What makes sport valuable? The exercise? The time spent outside? The friends made? When it comes to cycling, all of these are considered benefits of the sport, but one of the greatest opportunities is building character and a strong sense of sportsmanship. It’s truly incredible, especially with the younger riders that grow up through cycling. A fantastic example of this is SPIN DEVO, a juniors club, that is establishing great values among youth riders.
Brooke Bailey, SPIN DEVO Co-founder, board member and coach, told us a little about the team saying, “As a part of SPIN DEVO, you are a part of a family. A family that motivates and encourages and a family that values life lessons beyond the podium. We believe that success is not only the Gold on an athlete's neck, but the process it takes to get to that moment. We trust the lessons we learn along the way and embrace that every situation, every race offers lessons to be learned. We support and celebrate each other. We are SPIN DEVO.”
We love knowing the kids are having such a great experience riding bikes, and to hear it directly from them is even better. Ana Swegle shared her side of things, regarding the team culture and her bike riding experience.
“The most important part of SPIN DEVO is the teammates. We each accomplish more as we work together. At practice, we encourage each other to work harder and develop our skills. Because of the friendships we have created, I want to go to practice and I enjoy going to races and hanging out. The SPIN DEVO team is very inviting, positive, encouraging and fun. I got into cycling because of my older brothers. They seemed to be having a lot of fun and I figured if they can do it so can I. It doesn’t matter if you are a boy or a girl, we all work together and support each other in SPIN DEVO.”
Swegle then went on to share a specific instance from the Jingle Cross Junior Devo Cup. It’s clear she has an impeccable sense of character and sportsmanship.
“I know what it feels like to have people pass me in a race. I feel so defeated and disappointed. It makes me want to give up. When I saw my younger teammate, he was exhausted and leaning over his bike at the base of Mount Krumpit. I didn’t want him to be left behind and feel like he doesn’t matter to the team. So, I convinced him to let me carry his bike, along with mine, up the steep hill alongside him. At that point, getting on the podium didn’t matter. When I see someone struggling I want to help them. Helping a teammate actually made me feel stronger in that situation and more energized to finish my race.”
Way to be, SPIN DEVO!
