MCA GRRLS

Get involved! See our upcoming events.

Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Strong. Ride Bikes.

About MCA GRRLS

MCA GRRLS represents our outreach initiative, dedicated to attracting and retaining female student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers. The question arises: why implement special measures for girls and women if our programming is already inclusive and equal? While our programs provide equal opportunities, true equality requires acknowledging that females may need different approaches at times to feel genuinely welcome in MCA activities.

Contact

Email MCAGRRLS@minnesotacycling.org

MCA GRRLS

Retaining and Recruiting Females

Our constant effort is to boost female MTB ridership among athletes and coaches. Given that, on average, 80% of participants in mountain biking are male, creating opportunities for young women to engage in the sport is imperative.

Ridership stands at 20.6%, up from 18% in 2022

Female Coaches have increased to 23%, up from 19% in 2022

Initiative Goals

Inspire young women to cultivate confidence, strength of character, and empowerment through mountain biking.

Provide a fun and welcoming sisterhood for all participants, regardless of experience and ability.

Offer role models for female student-athletes by increasing women in leadership roles within the MCA.

Sisterhood: mantra for continuous progress

Any girl who shows up to practice, ready to challenge herself.

Any woman volunteering with the MCA as a coach, ride leader, or in any other role, supporting the belief that mountain biking is a sport for girls.

Any female supporting the cause of getting more girls on bikes and committed to aiding us along the way!

How You Can Contribute

Volunteer! Committed volunteers are vital to bringing events and activities to life. Your support, feedback, and ideas are integral to the initiative. Spread the word to all the girls and women you know, informing them about the MCA GRRLS and outreach events, and encourage them to participate.

Race Weekend Experience

The MCA GRRLS Big Red Tent at each race provides opportunities to meet girls from other teams. Participate in crafts, activities, or games. Share shout-outs and stories with like-minded individuals. This is also a great space to meet our MCA Ambassadors.

MCA GRRLS Ambassadors

We are on the lookout for girls within the MCA who aspire to take on leadership roles, contributing to the growth of female representation in biking and reshaping self-perceptions. These girls serve as representatives for ALL girls in the MCA, acting as the voices that pave the path for girls in mountain biking. If this resonates with you, keep an eye out for the Ambassador application – coming soon! You can apply yourself or be nominated by your team coach.

MCA GRRLS
Coaching Support

Middle School Girls Teams/Pods

We strongly recommend teams to establish teams/pods for middle school girls, fostering higher female participation and retention as they transition to high school. This initiative provides girls with a secure, all-girls space to enhance their confidence. These pods ensure a well-rounded experience, balancing fun, skill development, and healthy competition, valuing mistakes as opportunities for learning. The crucial emphasis on non-competitiveness remains, and ideally, these pods are led by women coaches. Teams that have embraced the pod concept have witnessed a growth in the number of girls on their teams over the past three years.

Coaching Girls: Online Practice Guide

For organized MCA GRRLS girls’ teams/pods, refer to our practice guide with best coaching practices, ideas, games, video links and more.

Women’s-Only Mountain Bike Skills

We offer the option of Women’s-only MBS courses for coaches who find it more enjoyable and less intimidating to learn from and alongside other women. Women’s-only sessions are indicated on the full schedule on our Mountain Bike Skills page. Register in CCN. 

Women’s-Only MCA Days

Join us at our first Women’s-Only MCA Day: FIRE Camp + Women’s-only MBS 1 all in one place.

You may choose to attend just the morning session or both the morning and afternoon sessions. YOU MUST REGISTER FOR EACH SESSION SEPARATELY.

Where: Carver Lake Park Woodbury (Bike Park area)

Sunday, May 19

Morning session: FIRE Camp (see below) 8:00am–12:00 pm

Lunch Break: 12:00pm–1:30pm

Afternoon session: Women’s-only MBS1 1:30pm–5:30pm

 

Sunday, June 23

Morning session: FIRE Camp 8:00am–12:00 pm

Lunch Break: 12:00pm–1:30pm

Afternoon session: Women’s-only MBS1 1:30–5:30

Space is limited.

If you plan to attend both sessions, you have the option to explore several local restaurants in the vicinity or bring your own lunch.

MCA GRRL’S FIRE Camp

  • Are you a mom or a new adult female cyclist interested in volunteering with your MCA GRRLS team but feel you lack the necessary skills?
  • Are you currently a volunteer on a team and aspire to lead a girls’ team/pod?

The purpose of the MCA GRRLS FIRE Camp is to empower women to discover their superpower and evolve into confident ride leaders, assistant coaches, and coaches.

