THANKS FOR ANOTHER AMAZING YEAR!

THE MAJORITY OF OUR ACTIVITIES HAVE COME TO AN END FOR 2022
Check out this issue of the MiSCA Update to learn what's going on around the league, congratulate our state champions, see how you can remain active, and more!

Forward

Tell us how the year went

Start the 2022 Survey!

Thankful for another amazing year!
Executive Director's Message

First, apologies on taking my time to get a post-series MiSCA Update out to the presses. It's been a busy year, and I seemed to be missing key information each time I sat down to work on the newsletter, so thank you for your patience 🙏 and to everyone that helped with photos.

What an amazing season 2022 turned out to be.

More kids than ever (1,143) rode bikes with MiSCA. These kids have grit! Riding in whatever conditions we and mother nature threw at them. Thank you to the amazing parents for raising these awesome kids, bringing them to practice, and standing in the cold/rain ringing that cowbell for every rider that comes by - you make MiSCA special! This extends to the sportsmanship and friendships formed among riders, even from different teams. Everyone cheers on everyone and celebrates together.
More coaches than ever (518) got certified with MiSCA. These coaches never cease to amaze me. We (finally) introduced a new coaching curriculum and had 234 participants attend our new training clinics - that's nearly 1,000 hours. These coaches are also responsible for starting new clubs/teams and BRAVE programs in their communities - just amazing!
We again had 6 races spread throughout the state, visiting 1 new venue, reintroducing 2 we hadn't seen since 2018, and returning to 3 favorites. I know our series ends at Race #6, but it felt like a MiSCA race watching the podiums at Iceman! Congratulations to our students and coaches on their stellar performances. And I know we were all excited to see Alexey back atop the pro podium. What a great conclusion to the XC season.

The Meyer family has a lot to celebrate this year, but we had to add one more deserved win. At Lakeshore Park, Tina Meyer received the 2022 Founder's Award (our top honor) surrounded by girls and coaches from BRAVE. This award recognizes your role as one of the most significant catalysts for getting more girls on bikes within the MiSCA community and beyond. Thanks to your enthusiasm, experience, and admirable skills as a coach and rider, BRAVE is now a growing movement throughout the state that tells girls they have a voice in the sport of mountain biking. Thank you and congratulations, Tina!

I also need to thank the amazing MiSCA Staff and Board. While MiSCA isn't possible without parents believing in our programs, coaches giving their time and skills to mentor our riders, and a ton of team and race day volunteers, we couldn't coordinate and evolve our programs, plan and run races, or "keep the lights on" without the amazing group of volunteer-adjacent folks we call staff. They put in countless hours throughout the year, then show up on race weekends to implement it all. It often feels like it to us, but MiSCA is not anyone's full-time job - I'm beyond grateful to work with this group!

learn more about the staff by visiting miscabike.org/leadership#staff

PLEASE COMPLETE THE POST-SEASON SURVEY. This is your chance to give us ideas and I guarantee that your feedback will be considered as we begin making decisions for next year. If you are a parent or coach reading this, please encourage your student-riders to complete the survey as well. This survey focuses on MiSCA overall, so if you have feedback about racing, please check your email for the post-race surveys that were sent following each event. If you're interested in getting more involved, we're in need of people to join committees, the Board, annual staff, and race staff. You can apply by completing the Volunteer Background and Application online. Please also email Sean to discuss how you'd like to help!

COMPLETE THE 2022 PROGRAM SURVEY

Update on Fundraising - 80% to goal

We made significant progress on our budget and recent projections show us finishing the year in a stronger position than anticipated. That's thanks greatly to the show of support we've seen from our community! Remember, we have a dollar-for-dollar pledge to match the first $6,000 received through the end of the year. That means, every donation is doubled - if you donate $50, your donation will automatically be matched, and MiSCA will receive $100!

We're currently at $9,700 of our goal is to raise $12,000 before the end of the calendar year. That's roughly 80% of our goal with a little over a month remaining. We can't let the remaining matching funds go to waste - the next $1,150 will be matched at 100% to reach our goal!

