Girls Moving Mountains

In Episode 8, we talk with Nevada North rider Zoey Oster. Zoey Oster, who is graduating high school this week, rode for Reno-Sparks Composite in Reno, Nevada. Zoey is also a part of Reno Devo, a non-profit junior cycling club that takes place in the spring and summer. Her uncle, Lane Swall, is the Team Director for the NICA team while her dad, Dan Oster, is a coach, and three of her cousins went through the Reno-Sparks team as well. In the fall, Zoey will be attending University of Nevada - Reno and plans to coach for Reno-Sparks Composite to help pass on her love for mountain biking to future student-athletes. Zoey will also be helping lead the Nevada North League’s GRiT program.

Zoey talks about how much NICA and mountain biking has enhanced her life. She has made some of her best friends, spent meaningful time with her family on event weekends and at practice, and learned how to challenge herself, both mentally and physically. Zoey also opens up about her struggles with anxiety and depression, something she learned more about from a crash that caused a concussion. Zoey has a wonderful support network, but she still sees a lot of value in being open about her struggles since she feels there are others in her position that might not know they aren’t alone. Coming from someone who is just graduating high school, Zoey is wise beyond her years. 

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.orgNikki Peterson is the League Director for the Nevada North League. Learn more about the Nevada North League here: www.nevadamtb.org

In episode 7, we have a meaningful conversation with Jess Cerra, who lives in Whitefish, CA. Years ago, Jess moved to San Diego to complete her Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology. While working in the lab on her thesis, she accidentally discovered that she had an “Olympic level” Vo2 max. Her professor introduced her to mountain biking and Xterra Triathlons, where she won an Ametuer National Championship. After surgery for iliac artery endofibrosis, Jess found herself on a road bike to gain back fitness. She stuck with the road bike, competed in  road races as a Cat 2 athlete, before getting her first Pro contract. To support her racing, she was also a personal chef and owned her own catering company called “Fit Food by Jess.” Eventually, Jess founded JoJé Bar, a certified gluten-free energy bar made with wholesome real-food ingredients. After years of building the company, she reached a point where she sold JoJé Bar to Alete Active Nutrition, where she is currently the Vice President of Product & Community Development. During this time, Jess started transitioning from Pro roadie to Pro gravel racer, with more focus on enjoyment than results. She and her partner, Sam, also moved back to her hometown in Whitefish, Montana. In 2021, she and Sam also created The Last Best Ride (TLBR), a community-driven gravel event that showcases their home in Whitefish. An important component of the TLBR is the scholarship program Jess has created, which awarded $21,000 to high school girls in her hometown. This year, the program has grown and expanded! This episode is inspiring as we learn one woman’s story about how hard work, self-belief, and a positive village can help meaningful projects, companies, and events come to life and flourish.

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Follow Jess Cerra on Instagram: @​jesscerra

Check out the Last Best Ride: https://www.thelastbestridemt.com/ 

Follow the Last Best Ride on Instagram: @thelastbestride

Buy JoJé Bars (our favorite is the Lemon Blueberry Quinoa): https://jojebar.com/collections/joje-bar

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org

Nikki Peterson is the League Director for the Nevada League. Learn more about the Nevada League here: www.nevadamtb.org

In episode 6, we talk with Amy Morrison, who lives in Carson City, NV. Growing up in the midwest and with two brothers, Amy has an interesting athletic background that ranges from barefoot skiing to collegiate pole vaulting. After graduating from Clemson University, she took a job in pharmaceutical sales that involved a lot of travel. Eventually she ended up in the NorCal and Northern Nevada Territory, bought a bike, and traveled to work meetings with a bike on the back of her vehicle. After her workday, she would get out on her bike and explore the area.  In a roundabout way, this led to Enduro racing. Amy discovered she had a talent right away and found herself on the podium in her very first races. She started racing more seriously while also making a career change to become a high school teacher. Amy has now won two National Championships in the Women’s Pro Enduro and raced at the highest level for Enduro, the Enduro World Series. In addition to teaching and racing, Amy started a NICA team at Dayton High School, a small high school in the Nevada League. She has worked to give kids the opportunity to discover the joy of mountain bikes while finding balance for herself in the teams laid back, lets-have-fun approach.  GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Follow Amy Morrison on Instagram here: @amymo_11

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org

Nikki Peterson is the League Director for the Nevada League. Learn more about the Nevada League here: www.nevadamtb.org

 

In episode 5, we talk with Melany Lowe, who lives in Columbus, Ohio. Melany has infectious energy! She enjoys riding mountain bikes, is a board member for the Central Ohio Mountain Bike Organization (COMBO),  and is a member of the Lady Gnar Shredders. While the team has historically had a large group of road bikers, Melany has helped build the mountain bike side of the program. She is also known for riding her hardtail down super gnarly enduro trails!