During our session, we’ll cover areas like overcoming fears, why have girls-only teams, running an effective girls’ team practice, and engaging in games that appeal to girls. No skills necessary, just a desire to learn and have fun. Your own bike and helmet are required.

Fire Camp

It’s Time to Get #MoreGirlsOnBikes

MCA GRRLS is our outreach initiative focused on recruiting and retaining female-identifying student-athletes, coaches and volunteers. Why does the MCA need special measures to recruit more girls and women if programming is inclusive and equal? Although we have been successful in providing equal opportunities to everyone once they’re participating in our programs, we can only be truly equal when we address that some females may at times need different things to feel welcome and invited into league activities.

Initiative Goals

  • Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Strong. Inspire young women to build confidence, strength of character and empowerment through mountain biking.  
  • Provide a fun and welcoming sisterhood for all participants, regardless of experience and ability.
  • Provide role models for female student-athletes through increasing women involved in leadership roles with the MCA.

The Sisterhood Is…

  • All girls who participate in the Minnesota Cycling Association.
  • All women who volunteer with the MCA as coaches, ride leaders or other roles.
  • All females who support getting more girls on bikes and are committed to helping increase numbers of girls participating in the MCA.

What Can You Do To Help?

Volunteer! In order for events and a variety of race day activities to come to life, committed volunteers are needed. Your support, feedback and ideas are an integral part of the initiative. Spread the word to all of the girls and women you know. Tell them about the MCA and outreach events, and encourage them to join in.

Follow MCA GRRLS!

 

Increasing the Numbers

Our goal is to get more girls on bikes. A lot more girls. We would like to see the number of female athletes equal to the boys. We are asking each MCA team to help by intentionally recruiting girls. Starting in 2022 if each team just recruited 8 new girls, imagine the possibilities! 

  • If 50 teams each recruit 8 new 6th grade girls / year,  that would = 400 new girls / season
  • If 50% of those girls continue onto their HS team, that would = 200 girls / grade
  • IN 7-YEARS the league would have 800 female HS student-athletes.

MEET THE 2023 MCA GRRLS AMBASSADORS

Ada Kara

Eden Prairie 
Grade 12

Hi, my name is Ada Lara I am a Senior at Eden Prairie High School and this is my fifth year on the Eden Prairie team. I have been the Eden Prairie girls captain for four years and this will be my second year as an MCA GRRLS Ambassador. I am really passionate about get more girls on bikes. Outside of riding, I like to hang out with my family, travel, try new bike trails, and row. I love biking so much that I work as a bike builder at my local shop. One of my favorite trails is Lake Rebecca.
Jules

Winona Area Mountain Bike Team
Grade 11

I got into mountain biking in 7th grade. I went to the first practice of the season and fell in love with the sport! I like mountain biking because my teammates and coaches are great. Racing is the best. It’s something I can do anytime and pretty much anywhere. I want to be an ambassador to share my love for the sport. I also want to see more girls on bikes and to engage more girls to give biking a try. In the future I want to be a firefighter. I also want to keep biking as long as I can!

Jules

Prior Lake
Grade 9

My name is Arabella Fritzen and I wanted to be a GRRLS Ambassador this year so I could show lots of people, particularly girls, how awesome mountain biking is! This is my third season on the Prior Lake mountain bike team and I’m super excited! I love mountain biking because you can go ride amazing trails, hangout with friends, and get a good workout all at the same time. A few of my favorite things are cookies and cream ice cream, reading, and the TV show Friends.

Ashley Schultz

NWC Wolves
Grade 11

Audrey Gulick

River Falls, WI
Grade 10

My name is Audrey, I ride with the St. Croix composite mountain bike team. I instantly fell in love with biking when I joined my team in fifth grade. Mountain biking has connected me to many amazing people and have given me many fun opportunities. As an ambassador, I hope to create the fun and enjoyable environment to new riders that I have experienced since I started biking.

Jules

PWER MTB
Grade 9

I got into mountain biking because my brother and his friends were doing it and I wanted to join them. I love mountain biking because it is competitive and I can always meet new people (aka more powerful girls). I wanted to be an ambassador because Alanna Moe introduced me to it at a camp a couple years ago and I’ve always thought that it was an awesome program and I’ve wanted to be apart of it since then. I really want to graduate college and go into med school or attend a design school and major in architecture. My favorite flavor of ice cream is cookie dough.