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT - DONATE TODAY!

MiSCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and your donation is tax deductible. Please consider donating today and, together, we can ensure MiSCA's mission continues long into the future.

Don't forget to check your employer to see if they also match donations or donate to nonprofits if you submit volunteer hours. For example, some employers will match up to $1,000 in cash donations, while GM is a popular local employer that has a Dollars for Doers program to donate up to $500 to match your volunteer hours.

Thanks again for an amazing 2022! We're really excited heading into 2023.

SEAN WARREN
Executive Director

STAY CONNECTED ALL YEAR LONG
Join the MiSCA Mom's Group on Facebook. It's open to all parents (yes Dads too) and coaches to stay connected, buy/sell outsized MTB-related items, ask questions, and share pictures.
~ Join Today! ~

Check out the highlight video from State Championship Sunday!

Presented by:

Cycletherapy 2022 MiSCA Lakeshore Park Race

Thanks to Bryan Mitchell Photography for capturing this awesome video!
Bryan does senior portraits too!

Be featured on the Michigan Ride Calendar

The League of Michigan Bicyclists is thinking about a ride calendar cover design that features Michigan bicyclists of all kinds, in a big photo collage like the example above. If you'd like to potentially be part of it, send a portrait photo of yourself wearing a bike helmet and looking at the camera to info@lmb.org with the subject "Ride Calendar cover photo" by Dec. 1, 2022. They plan to pick about 20-40 photos for a collage that shows the full spectrum of people who bike in Michigan.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Your top 3 finishers of the D&D Bicycles 2022 MiSCA Race Series
Individual Results [PDF] Team Results [PDF] All Results [WEB]

Varsity Female
1. Elizabeth DeFauw, Brighton Composite
2. Nya Caldwell, Huron Valley United
3. Anabel Miller, West Michigan Coyotes

Listen to Anabel on Bike Life with Rob as she discusses getting into the sport and her experience at MTB Nationals earlier this year.

Varsity Male
1. Jonathan Meyer, Lake Orion Schools
2. Hunter Post, Brighton Area Schools
3. Hunter Bell, Brighton Area Schools

Read Jonathan's Team Athletic Mentors blog about his experience at Camp and MTB Nationals in Colorado earlier this year.

Junior Varsity Female
1. Katja Opfer, Rochester HS (United)
2. Abigail Weaver, Rochester HS (United)
3. Finley Decubber, Orange Krush

Junior Varsity Male (11-12th grade)
1. Nick Navetta, Rochester HS (United)
2. Haydon Frehr, West Michigan Coyotes
3. Evan Wilson, Huron Valley United

Junior Varsity Male (9-10th grade)
1. Elijah Garris, Huron Valley United
2. Austin Rossetti, Huron Valley Composite
3. Drake Marine, West Michigan Coyotes

Advanced Middle School Female
1. Miriam Bretzlaff, Orange Krush
2. Olivia Pobocik, Brighton Area Schools
3. Ashley Cranston, Brighton Area Schools

Advanced Middle School Male
1. Kash Adamski, Rochester HS (United)
2. Oswald Tobiczyk, Huron Valley United
3. Jayden Werth, Orange Krush

Congratulations to Kash on also competing in track nationals, taking 1st in the Madison earlier this month and 3rd in the Omnium back in July!

Novice Female (9-12th grade)
1. Ashley Reberg, Northville High School
2. Marley Simpson, Brighton Area Schools
3. Ayla Campbell, Huron Valley United

Novice Male (10-12th grade)
1. Tyler Houston, Lake Orion Schools
2. Devon Gross, Lake Orion Schools
3. Colin Denby, Northville High School

Novice Male (9th grade)
1. Mitchell Cory, Brighton Area Schools
2. Kevin Morgan, Lake Orion Schools
3. Eagan Greene, Orange Krush

