2024 Outride Riding For Focus Champion Summit Recap

Highlight video from the Champion Summit!

Fifty teachers and school staff (also known as “Champions”) from around the country convened in Morgan Hill, California at Specialized Headquarters this July for two and a half days of connecting, learning, and riding. Returning for the second year in a row, Outride was proud to host a successful Champion Summit, showcasing the full power of the movement happening across the country to promote the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of cycling.

The 2024 Champion Summit provided an invaluable opportunity for new schools bringing the Riding for Focus (R4F) program to their communities to understand the history of the program, network with peers, and receive professional development. Champions were treated to a comprehensive tour of Specialized Bicycle Components (Outride’s founding partner), including the “Win” tunnel, innovation lab, museum, and water bottle factory. They tested their bike maintenance skills in a tire-changing workshop and competition, which not only enhanced their mechanical abilities but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and teamwork among participants. Educators got a preview of the fun activities within the R4F curriculum with a group “snail race” and foot-down contest. Some more advanced Champions even conquered the Specialized office pump track, pushing themselves beyond their comfort zones and gaining valuable insights to share with their students.

The event has become a staple of the Outride brand and is essential to the way our organization advances its mission. “It was phenomenal! The connections I made will be very helpful going forward in teaching my lessons and gaining confidence as an educator with this new curriculum. I cannot wait to bring it back home and present it to my PE team. I think this is going to open up avenues for our students that they never considered before, as well as validate our department to administration going forward,” said a new Champion who attended the event.

The Champion Summit is the culmination of the application and onboarding process for new programs and the final step before receiving their fleets of bikes and helmets. On the second day of the event, each Champion got to put themselves in the shoes of their students and received on-bike demonstrations and modeling of the R4F curriculum, which provided them with firsthand experience of the challenges and triumphs their students will face.

Finally, Champions heard from our experienced trainers and community partners, who detailed their “tips and tricks” for getting more kids riding confidently at school. The collaborative sessions allowed Champions to share their own insights and experiences, building a stronger community of advocates for cycling education. Ultimately, Champions left the event feeling energized about the possibilities of cycling programs in their communities, eager to implement new ideas and strategies.

Outride extends a huge thank you to the team at Specialized Bicycle Components for making this event possible in so many ways! Together, we are pedaling the planet forward.

You can check out all of our new grantees here.

Are you interested in bringing Riding for Focus to your community? Stay tuned to our website and social media pages for announcements of our next application cycles! We would love to welcome you to the movement!