Vermont Youth Cycling
Empowering the next generation of riders
Photos and text by VMBA Ambassador Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike.” John F. Kennedy
Mountain biking is fun. But it can also be a gateway to confidence, community, and competition. For young cyclists in our state Vermont Youth Cycling (VTYC) provides the opportunity to develop athletic skills, build lasting friendships, and embrace the outdoors. VTYC was founded in 2018 to provide a friendly and inviting mountain bike racing league for young people in Vermont. “We’ve grown steadily every year and are committed to continually improving the experience for kids, coaches, and families.” says Executive Director Rachel Cohen. “For example, in 2023 we expanded our offerings beyond races to include skills clinics in new communities and for girls and non-binary riders. In 2024 we served 347 youth riders!” This past season featured cross-country races at Ascutney, Craftsbury Outdoor Center and Kingdom Trails and enduro events at Woodstock and Cochran’s.
There are currently about sixteen teams participating in VTYC events. They represent schools and clubs across the state and into New Hampshire. The newest team is the Central Vermont Trailblazers which formed in 2024. The team’s head coach and organizer is Jess Oparowski. “Last fall, my son Carter raced as an independent and I was so blown away and moved as a parent seeing how amazing all the kids on every team were. They were all welcoming and enthusiastic and had such great energy. I wanted to bring this opportunity to the kids in Central Vermont to be a “Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike.” part of a team. So after brainstorming with some of the other adults, we made it happen,” says Oparowski. “We had 35 kids register to be on the team and at our biggest race we had 21 kids racing. It’s amazing to hear that kids are already eager for next year.”
Another driving force behind the Trailblazers was parent Arthur Foelsche. “Jess and I had been scheming about it ever since her son started doing VTYC races as an independent,” says Foelsche. “Our community used to have regular mountain bike racing- Onion River had races up at Morse Farm and later at Millstone. It was amazing to see so many kids on the start line- kids who have become extremely accomplished riders- who got the chance to ride and race with their peers and be a part of a really supportive community. It feels like central Vermont has been missing that kind of space where kids could grow and learn as riders in a safe, encouraging community. VTYC has opened up a space to grow our local community of riders and provide opportunities that a lot of these kids haven’t had access to. I wanted to help build Trailblazers because when I was a kid, my bike meant freedom, and I hope that we can bring that same feeling to central Vermont youth.”
Many of the kids involved in the team learned about it from Tristan von Duntz who runs an after-school and summer bike camp called Time to Ride. “I’ve always believed that bikes make better people,” says von Duntz. “Riding bikes is much more than just riding, it’s a way to be outside building skills, trails and community. It’s also just a lot of fun to ride bikes and build trails, especially with young hungry riders! The VTYC provides more opportunities for young people to ride and helps build a stronger MTB community.”
Parent Margaret Campbell, of Marshfield, was one who came to the team through von Duntz. “(My son) Mac has been doing the Time to Ride camps with Tristan the last couple years. We heard about the Trailblazer team through Tristan and were very excited that there was going to be a race team for Central Vermont.” For such a young team, the Trailblazers have some powerhouse adults involved. Men’s cross-country mountain bike racer Pavel Cherkasov, who competed in the 2000 summer Olympics for Russia, has a child on the team and has been coaching all season. Phil Parrish, a veteran racer for Bicycle Express, has also been offering his wisdom to the young team.
Another parent with a child on the team is Rick Monk of Montpelier, who’s son Sam Lindberg is in the 5th grade. “Sam started riding a cargo bike with us when he was one year old,” says Monk. “He started riding a balance bike probably at age 2 or so. We moved to Montpelier in 2017 when Sam was 4 and we started exploring the mountain bike trails in the area while Sam was still on a balance bike. He soon started riding a pedal bike and was pedaling Blueberry Lake in Warren. The best part of the Trailblazers has been seeing the kids being together and having fun, supporting each other, challenging one another by trading tricks, and loving every minute of it. We also had a lovely time meeting and getting to know other parents and the coaches and spending time with them at races. Jess and her partners have really stood up an amazing program for year one, centered as much around community as riding and racing.”
“The team has built a connection between kids from different schools and different towns where they can get together and share their passion for mountain biking and having fun,” says coach Oparowski. “We’ve taken them to a number of different trail systems in central Vermont so they can get a feel for different trail systems. It’s been awesome to watch friendships being built.” The team held regular practices at networks such as the North Branch Trails in Montpelier, Millstone Trails in Barre Town, Butterfield Trails in East Montpelier, the Shaw Outdoor Center trails in Northfield and other nearby riding spots.
In addition to races, in 2023 the VTYC added skills clinics in new communities and specific events for girls and non-binary riders. This past summer the Trailblazers hosted a skills clinic with Christsonthy Drellos, from Blue Sky MTB. Riders from numerous teams attended the all-day event and received coaching on cornering, jumping, bike handling, race preparation, bike maintenance and other topics.
One of the most successful racers on the Trailblazers squad this season was 16-year old Rheia Schall, who raced in the girls Cat A class. Schall, who works part time at Onion River Outdoors in Montpelier, learned to ride a bike at age 5 and started racing at age 7. “I got involved with the Trailblazers when Tristan Von Duntz reached out to see if I wanted to race more locally,” says Schall. He said it was an opportunity to help encourage more young female riders to come out and race. There weren’t many girls in central Vermont riding bikes so it gave me a chance to try and help more girls get into biking and love it just as much as I do. My favorite thing about this year is that no matter what, everyone showed up rain or shine and tried their best. Whether that was bringing food to races or bringing extra chairs for kids after the races, everyone contributed in a way which was truly amazing to see.”
Executive Director Rachel Cohen thinks the best thing about youth cycling in Vermont is the positive community and strong displays of sportsmanship seen at every event. “This year we gave out ten sportsmanship awards but had well over ten nominees because kids are just so awesome to each other! We want to be a space where everyone, especially new-comers to the sport, feels safe to push themselves in friendly competition. We prioritize having fun, being kind and respectful. At our races you’ll hear racers cheering for different teams and embracing on the finish line.”
The future looks bright for youth mountain biking. The league has support from numerous partners including VMBA, Concept 2. Brownsville Butcher & Pantry, Bivo, Camp Kiki, Omer and Bob’s, the Moriah Wilson Foundation, Early Literacy Labs and Bicycle Express. For next year Cohen says they are expecting to offer a spring scrimmage and then a five-race series including cross-country and enduro events. “ In 2025 we hope to get participation from riders in parts of the state we don’t yet serve, like the Rutland area and southern Vermont. Additionally we’d like to host more training sessions for coaches, and especially female coaches.” Says Cohen.
While races are certainly a component of the VTYC program, the primary focus is on individual growth, skill development, and fostering a love for cycling. Riders are encouraged to set personal goals and improve at their own pace, whether they are beginners or more experienced athletes. Racer Rheia Schall sums it up nicely: “When I started there weren’t a lot of kids biking. I can’t think of another kid in my class that biked like I did. I am just so excited to see the next generation of kids growing up loving biking as much as I did at their age. Growing up biking, it becomes a big part of you. It has made a huge impact in my life. Sometimes all you need is two wheels and a couple hours, rain or shine. Biking just clears your mind.”
Thanks to kids like Rheia, the future of our sport appears to be in good hands.