Olivia Mitchell couldn’t ride a bike at all when she arrived at the Williamsburg Indoor Sports Complex one morning last fall. Just three hours later, she was pedaling solo in the parking lot.
And that’s not all: the 6-year-old also had three new friends — all girls she’d never met before — cheering her on.
Olivia, who lives in James City County, was an early local participant in Girls in Gear, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that launched a Williamsburg chapter in 2022. The organization, which uses cycling to nurture social and emotional skills in girls ages 6 to 16, is now gearing up for spring sessions.
“We’d been trying for months to get Olivia to ride,” said Alison Mitchell, Olivia’s mother. “I think having that camaraderie with other girls was really powerful for her. There were some falls and scratches and tears, but they all just came together and faced the challenge.”
“We said, ‘girl power!'” Olivia added excitedly. “I can ride by myself now. It feels awesome.”
Girls in Gear was established in 2019 by Gabrielle Rossi, an avid biker in Montclair, New Jersey. The group became a nonprofit in 2021 and has grown to 65 locations in Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Washington, D.C., area.
Williamsburg was the first site in southeastern Virginia and has hosted eight-week programs and single-day events. The group plans to expand to Richmond this year and eventually extend down to Virginia Beach.
During small-group sessions, coaches teach girls about road safety and bike maintenance while planning games, activities and conversations that promote self-confidence, resiliency, fitness, positive body image and kindness toward others.
The program is non-competitive and open to riders of all levels, with bikes and helmets provided if needed. Girls are divided by age and encouraged to share common concerns, such as struggling to make friends or focus at school.
“The girls really start listening and opening up to each other,” said Alishia Pretlow, Eastern Virginia program director for Girls in Gear. “I think the bike is a great tool for teaching because it’s very therapeutic. It’s freeing. Riding just makes people feel good.”
Pretlow also can relate to total beginner’s anxiety: she didn’t learn to ride a bike until two years ago, at age 34. She later joined an organization called Black Girls Do Bike, which led her to connect with Rossi on social media.
“Some girls come in with their heads down, all timid and shy, and it’s amazing to see them change and grow,” Pretlow said. “By the second week, if one girl falls, the others are running over and making sure she’s OK and encouraging her to get back up.”
The first installment of Girls in Gear in Williamsburg was organized by Loretta Troen, a volunteer with the Bicycle Co-Op of Williamsburg, in spring 2022. Two girls and two coaches participated. By last fall’s session, numbers had grown to 14 girls and seven coaches.
This spring, the program will add yoga and mindfulness to its curriculum, Pretlow said. The chapter also has formed partnerships with James City County Parks & Recreation and the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation to plan events year-round, and has signed up to help maintain a mile-long section of the Capital Trail.
No-pressure activities are important for kids given the spread of electronic devices, highly competitive club sports and the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, noted Mitchell, a teacher at Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School.
At Olivia’s event, Rossi traveled to Virginia to show beginning bikers how to scoot and balance without using pedals before adding their pedals back on. Olivia also learned how to check her bike tires and adjust her helmet for a proper fit. Her mom, meanwhile, discovered that helmets have expiration dates due to interior plastic foam breaking down.
“It gave her a new sense of independence,” Mitchell said. “I think a lot of families are looking for fun outdoor activities to do together, and biking is perfect. It was a special day.”
On Christmas Day, Olivia got a special present from her parents: a dark pink bike that she frequently rides in her neighborhood. Next up for ditching the training wheels will be Olivia’s 3-year-old little sister Eloise.
What will Olivia say if Eloise takes a fall?
“It’s OK. Try again.”
READY TO PEDAL?
Signups will begin March 1 for the spring session of Girls in Gear, an eight-week program that begins April 22. Meetings will be held Saturday mornings at D.J. Montague Elementary School for ages 5 to 7 and 8 to 12, and at Chickahominy Riverfront Park for ages 13-plus. All skill levels are welcome. Sessions cost $85 per person, but financial assistance is available if needed. The nonprofit also is recruiting coaches. For more information or to register or volunteer, visit www.girlsingear.org or contact Alishia Pretlow at alishia@girlsingear.org.
Alison Johnson, ajohnsondp@yahoo.com
