

#moregirlsonbikes
GRiT Ambassadors
2022-2023 Applications are closed
Shantelle Tupaz, East Bay Region
I joined Hayward Composite in 2021 as a freshman racer. Prior to my participation in the Norcal League, I raced mountain bikes around California. Currently, I am a junior at Amador Valley High School. I love spending time with people and making new friends, and I’m skilled at public speaking and marketing. I live in Pleasanton, California, and I can be reached through my email.
What is your favorite trail snack?
Blocs. Always the blocs. Never gels. Only blocs.
Where is your favorite place to ride?
The Pleasanton Ridge! It’s a nice place with lots of climbs and nice descents. It’s good for training.
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
I like to sing, draw both digital and traditional art, spend time with my friends, read amateur writer works, play video games, and organizing things.
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I am so excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador because I can really get involved (in an official sense) with getting more girls on bikes!! It would be amazing if more girls discovered the fun of mountain biking, and if I can contribute in any way, that would be amazing!!!
Eliza Gould. Repack Region
Hi! My name is Eliza and I’m super excited to be returning this year to be a GRiT ambassador. I’m a senior at San Rafael High and have been on my bike team all 4 years. I love the vibe of the NorCal Cycling community and the entire bike community in general. One of my favorite parts about racing is how everyone stays at the finish line and cheers you on as you come across. Outside of biking I’m very into playing music in and out of school, and all types of outdoor activities in general, especially freeride skiing. I’m looking forward to all of the GRiT events this year and seeing how the sport of mountain biking continues to grow and open up to girls of all ages and backgrounds!
What is your favorite trail snack?
Trail Mix with Chocolate
Where is your favorite place to ride?
Tamarancho
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
Playing music with friends
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I’m looking forward to helping grow the sport of mountain biking and giving more opportunities to girls to get involved with NorCal league. It would be great to see more girls riding and racing in the future years!!
Heather Stoneman, East Bay Region
I’m a senior at Piedmont High School and also co-capitain of the mountain biking team. I’ve been mountain biking for 5 years, starting out on the Oakland Composite DEVO. At the end of the last season I was the only girl on the team, which pushed me to work hard to recruit more girls.
What is your favorite trail snack?
Nature valley granola bars
Where is your favorite place to ride?
Joaquin Miller park
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
I love gardening and being outside
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I’m excited to help foster a new generation of female mountain bikers, and provide a safe space for women of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. I’m so grateful for this opportunity to support other girls in the biking community.
Tatum Roberts, Central Region
My name is Tatum, I have been riding on The San Ramon Valley Mountain Bike Team for 6 years. This will be my 4th season racing in the NICA NorCal League. I love the community that mountain biking has given me. Being able to be outside riding my bike is a big passion of mine. I work at Sports Basement in the bike department, and it has been amazing. I have loved the sport ever since I started, and I am excited to introduce other girls to the sport.
What is your favorite trail snack?
Skratch Labs Raspberry Energy Chews
Where is your favorite place to ride?
My favorite place to ride is Downieville, California
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
I love to travel, and ski
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I am so excited to get the opportunity to inspire and encourage other young girls to begin the lifelong journey of mountain biking.
Asa Bush, Repack Region
Hi, my name is Asa Bush and this will be my third year racing for the NorCal League. I am a senior and I race for West County Composite. I live in Forestville, California, a small town next to the Russian River. My family and I would occasionally go for mountain bike rides when I was younger, but I never envisioned that I would be racing for a team! I fell in love with biking my sophomore year, when I first joined my team, and immediately saw how encouraging everyone was during practices and at the races. I love mountain biking because the community and camaraderie is so positive and it has inspired me to challenge myself over the years.
What is your favorite trail snack?
Mountain Berry Clif Bloks!
Where is your favorite place to ride?
I love riding in Occidental, mostly where our team practices. The views of the ocean is always worth the climb!
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
I love going on hikes in the redwoods or spending a day at the beach! Honestly anything outdoors!
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I’m so excited to be a GRiT ambassador to encourage other girls in mountain biking. The GRiT community has always been there to encourage my pursuit and growth in biking, as well as providing opportunities to bond with other GRiT riders.
Julina Gow-Smith, Central Region
I am a senior in high school and am dedicated to mountain biking. I’ve been racing with NICA for three years and I’m excited to segue into my fourth year with San Francisco Composite. I’ve gained confidence and friends here and I consider myself to be much more of leader then from when I started. I’ve gained leadership skills not only from working with peers on my NICA team but also from working as a coach at a summer camp for kids as they gain skills on bikes. All of this has led me to not only prioritize getting stronger to be a successful female athlete but also to build a friendly and supportive atmosphere for current and incoming riders so they can do the same.
What is your favorite trail snack?
I love salted watermelon shot blocks!
Where is your favorite place to ride?
My favorite place to ride is Mount Tam because they have a perfect range of fun flowy singletrack to steep fire road trails. The sights are also absolutely stunning with a gorgeous view of the ocean and beyond!
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
What takes up most of my time aside from mountain biking and school is rowing. I spend 2 hours everyday out on the water and have been for the past three years because I love my team and the sport so much.
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I’m super excited to be a GRiT ambassador because I can give back to my region by recruiting more strong and passionate girls. I remember how happy and confident I felt having older girls and female coaches on my team and it completely changed the dynamic from what it would have been if it was all purely guys. I want to be someone who can help give the same encouragement to younger riders that I got when I was in their place. The reason I compete in two sports is because it brings me joy to see powerful women supporting each other.
