Friendships that Last a Lifetime
Team Co-Director Lauren Kress is all about community
When Lauren met her now husband and stepson, she was a marathon runner, not a cyclist. “The boys would do two Hoot laps and I would do one (running),” she said. “It sounded more fun to ride with them.” Determined to give biking a try, Lauren attended a YBONC Women’s mountain biking clinic, and was immediately hooked. She has been riding for eight and a half years now, and she started coaching the Miners MTB team five years ago. For the past two years, she has acted as the team’s 501c3 Secretary and Co-director. She manages registration and paperwork, plans lodging and camping for the races, communicates with the parents and athletes, and acts as the team liaison for the community/YBONC/middle school teams.
Watching the student athletes progress from middle school to highs school and beyond has been extremely satisfying for Lauren, but it is the community that keeps her inspired and motivated to do everything she does for the team. She is still riding with the women she met in her first mountain biking clinic, and she attends the clinic now as a coach. “I’ve gained so many new friends and relationships, both on personal and professional levels,” she said. “I get a sense of fulfillment spending time with so many different kinds of people in different walks of life, and you all have mountain biking in common.”
Lauren encourages anyone who is interested to try coaching with the team: “We need as many coaches as possible – the more coaches we have, the more riders we can attract,” she said. “We need all levels of coaches because we have all levels of riders. She emphasizes that the group is very welcoming, and potential coaches should not be intimidated – especially female riders. The Miners MTB team is making a special effort to get more girls and women on bikes this year. “You don’t have to be competitive, you don’t have to race, you don’t have to go fast if you don’t want to,” said Lauren. “You will make friendships that last a lifetime – the bike is the facilitator for the friendship. It’s not always about racing, it’s about the camaraderie.” When she isn’t helping the team, Lauren can be found … on her bike! And also, spending time with her dog, friends, and family, or maybe exploring cemeteries.