Novice Female (6-8th grade)
1. Aurora Williams, Rochester HS (United)
2. Samantha Rogers, Wheels In Motion
3. Analise Potsander, NE Indiana Trailblazers

Novice Male (8th grade)
1. Logan Smith, Rochester Raptors
2. Caleb Carnwath, Rochester Raptors
3. Trevor Abramczyk, Rochester Raptors

Novice Male (7th grade)
1. Henry Wert, West Michigan Coyotes
2. Liam Hyde
3. Joseph Bilderbeck, Lake Orion Schools

Novice Male (6th grade)
1. Tristan Hubbard, West Michigan Coyotes
2. Ryker Schultz
3. Logan Carnwath, Rochester Raptors

Advanced Elementary Female
1. Reese Drajka, West Michigan Coyotes
2. Samantha Weaver, West Michigan Coyotes
3. Joanie Crane, Huron Valley United

Congratulations to Reese on her Slush Cup finish - she was the fastest female overall (all ages)!

Advanced Elementary Male
1. Sawyer Kollien, Huron Valley United
2. Francesco D'Anna, Rochester Raptors
3. Tyler Pokowski, Rochester Raptors

Upper Elementary Female
1. Laila Hubbard, West Michigan Coyotes
2. Molly Tallent, Rochester Raptors
3. Elsa Opfer, Rochester Raptors

Upper Elementary Male
1. Dante Morales-Zozaya, Rochester Raptors
2. Austin Loeffler, Rochester Raptors
3. Alexander Malone, Rochester Raptors

Lower Elementary Female
1. Julia Babicheva, Lake Orion Schools
2. Amelia Zoschnick, Lake Orion Schools
3. Vivian Dobrin, Orange Krush

Lower Elementary Male
1. Bryson Evans, SW Mich ThunderCats
2. Ryan Lidgey, Lake Orion Schools
3. James Broughton, West Michigan Coyotes

High School Composite Team
1. West Michigan Coyotes
2. Rochester HS (United)
3. Orange Krush

High School Scholastic Division 1 Team
1. Brighton Area Schools
2. Huron Valley United
3. Lake Orion Schools

High School Scholastic Division 2 Team
1. Northville High School
2. Detroit Country Day

Middle School Composite Team
1. Orange Krush
2. Huron Valley United
3. Brighton Area Schools

Elementary Composite Team
1. West Michigan Coyotes
2. Rochester Area Raptors
3. Huron Valley United

Upcoming Dates to Remember

December 31: Last Day to Double Your Impact (with $6,000 matching donation)
March 1: 2023-2024 League Year Begins (Registration Opens)
March 4 OR March 11: Ray's Road Trip (tentative)
August 26-27: Race #1 (tentative)
September 9-10: Race #2 (tentative)
September 16-17: Race #3 (tentative)
September 23-24: Race #4 (tentative)
October 7-8: Race #5 (tentative)
October 14-15: Race #6 (tentative)

Sync with Google Calendar | Events Listing

Support Our Mission!

The Michigan Scholastic Cycling Association (MiSCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that empowers communities to develop and grow K-12 youth mountain biking programs across the state. We instill confidence by promoting the values of an active lifestyle, healthy competition, and outdoor stewardship and adventure while building life-long friendships in an inclusive environment. MiSCA now serves over 1,100 kids and 500 coaches throughout the state, with new clubs/teams forming all the time. In the fall, MiSCA holds a professionally-run 6-event youth-only mountain bike race series. We provide coach training and support through a certification program that requires skills clinics, first aid/CPR training, background checks, and more to ensure safe and consistent education is provided to our youth. Additionally, MiSCA has programming focused on getting more girls active in the sport by creating girls-only events where girls feel welcomed and ensuring girls are included equally in all aspects of the organization. Cycling is truly a lifelong sport, and we strive to create a fun environment where everyone can experience the joys of the outdoors.

YOUR SUPPORT allowed us to waive over $20,000 in registration fees to help families in 2022!

DONATE TODAY AND YOUR IMPACT IS DOUBLED!