Girls on Bikes
* The original version of the following feature was first published in Northern Michigan Woman, November-December 2022 issue. Please support our local publications and pick up a copy at your next opportunity.
“We’re trying to create a community where girls have plentiful options to be on all-girls teams if that’s what she prefers.”
If the last few years have taught us anything, it is that community is crucial. A community adds significance to our lives. Sharing common goals and passions encourages us to keep rolling.
That's how I feel about the small non-profit where I work. When we work together, we create beautiful things at Norte. So much of our work comes down to getting more young people on bikes. There's nothing more beautiful than seeing a child's eyes shine with excitement as they develop confidence on a bike.
Lately, beauty has come in the form of an opportunity to work toward getting more women on bikes through our More Girls on Bikes initiative. Alongside some stellar women in our network, I'm thrilled to explore ideas and opportunities to put more women of all ages on bikes in our region.
I grew up in northern Michigan, and at that time, mountain biking as a girl was not as popular as today. Yet, a few decades later, there's still a tremendous need for improvement. There's so much potential to see more women riding. And we need to work harder to ensure that more young women stay on their bikes as they become teenagers.
There remains a tendency for young women to stop riding around middle school. And being the only girl on a team of boys when you're an adolescent isn't optimal. I know firsthand because that was my experience — I was one of the only girls out there.
There is only one place in my life when I feel free and peaceful: outside and in the woods, either on two skis or two wheels. I wish I could say that many other girls and women were involved in that process as I grew up, but there wasn't a significant amount. I had primarily male coaches, and the boys overtook the girls percentage-wise.
When I was nine years old and just dipping my toes into the sport of ski racing, I had many female friends on the team. As I progressed through middle school and high school, most of them left for other sports or elsewhere. But I loved skiing and biking so much that I stayed. There were other girls, but there could've been so many more. My story is reflective of many female stories about sports-especially biking.
I still have only a few other female riders I roll with on the trails. But that's starting to change. Because of this effort, I now have a deepening connection with some admirable and strong women in our community. They share my passion for engaging more women on bikes.
We came together this summer to reignite "More Girls on Bikes." I brainstorm, plan, and move More Girls on Bikes forward with some real rockstars. I work directly with two of them: Lauren Dake, Norte's Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, who, among many passions, hosted bike meet-ups for the deaf community over the last two years, expanding our mission. And second, our Executive Director, Jill Sill, has an unfailing commitment to the health and impact of the organization.
Norte's More Girls on Bikes power team also includes Erin Reicha, Gina Render and Aislyn Johnson. This past summer, Erin led an advanced skills clinic for Norte for girls in sixth-eighth grade. I have witnessed her gift to empower girls to do hard things like bike up and over a large log pile, huck off some jumps in the pump track, and learn better bike handling skills. She brings an element of fearlessness and tenacity to the program and still keeps it fun and encouraging. Gina is assisting one of our especially strong youth teams. She prefers to ride bikes for long distances and is good at it. Gina is a magnificent role model for young women to become powerful, capable, and fast!
Thirdly, Aislyn Johnson was one of our original varsity coaches. She is an impressive athlete, a strong coach, and a wonderful person. Her experience with Norte, being a mom of a young female rider, and her passion for teaching have impacted our programming.
Also on our power committee are Melissa Socia and Liz Belt. Melissa created the More Girls on Bikes initiative for Norte back in 2018. It is an honor to carry it onward with her involvement. I admire her enthusiasm for More Girls on Bikes and for helping youth community-wide. And finally, Liz Belt's reputation for encouraging others to stay active is legendary. She owns a local spinning studio called Intrepid Cycling, and she's just as geeked about this process as the rest of us.
That's our team, and it's full of girl power. We're trying to create a community where girls have plentiful options to be on all-girls teams if that's what she prefers. We may also offer more clinics for young women to help them build the confidence and skills to get out there with the boys and not feel intimidated. And ultimately, we want to offer chances for women of all ages to ride and build confidence and strength together- as a community.
Through More Girls on Bikes, Norte can keep girls rolling with female coaches and other girls to ride with. We need more female coaches! Please get in touch with me if you're reading this and even the slightest bit curious. You can ride along with one of our programs to check things out. We'd love to have you.
There's no end to the possibilities when we come together for the greater good-one step or pedal cycle at a time. I'm looking forward to each one!
Abby Havill is Norte's Program Coordinator. She is a Traverse City native born in the mountains of Vail, Colorado. She loves mountains and alpine skiing, biking, plant-based baking and cooking, yoga, writing, sustainable living, chocolate, and our northern Michigan community. She is a certified level one mountain bike instructor through the Bike Instructor Certification Program.