Jules

Austin High School
Grade 11

I tried out mountain biking for the first time in seventh grade, but didn’t race until my third year. I grew to love being on the trail, watching every root and rock in the path, as well as the atmosphere created in the biking community. I want to share my passion with other girls. In my free time, I also play softball, violin, and study (a lot).

Coralie Jones

Highland Park/Saint Paul Composite
Grade 9

My name is Coralie. I started mountain biking through trail kids, and after two years of trail kids I joined the Highland Park/Saint Paul composite mountain bike team. I like Mountain biking because I love racing and challenging myself, and I wanted to be a GRRLS Ambassador so I could help get more girls on bikes.

Jules

Saint Paul Composite
Grade 7

I got into mtb through my family. My fav ice cream is probably vanilla. I like mtb because it’s a sport that is unique.

Jules

St. Croix Composite Hudson
Grade 8

My name is Elleny and I started mountain biking by doing a “Try It Out Day” with Girl Scouts. All of the other girls in my troop were scared but I loved mountain biking and decided to join the St. Croix Valley team. From my very first practice as a 6th grader, the older girls were so welcoming, kind and encouraging. I felt like a part of the team right away! This is my 3rd year on the team and I am excited to share my love of mountain biking with the new girls on our team and make sure that they feel welcome too! I live in Hudson, Wisconsin but my family and I travel part time in our RV. We’ve been to 29 states so far and have a goal to visit all of the National Parks. We bring our bikes along and enjoy exploring mountain bike trails across the country!

Jules

Burnsville MTB Team
Grade 10

My name is Greta and I got into biking in 6th grade when some friends told me to come to a try it out ride, and after I knew I had to join. At first I was really scared and a nervous rider but I kept practicing and it became one of my favorite things to do. I want to be an ambassador because I want to encourage girls who are scared to ride that they can accomplish anything they put their minds to! I want to continue riding for as long as possible as well as getting more girls on bikes! When I’m not biking I love to draw and go camping!

Jules

Hopkins
Grade 8

I got into mountain biking when I was about 7. My mom signed me up for trail kids and I immediately loved it. A few weeks later, I took her and her friend from Colorado mountain biking. My mom rode her hybrid bike for half off the ride, and a fat tire bike for the other half. As soon as we finished riding she went to buy a mountain bike. A couple years later, my sister started mountain biking, and she, like me and my mom, loved it almost immediately. My dad started mountain biking soon after my sister did, and we rode as a family all the time. The summer after 5th grade, I was doing trail kids with my friend when one of the coaches suggested that we both join our high school Mtb Teams. I did, and I loved it. The next year I got another friend to join, and I’m hoping that as a grrls ambassador I can help show more girls how awesome mountain inga biking is. My favorite ice cream flavor is either mint chocolate chip or cookie dough, and my favorite color is purple.

Greta Sundberg

Hudson, WI
Grade 9

Hi! I’m greta and I ride with the St. Croix Composite Team, for Hudson. This will be my 5th year biking and being on the team. When I first joined my team, in 6th grade, we had around 7 girls, and now our team has over 31 girls! I am going into my sophomore year of high school, and when I’m not in school (or biking), I am hanging out with my friends, reading, acting in DI (Destination Imagination) , listening to music, or doing just about anything involving art! I joined the girls team because throughout my life, and throughout history, women have been told that they can’t do many stereotypical “boy” things, including sports, and this can even be reflected in our girl to boy ratio today. I believe that the ambassadors can help change that, and help show that girls have a place in mountain biking.

Jules

St. Croix Composite Hudson
Grade 9

Hi my name is Hayden Kohn and I have been mountain biking for five and a half years now. I first got into biking when my dad got me my first mountain bike for my 8th but and asked if I was interested in joining a mountain bike team. At first I didn’t think I was going to stick with it, and continue pouring my heart into soccer, but I started to really love the sport and haven’t stopped practicing and wanting to ride since then. I really started to connect with biking after the first week or two of 6th grade with the new friends I made, and by the end of the year, we we’re all really close and now I have best friends in all grades, and some that go to school I’m river falls, Prescott, and Somerset. I wanted to become an ambassador mainly to get more involved with biking and meet new kids from other teams and help them feel comfortable with biking and try and get more girls into biking. Last but not least, I love sports, sloths, animal in general (I have a lot of pets) and you can never go wrong with French silk ice cream.

Jadah Kelly

NWC Wolves
Grade 12

My dad introduced me to mountain biking as a young kid. I’ve enjoyed mountain biking for several reasons. It is a great way to spend time with friends and family out in nature. I also have found it to be very therapeutic and calming! I wanted to be an ambassador again because I love watching this amazing sport continue to grow and want to be apart of that process encouraging others to try it out, especially females! I love to spend time traveling, being in the mountains, and eating pickles!

