The consistency of hard pedaling, the wind sailing through a head of hair, surrounding sights move so fast you can barely process what you have seen. These experiences embody biking for Katie Butler, special education teacher.
An activity her kids participated in grew to be a massive part of her life within the last four years.
“It started as a cheap sport that has now taken over our lives and we all love it,” she said.
She originally signed up to manage chocolate bar sales by the team to support a fundraiser. When both of her sons joined the program, Butler found herself a new home as a coach.
“I started biking 4 years ago when I originally signed up to be the chocolate bar mom, managing kids selling chocolate for a fundraiser. And when both my boys joined someone was like ‘Hey, you should coach now that both of your kids are here’,” Butler said.
Butler made note that as a coach encouragement and forming a good relationship with those being coached is important as teaching them the fundamentals.
“I ride with the newbies, so the kids who have biked before but not on a team. They may not know the terminology or how to hold brakes properly. I help them learn the things they need to know, but my favorite part is encouraging them when they ride. It’s cool to see how far they come from the first to last practice, even in one season.”
Butler and her children have established a new home within the team, spending lots of time and putting lots of effort into biking. In order to continue biking Butler must make needed adjustments such as managing a schedule that includes both teaching and biking.
Notably, Butler prefers summer riding over other conditions due to the fact that work is exempt.
“Summer is less stressful. I don’t have to go to work all day and come home and then change and go to practice, and I have time to stick around and get together with the team,” Butler said.
When thinking about how she feels when riding her bike with the team, she said, “You are in the middle of the woods, it’s relaxing. You are with nature and hear the trees. You can talk to other kids if you want to as well. Some days in the summer are super hot
and you are dripping with sweat, while in winter you have to bundle up. Sometimes, biking doesn’t go so smoothly. Everyone remembers falling off of their bike as a kid, but when riding through trails quickly, this can happen to the most experienced riders.”
Butler shared a memorable story of a time when she made a small mistake that led to a big consequence.
“In my first year coaching we were riding at Alpine Valley. I was riding with another coach, and I was at the back. My youngest (son) was in front of me as we made a tight turn, and I didn’t have my body positioned right so I went over the bars and my son was quick to notice. It
shakes you up, you have to get back up and get back into reality.”
But everyone makes mistakes, and many take mistakes as a lesson. Butler used this instance as reference for future riding for not only her but the kids as well.
Butler is extremely fond of the fact that biking is an activity in which everyone can participate, even including her parents.
“Biking has become our life; all three of my kids race. On vacation we somehow include biking, like last year we went to Florida and of course we had to rent bikes. It’s something we do as a family, it has become this whole family thing that even my parents participate in. It started as a cheap sport that has now taken over our lives and we all love it.”
