inclusivity. We had 196 male and 73 female participants in Youth Mountain Bike Team this fall.
277
PARTICIPANTS
Including additional practice locations is one of the ways that Norte is ensuring programs are accessible to everyone. With our increase to seven practice locations, we've expanded our reach to four counties (two more than last year)! We saw a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of schools represented among our mountain bikers. We went from twenty-three schools to thirty-five! In addition, schools' remote learning allowed for folks who attend school outside of Traverse City to be in our area and participate. We saw participation from students who attended school in other areas of Michigan, such as St. John's and Grand Rapids.
35
SCHOOLS
HOW DID WE DO?
2020 Fall Post-Program Survey Results
98%
would recommend the Youth Mountain Bike Team program to a friend.
PARENT FEEDBACK "Outdoor, face-to-face, physical activity on trails increased my daughter's physical and mental health. It was a well-needed break from virtual learning. [She] looked forward to it and thoroughly enjoyed herself. Thank you!" "It has allowed our whole family to get into mountain biking. We spend a lot of time exploring local trails, we bike more to parks, we look to support anything bike friendly in our community. We have also made great new friends as a family." "Especially during these crazy times, Norte provided a safe, active, fun outlet for lots of energy and was a fantastic way to spend time with friends." "Kid logistics while working and two kids in Norte was tough, but I made it work because they enjoy it and it’s good for them. I’ve seen my son’s confidence increase — he’s proud of himself, and we’re super proud of him, too. He made friends in Norte that are in his classes, and as a shy kid, he may not have talked to them otherwise." "We are definitely paying more attention to biking in general. We encouraged [him] to bring his bike wherever he went all summer and through the fall, and he did without hesitation. As a result, we ended up biking more as a family this year, and obviously, we will in the future." "It improved our son's mood exponentially. [...] Norte made him feel like he was part of something. Thank you for making that happen." "We all have been increasing our riding time. Bikes are fun and a great way for everyone to participate. Mom got a new bike and has been on her first shred with the family!" "This program has given [him] more confidence on his bike, as well as on trails he has ridden many times before. [He] has never been successful at a camp in the past; he wants attention and has a hard time being social in the right ways. Thank you for allowing him to be with his friends, giving him a wonderful coach who encouraged him and taught him valuable skills and kindness." *responses edited for anonymity
YOUNG RIDER FEEDBACK "The coaches were really nice, which made mountain biking and exercising more fun. Now I’ll continue mountain biking with my little sister as a form of fitness going forward." "It was so fun. I love mountain biking now and love that there are cool trails in my neighborhood. My family and I ride together all the time now." "I gained so much experience and met new people. My dad was a volunteer and it was great to spend time with him and learning about the adventures of mountain biking." "I was able to bike further than I've ever gone before. This will help me spend more time on trails with my dad." "It impacted my parents’ life because now that me and my brother taught them how, they might mountain bike more with us." "I now know how to bike on a mountain biking trail, and, we even taught our parents how to ride on the Palmer Woods trail. They liked it a lot!" "I'm more likely to bike on my own, now. My mom says that it looks like so much fun that she wants to mountain bike with me." "It was really helpful to have another adult besides my parents give me advice and encouragement."
THANKS FROM TEAM ORANGE!
HAPPY. HEALTHY. STRONG. Visit us at our two Grand Traverse County Civic Center houses, the Clubhouse and Wheelhouse. elgruponorte.org 231.883.2404 hello@elgruponorte.org