Jules

Hopkins
Grade 8

I am Josie S, I go to Hopkins and I am in 8th grade. I got into mountain biking during the pandemic, and decided to join my school team. I have loved mountain biking since then, and I also enjoy Nordic skiing.

St. Croix Composite River Falls
Grade 10

Hi, I’m Kate Nickleski. I got into mountain biking because of my dad. I like mountain biking because of the community, everyone is nice. It makes you feel like you belong. My absolute favorite flavor of ice cream is chocolate chip cookie dough! I want to be an ambassador because I want to help influence the younger generation of girls to bike.

Katerina Kostal

Mounds View
Grade 11

I started mountain biking about three years ago when my brother joined the team! I love mountain biking because it challenges me in a fun way, and I wanted to be an ambassador to be able to bring the amazing experience of this sport to other people! I’m really excited for this upcoming season!

Jules

Wayzata
Grade 10

Hi i’m Lexi Halvorson and I just love being a MCA GRRLS ambassador because of the connections you make with the mountain bike community. Also because it gives me a chance to impact a sport that I have loved my whole life. My love started for mountain biking when my parents first took me on a trail in first grade and has grown sense then. I’m excited to be coming back for another year the the MCA GRRLS ambassadors.

Jules

St.Croix Composite Hudson
Grade 9

I got into mountain biking by my dad who had always loved the sport. I love mountain biking not just to bike, but I love the competition and all the friends and family I have made from this sport. I wanted to become an ambassador so I could get more young girls into this amazing sport. Also for my life I want to either engineer or design and as for ice cream, you can never go wrong with moose tracks.

Molly

Stillwater, MN
Grade 12

Hello! My name is Molly and I ride with the Stillwater High School team and NCYD/Donkey Label. This season is my 6th year Mountain biking and I love the sport for all the wonderful people involved (and of course riding awesome trails as well)! I also really enjoy singing and music in general, and am looking forward to seeing so many new and returning female riders at MCA races. 😁🤘

Jules

Rock Ridge MTB Team
Grade 12

I am a Senior and a team captain on the Rock Ridge Mountain Bike team. Prior to the 2022 MTB season I had never mountain biked before. My best friend and I met at a local event where we got to talking and realized we had a lot of the same interests; eventually she mentioned the local MTB team that she was a member of. I bought a basic hard tail bike and joined the Rock Ridge MTB team last July. It was nice that I had already met some of my teammates from other adventures. Mountain Biking provides a way for me to be active and spend time in a beautiful environment with many of my closest friends who also love this sport as much as I do. I wanted to be an MCA GRRLS ambassador because we need more girls in all sports, but especially Mountain Biking. I love to help people thrive not only physically but also mentally – our wonderful sport provides the key to both of these things. Not only does this sport help people become physically active, but it also builds a supportive community that is diverse and accepting, which has a healthy effect on mental health as well. In the future I am planning on pursuing a degree in Outdoor Recreation and Education. I am working as a MTB instructor this summer and would love to become a coach down the road and help get even more kids riding!

Jules

Minnetonka
Grade 9

Tess Campion

Saint Paul Composite/Open World Learning Community
Grade 12

My name is Tess Campion and I have been racing for the past four years with St. Paul Composite where I am now a captain. I started biking at a young age with my family and would go on a lot of road rides with my dad and grandpa. I got into mountain biking through the Loppet Trail Kids program, but didn’t start racing until I was in 8th grade. I love biking because of the community around it and the opportunity it gives me to spend time outdoors. I also play ultimate frisbee, downhill ski, run track, and code on the robotics team at my school. In addition to mountain biking, I road bike with the Loon State Juniors. My favorite trail around the cities to ride at is Lebanon Hills, however I always like finding new trails wherever I am. I am excited to be a MCA GRRLS ambassador for 2023 and hope to encourage more girls to get on bikes.

