Kate Courtney Wants to Empower the Next Generation of Female Riders
Before Kate Courtney raced the 2017 XCO World Cup in Germany, she established a personal mantra: “She believed she could, so she did.”
That mantra was engraved on a bracelet that she wore during the race, a subtle reminder to have confidence in her mission to win that day. But in the middle of her effort, Courtney crashed and the bracelet fell off her wrist. Through the pain of the fall, Courtney fought her way back to a runner-up finish.
While disappointed to miss the win, Courtney, 23, used the experience as an opportunity to celebrate a different kind of victory. Shortly after, she customized a bracelet with a new mantra: “Warrior.”
After years of customizing her own bracelets with MantraBand, Courtney—who just clinched the overall cross-country overall mountain bike world title, making her the first U.S. rider in 17 years to do so—partnered with the jewelry company to create a “charity band” for others to enjoy. For every purchase of the “Sparkle” bracelet that Courtney designed, $5 will be donated to Little Bellas, a nonprofit organization that focuses on mentoring and empowering young women through cycling.
“The mantra means a lot to me, but also in terms of my purpose in the sport, being able to inspire young girls is really important to me and what better way to do that than by giving them a physical, fun, sparkly, motivating reminder that also really connects women in the sport?” Courtney told Bicycling.
Prior to creating the charity band bracelet, Courtney customized the “Sparkle” band for herself after noticing the sparkles that appeared in the paint on her bike. She and her team would joke that sparkles make you go faster. Over time, she embraced the concept as more than a detail that made her bike stand out.
“You can be feminine and girly and sparkly and be a really badass bike racer as well,” Courtney said.
Courtney wants to help the younger generation of female riders be empowered by their own strength. After meeting Little Bellas co-founder Lea Davison through the Specialized professional team, Courtney became an ambassador for the organization. She often participates as a mentor to the girls in her local Marin, California, chapter where she joins group rides and sessions that teach skills to encourage the young riders.
“Beyond her [Courtney’s] presence at the program and her inspiring affect on so many growing girls, she has had a positive impact on our organization in partnering for the Sparkle charity band,” Sabra Davison, Little Bellas executive director, told Bicycling. “The girls and mentors can support the program while feeling Kate's inspiration on a daily basis. We are thrilled to have such a strong, empowering example for the girls in our community.”
One of Courtney’s favorite memories with Little Bellas was the rainbow party that the group hosted after she won the 2018 MTB World Championships in Switzerland. Just 22 at the time, she became the first American to become a world champion since Alison Dunlap won gold in 2001.
“It’s [Little Bellas] a really special thing for me to be connected to in the sport and to remember that our reach goes beyond race results and can really impact young ladies,” she said.
Courtney learned the importance of giving back while coming up in the cycling ranks. She grew up riding tandem with her father through Marin County and became competitive in mountain biking when she joined her high school team. She competed as a professional while attending Stanford University, and through the years, gained a deep appreciation for the guidance she received from several female mentors, including Davison.
With Davison mentoring her as a young pro, Courtney learned to ride with joy and feel empowered in her self-expression—the mantra on her bracelet was just one example of it.
Now she wants more female riders to experience the same powerful impact through mentorship as well as the personal cues of self-expression that help instill confidence.
“We’re in a sport where I think there is a lot of room for people to be themselves. Cycling is so fun and it can be such an authentic expression of who you are and I think for me, that is something that’s really important especially in racing, just being myself in the sport,” Courtney said.
“I think for the younger girls, it’s a cool way to see that they can be who they are and be accepted for it and be part of this really cool community.”
You Might Also Like