Through COMBO, Melany has created something called “Women Crush Weekends.” WCW is meant to create community and friendships within the state of Ohio and beyond. Since the episode was recorded, the first event at Mike’s Bike Park has taken place and was a huge success! In fact, Jen attended and had a great time. Talking with Melany was really inspiring and this episode shows how much of an impact a leader can have on a group. Jen and Melany are already making plans for the Lady Gnar Shredders and COMBO to get involved with the Ohio NICA League GRiT program!

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about COMBO here: https://www.combomtb.com

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org

Nikki Peterson is the League Director for the Nevada League. Learn more about the Nevada League here: www.nevadamtb.org

In episode 4 of season 2, we chat with Meagan Gehrke, who lives in Columbus, Ohio. Meagan is an ultra endurance cyclist who loves challenging herself with long rides that often include staying awake for many hours. Meagan currently holds the Cross Ohio W-E record, where she rode from the western end of the state to the eastern end. Meagan picked up the bug for long solo endurance efforts like this during the pandemic. We also talk with Meagan about how she found cycling in the first place and her positive experience with the Lady Gnar Shredders, an all-women’s cycling team that is based out of Columbus.  For work, Meagan is a manager for Rogue Fitness, a company that produces and sells strength and conditioning equipment. Meagan started on the operations line and quickly worked her way up to a management position. We talk with her about what it’s like to hold a leadership role in an industry that is traditionally male-dominated and why she feels so much pride in being the type of leader who treats everyone with respect. Lastly, we get to talk with Meagan about how she balances it all - work, workouts, record attempts, and time with her husband. This episode is very positive and its a conversation that we think listeners will really enjoy!

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org

Nikki Peterson is the League Director for the Nevada League. Learn more about the Nevada League here: www.nevadamtb.org

In Episode 3, we talk to Hailey Childress, the NICA NorCal League Program Manager. She began as a part-time employee while simultaneously working as a bike mechanic. Now, she has been hired on as a full-time employee with the league as they launch middle school racing in NorCal!

Hailey is very passionate about helping girls and women find mountain biking by creating an inviting and inclusive environment. She has helped found the GRiT program in NorCal and is the GRiT Coordinator. She is also on a local all-women’s team called Hello Mello Racing. Besides bikes, Hailey has a lot of other interests! One of her other passions is art. Hailey creates really rad paintings using the acrylic dutch pour method. Don’t know what that is? Don’t worry! She gives us a play-by-play as to how she creates these cool paintings.

We also talk with Hailey about what it’s like to be a female in the bike industry. While her experiences have generally been positive, there is good conversation around what it feels like to be a female mechanic in a male-dominated profession. This episode is awesome as it shows how Hailey is a well-rounded person with a spark for helping get #moregirlsonbikes!

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org

Nikki Peterson is the League Director for the Nevada League. Learn more about the Nevada League here: www.nevadamtb.org

In Episode 2, we catch up with Gilly and Lucy Millar. Gilly (10th grade), and Lucy (8th grade) are sisters who ride with the Missoula Mammoths in the Montana MTB NICA League. Their mother, Sarah, also happens to work on the NICA National staff so it’s truly a family affair! While both girls love being a part of NICA and racing cross country, they have also found other disciplines that they are passionate about, which is what this episode dives into.

Gilly found herself on the podium of every Montana League NICA race this year and even won a race! She battled with a teammate and had to learn the balance of friendship and competition. She gives valuable advice on how she has been able to do this. Gilly also has found a passion for cyclocross. In fact, Jen and Nikki got to cheer her on at Cyclocross Nationals in Wheaton, Illinois in the junior girls race!

Lucy won her first Montana NICA race of the season and found herself on the podium at her other races. In the Montana league, the 8th grade girls is one of the larger fields. This year, Lucy has joined the Ride Montana Racing, a youth enduro development team based out of Missoula. She is the only girl on the squad, but she feels highly supported by her teammates and coaches. This episode highlights the commonality of NICA between two sisters who have also found their own passions in other disciplines.

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.orgNikki Peterson is the Program Coordinator for the SoCal League. Learn more about the SoCal League here: http://www.socaldirt.org

In Episode 1, we talk with Liv Cycling racer Kaysee Armstrong. The conversation starts with Kaysee telling us about running and hiking the Rim2Rim2Rim in the Grand Canyon on Winter Solstice, an adventure she had finished the day before the recording alongside her fiancé. The conversation is the perfect starter as it embodies Kaysee: a lover of all things endurance and adventure!