Tiahna Goeke

Alexandria Area Youth Cycling (Mountaineers)
Grade 12

Hello all! My name is Tiahna and I have been mountain biking since I was a 7th grader. This sport has taught me a lot of lessons and has grown me immensely as an individual. It even allowed me to meet my best friend too! I hope to inspire you as well with all of my insight I have learned when you come see me at our tent 🙂 I am a senior this season so I am off to college next year. I enjoy the outdoors and biology, so I believe I will follow that pathway! I enjoy exploring and adventures so biking was a perfect fit for me. Enough about me, you seem pretty neat yourself! Stop by the tent sometime and we can learn even more about each other 🙂

Wren Galloway

Rock Ridge Composite
Grade 12

Hi! My name is Wren, and I am a senior high student from Virginia, Minnesota, about an hour north of Duluth. I started mountain biking around two years ago. I got into mountain biking when my high school started its first team, the Rock Ridge Composite. My favorite part of mountain biking is the rides in harsh conditions like snow and rain. I love riding on both smooth and rocky terrain. I have enjoyed my adventures and look forward to the many years ahead. I plan to attend college for a natural resources degree and join the school or local community mountain bike and Nordic ski clubs. Overall, I am super excited for future rides this year and can’t wait to see everyone race!

Julie Gujer

My name is Julie Gujer (coach Jules). I have been riding my bike for as long as I can remember. I did my 1st mountain bike race in 1999 (when I was 30) at the NORBA Nationals in Welch, MN, and I made it on the podium, which doesn’t say much since there were less than 10 women racing way back then. I have two-daughters Gabbi & Gracie who are my bike idols–how can kids ride soooo good? In my free time, I like walking my Golden Retriever Miela, exploring new mountain bike trails, and downhill skiing. I’m so excited to be part of the MCA GRRLS program and looking forward to seeing the program grow. Come find me at the MCA GRRLS tent at the races and get glitterized!

My name is Cathy McDonald. I have ridden a bike since I was 5 years old and did my first mountain bike race at age 39. Even though I thought at the time the race was super hard, as I had to walk up every hill, I loved it and was hooked. I have two boys that have graduated out of the MCA and now are on their own biking with friends for fun. I am super excited to help get more girls on bikes and explore racing. I also love camping, cooking or baking just about anything and gardening.

Programming

GRRLS Team-Pods

The MCA (MS) GRRLS Team-Pod concept was formed to increase female participation. Keeping middle school girls together helps extend their interest in mountain biking through high school and as a life-long sport. The program strikes a balance between fun, skill development, competition and viewing mistakes as opportunities to learn. It de-emphasizes winning, does not call girls out on their mistakes, and champions the “non-competitive” aspects of the program.

Moms on Bikes (MOB)

We know that girls motivate girls. What better way to motivate our MCA-GRRLS than to see more moms on bikes! Our MOB program allows moms from teams across the MCA to meet, ride together, and have fun while building confidence on the bike. During the season we will have MOB skills training and rides. After all, why should your daughter or son have all the fun?

MCA-GRRLS Tent at Races

Look for the MCA-GRRLS tent at each race in the infield. When you’re not racing come over and meet other girls, make crafts, learn bike skills, play games and just have fun. 

Ambassador Program

MCA-GRRLS Ambassadors are middle school and high school girls who are passionate about growing female participation in mountain biking. MCA-GRRLS will help raise awareness of the effort to #GetMoreGirlsOn Bikes and most importantly will be the local advocate and voice of what girls want out of the MCA-GRRLS program. Coaches can nominate female-student athletes or girls can apply themselves.

 

PERSONALITY TRAITS

  • Outgoing personality
  • Spirit of inclusivity
  • Desire to see others succeed just as much as (if not more than!) you do
  • Respect for self and others
  • PASSION for getting #moregirlsonbikes

DUTIES

MCA GRRLS ambassadors play an important role for their teams!

  • Identify potential team members in your school and community and encourage them to try it out.
  • Make an effort to greet, talk to and include all new team members.
  • Assist their coaches in teaching skills to female teammates as requested.
  • They are encouragers! They look for those teammates who may be struggling and encourage them in those areas where they may need help. 
  • They assist coaches with any other duties that they need help with. This may include planning team parties, race day warm-ups and social media management.
  • They assist in leading MCA GRRLS team/region/MCA rides.
  • They assist in planning and carrying out MCA GRRLS events on race-day such as volunteering at the MCA GRRLS tent and updating the MCA GRRLS social media feeds.

SKILLS
The skills that we aim to teach each MCA GRRLS ambassador include, but are not limited to:

  • Positivity
  • Organization & Planning
  • Communication & Teaching skills
  • Develop fundamental MTB skills throughout the season

AMBASSADOR BENEFITS

  • MCA GRRLS shirt to wear at MCA GRRLS events.
  • Being an MCA GRRLS Ambassador can count towards service hours
  • List MCA GRRLS Ambassador on your college resume or job applications

MCA GRRLS Ambassador Applications are open through June 30, 2023. Click here for the application.