WHEN DO WE RIDE?

 

Rides begin on Sunday May 26th from 2:00-4:00pm and run for ten weeks – always on Sundays

 

COME JOIN US

 

  • A ‘Pay What You Can‘ program, open to all ages 11-14.
  • Safe space for youth to develop a positive relationship with cycling.
  • Creating the foundation for a youth cycling community in Sarnia Lambton.
  • Goal of the program is to provide more opportunities for youth to get active.

 

ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING:

 

  • Custom Tee shirt
  • Two Bus Trips (One to the Pinery and one to the London Velodrome)
  • Participation in Special Events (i.e. Canada Day & our BIG Slow Roll)
  • String Bag
  • Water Bottle
  • Weekly Snack
  • Sunscreen
  • Helmet/Bike for the ride (as needed)

 

WHERE DO WE RIDE?

 

All rides start & finish @ Strangway Center – 260 East Street N, Sarnia

For weekly routes, see our calendar. Subject to change due to road work.

 

 

BACKGROUND/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

The genesis of “Youth Spokes” was a program that BIG ran in 2020 in conjunction with the Lambton Kent District School Board. It was virtual over three weeks with 4000+ students participating. The enjoyment, participation and feedback prompted BIG to develop the Youth Spokes program.

 

This year’s Youth Spokes program will run for 10 Sundays starting May 26th and ending July 28th between the hours of 2 and 4 pm. Youth Spokes will have 8-10 Leaders and a number of assistants to help teach the skills required to explore on two wheels and stay safe while doing so. It will provide an opportunity to develop self confidence and self-reliance to allow youth to experience the freedom granted by a bicycle and the integration of healthy activity into everyday life.

 

The Youth Spokes curriculum will be structured to serve multiple Sarnia Lambton Public Schools and organizations and will a focus on:

 

  • Teaching the five basic rules of the road for cycling
  • Bike handling
  • Basic bike maintenance
  • Trail Riding
  • Exploring the city and county safely
  • Creating a youth community support system
  • Having fun

 

Youth Spokes has procured a fleet of over 20 bikes and helmets for this program for any youth needing a bike/helmet to participate.

 Program Made Possible Through Generous Donations From:

 Youth Spokes Leaders

Jordan Colquhoun is a local entrepreneur in the renovation and construction industry.  He has been an avid cyclist, mountain biker, adventurer and he is always looking to be in the outdoors.  He loves working with youth and giving them opportunities to expand their minds and experiences.

A mainstay in the local cycling scene, Mike Fitzjohn’s passion for bikes began as a youth riding at our local bike/skate park bowl. When not at home or at work he can be hard to pin down as his passion for cycling takes him from daily cycling commutes to work, riding singletrack, to multi-day, self-supported bike-packing adventures. Mike is thrilled to once again to give back to the community by being a part of the Youth Spokes program for a second season.

Michelle is a local psychotherapist with more than 17 years of experience working in children’s and youth mental health. She has been active in all kinds of sports and exercise since early childhood and has more recently begun participating and training in endurance sports like tri-athalons. She loves outdoor adventures and is passionate about promoting both the physical and mental health benefits of nature, movement, and connection, especially among young people.

Victoria (Vic) Racine played basketball at Fanshawe College in London and completed her degree in architecture from Ontario College of Art & Design University.  Since returning to Sarnia she has been volunteer coaching and working as a project manager – mostly overseeing all the new construction happening at Lambton College.  She has been very active her whole life but more recently has been getting into cycling. Vic loves working with youth and is a talented young coach who is a great addition to our team.

Kendel Ross played basketball professionally overseas in Portugal and Spain as well as with various levels of the Canadian Women’s Natonal team program (2002-2014). She competed at the University of Dayton (NCAA D1) where she completed her master’s degree in health sciences. Since returning to Sarnia she has been high performance and wellness coaching as well as teaching at Lambton College. She is a certified nutrition coach and started Growth Mindset Co (www.growthmindsetco.ca) offering customized coaching services. Her most favourite thing is helping people accomplish things they didn’t know they were capable of. In her free time, you can find Kendel on a bike or hiking in the woods.

Jake Simrak was born and raised in Sarnia, Ontario. He went to St Patrick’s Catholic High School and graduated from the Child and Youth Care program at Lambton College. Jake is enrolled in the University of Windsor’s Bachelor of Social Work Program starting September, 2024. He is a supervisor at the new activity centre in downtown Sarnia called Weir Active funded by the Mike Weir Foundation. He has been active through numerous sports including football, basketball, volleyball and has also played soccer competitively since he was 8 years old with Galladev’s United. Jake is a recreational cyclist and loves working with the youth in the community to help them to experience how beneficial being active is to the body and mind.

Mya Williams is a 20 year old Sarnia local who loves all things on two wheels. Her love for bike riding stems from her childhood, having two parents who certainly encouraged riding as a means of transportation and fitness. That love grew with age and now Mya has started to learn the ropes of being a bike technician. Now working at Blackwell Cycle, you can find her feeding her lust for learning, and certainly getting her hands dirty. Whilst setting goals and spreading advocacy for more inclusivity and diversity within the cycling community, Mya tries to remind others that cycling is not just a competitive sport, but for everyone regardless of age, gender, capability, and of course your average speed.

More Leader Bio’s to come!