We also talk about Kaysee’s racing in 2021 as well as her goals for 2022, which includes the Lifetime Grand Prix series. Kaysee has been on the Liv Factory team for years and has seen a lot of success with many podiums at high level races. What she enjoys most about the Liv team, however, is that they value her beyond racing and that they work endlessly to help get more girls and women on bikes. Cycling has impacted Kaysee’s life in such a positive way and she works hard to help spread the joy so that others can have a similar experience. Lastly, we talk about the youth cycling team she helped found and is still involved with in Knoxville, Tennessee. This episode is fun, cheerful, energetic, and really positive!

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Follow Kaysee on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaysodip/

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org

Nikki Peterson is the Program Coordinator for the SoCal League. Learn more about the SoCal League here: http://www.socaldirt.org

In Episode 22, we have a fun and insightful conversation with newly-retired NICA Arkansas League Director, Kyla Templeton, and NICA Montana League Director and Olympian, Sam Schultz. The NICA League Directors from around the country met at the Trek Headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin in the beginning of November to inspire, collaborate, and connect with one another. During that time, Kyla’s curiosity led to some fun conversations with Sam about the Olympics, starting the Montana League, paragliding, and more. We decided to follow those conversations up with a podcast so our listeners could enjoy the fun energy and stories!

Kyla Templeton co-founded the NICA Arkansas League in 2016. She was the league director until recently, when she stepped down to pursue a new business with Nat Ross called Bike School Bentonville. Kyla is a passionate woman who lights up the room with her lightheartedness and funny jokes. Through incredible leadership, Kyla has built an amazing team of volunteers in Arkansas, which has seen incredible growth in recent years. The league also has a thriving GRiT program. Kyla has a husband, two sons, and an elderly dish-cleaning dog named Pilgrim. 

Sam Schultz is an Olympian and the co-founder of the NICA Montana League, which was founded in 2019. Montana’s first season saw them as the largest first-year NICA league to date and the league continues to grow, even through the pandemic. Montana’s GRiT program is also strong with a group of women, including Sam’s mom, who have nurtured the program into something special. Sam is humble about his racing accomplishments, including the Olympics, where he finished 15th in the XCO race. While we don’t talk much about his racing, we do get a post-race story out of him thanks to a tip from the Maryland League. Sam has a pup that he rescued from a burning dump in Mexico named Pancho, who is also an avid mountain biker!

This episode shows the power of connecting positive, passionate people and how impactful it can be. It also shows that while NICA certainly changes kid’s lives, it can be equally as life-changing for adults. This is our season finale and we could not be more proud to end it on such a high note!

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Watch Jeff Kendall-Weed’s video called, “The Incredible Story of How Sam Schultz is Building Montana’s MTB Future” here: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-and-photo-story-jeff-kendall-weed-on-how-olympian-sam-schultz-built-montanas-nica-league.html

Learn more about Bike School Bentonville here: https://bikeschoolbentonville.com

Jen Malik (@jenemal) is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org

Nikki Peterson (@nikki_jo_peterson) is the Program Coordinator for the SoCal League. Learn more about the SoCal League here: http://www.socaldirt.org

COPYRIGHT © NICA 2021

In Episode 21, we talk with MacKenzie Steiner, who goes by Mac. Mac has been racing since she was 12 years old. She joined the SoCal League when she was in seventh grade and also raced on a women’s road team. MacKenzie is now a junior at the Air Force Academy.

Recently, MacKenzie became a National Champion by winning the USA Cycling Collegiate Club Mountain Bike race in Durango, CO. The conditions were epic with snow, mud, and ice throughout the entire course! Mac found herself in 12th place early in the race. With persistence, a little luck, and a never-give-up mindset, she ended up making her way to the front of the race. This was her first National Championship win! 

Mac has a great outlook about balancing school, cycling, rugby, and having a social life. She also gives advice to student-athletes returning to in-class school after the uncertainty of the pandemic. She also talks to us about how she chose the Air Force Academy and why it is such a good fit for her.

GMM is funded by NICA National with support from Rapha Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and Continental Tires. Also, the folks at The Gravel Lot, another wonderful podcast, have spent countless hours helping us!

Learn more about NICA, GRiT, and getting #morekidsonbikes and #moregirlsonbikes here: https://www.nationalmtb.org

Jen Malik is the League Director for the Ohio League. Learn more about the Ohio League here: https://www.ohiomtb.org\

Nikki Peterson is the Program Coordinator for the SoCal League. Learn more about the SoCal League here: http://www.socaldirt.org