Amelia Reeves, Redwood Region
My name is Amelia Reeves. I’m a junior in high school and I’ve been riding for NICA for three years. In addition to cross country mountain biking, I ride cyclocross, gravel, and downhill. Mountain biking has been a great way for me to meet new people and make friends.
What is your favorite trail snack?
My favorite trail snack has to be dried fruit, especially mango.
Where is your favorite place to ride?
Last summer, my family and I went on a trip to Oakridge, Oregon, and I rode some of the coolest trails of my life.
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
I love knitting and crocheting.
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I’m excited to be a GRiT ambassador because I want to meet all the other amazing women in mountain biking.
Sierra Paliaga, Redwood Region
Hi, I’m Sierra, and I’m on the Humboldt Composite MTB team. I was born in Berkeley and moved to Arcata when I was four. This will be my third season on HCMTB and my second season as a GRiT ambassador. I really love the mountain biking and GRiT community, the challenge and thrill of riding, and ultimately how incredibly fun it is. I want to share these great experiences with other teens, especially girls who are ambivalent about or intimidated by mountain biking, as I was not too long ago. I started riding in my freshman year (I’m a junior now) when my dad convinced me to go on a ride with HCMTB. It took awhile for me to warm up to mountain biking and racing, but now I absolutely love it. One of my favorite things about mountain biking is that it’s outside; I especially enjoy riding among big trees and through rain and fog, and getting soaked in mud. GRiT has been a wonderful opportunity to forge connections with and grow the number of amazing girls who love mountain biking. I am always amazed by the enormous support and camaraderie created during group rides and races, and I cannot wait for the upcoming season!
What is your favorite trail snack?
Honestly, whichever bar’s the closest when I’m running out the door
Where is your favorite place to ride?
I think the Hatchery Ridge trails in Blue Lake are pretty cool, but I love riding in most places, especially forests!
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
A hobby of mine outside of mountain biking is playing piano. I have been playing since I was nine and now I teach lessons and play in my high school’s chamber music club and orchestra, as well as, of course, for myself. I also love hiking and adventure-ing, cooking (I especially enjoy the type of cooking that involves making banana bread out of granola and pancake mix in the PitZone), crafts (GRiT tent!), and sometimes running (though I believe mountain biking is much more fun)!
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
One of the major things that convinced me to stick with the team when I first started mountain biking was the support and encouragement of the other girls and female coaches on my team. I want the new and returning girls in my area and our league to experience an even more positive, inclusive, and supportive environment, and I hope our efforts will encourage more girls to join and continue riding! I am also just suuuuper excited for GRiT rides and events and meeting new riders 😀
Katharine Graham, East Bay Region
Hi, my name is Katharine. I am a junior in high school and have been biking since I was about 3, but never seriously until I joined the team freshman year. Aside from biking, in my free time I also enjoy running, going on hikes, hanging out with friends, and really just doing anything outside.
What is your favorite trail snack?
My favorite trail snack is brownies. When ever we have left over brownies that someone made I always put them inn a bag and bring them with me riding. They do get a bit smooshed but its definitely worth it.
Where is your favorite place to ride?
I really like riding in Marin specifically near Point Reyes. There’s this super fun single track that I love doing where there are three creek crossings.
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
I play the viola and really love playing classical music with friends.
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I am excited to introduce more non-male riders in to a sport that they hopefully will love, and just in to such an amazing community.
Harper Walker-Lee, Central Region
Hi I’m Harper! I have been mountain biking for four years and I love being on the trails and in nature! I ride with the Salinas High Cowboys and like to be competitive in local races as well. I also really enjoy collaborating with other youth leaders, especially when it helps empower women in mountain biking!
What is your favorite trail snack?
Oranges and bananas
Where is your favorite place to ride?
East Garrison in Fort Ord
What is a hobby or interest of yours outside of mountain biking?
I really enjoy playing guitar and thrift shopping! I also have been riding horses for 12 years and I travel all over California with different barns and teams to compete!
Why are you excited about being a NorCal GRiT Ambassador?
I am so excited to meet other girls who love to mountain bike so I can have more ride buddies! All the girls I have met in mountain biking so far have been super outgoing and it feels like we have been friends for forever! It’s just super inspiring to be around such motivated people and brings a lot of fun into the sport!
What it means to be a GRiT Ambassador:
The NorCal League is looking for female student-athletes who are passionate about growing female participation in mountain biking! Our NorCal GRiT [Girls Riding Together] ambassador program is aimed at doing just that…getting #moregirlsonbikes. NorCal GRiT ambassadors are current NorCal League, high school student-athletes who have raced for at least one season in the League and are enthusiastic to help get more high school and middle school aged girls on bikes.
NorCal GRiT ambassadors are role models that organize and support NorCal GRiT events through outreach, camps, GRiT pre-rides, and more. Our ambassadors are the types of young women who encourage other girls to find joy and empowerment through cycling. Coming together and embracing each other as female athletes is uplifting —GRiT values this. GRiT ambassadors are always thinking about ways to bring more girls into the sport. Particularly girls from all ethnicities, geographic regions, and socio-economic backgrounds. GRiT ambassadors are inclusive, and full of stoke for cycling. They are also welcoming, positive, supportive, kind, and passionate about life.
GRiT ambassadors should possess great organizing and planning skills as well as excellent communication and teaching skills. Ambassadors should also be comfortable encouraging girls outside of the NorCal Interscholastic Cycling League to learn more about, and possibly join, our organization. There will be two ambassadors selected from each of our four regions, totaling 8 league-wide. Be a part of the change and help the NorCal League get more girls on bikes!
GRiT Ambassadorship expectations:
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GRiT ambassadorships will last for one full NorCal season (November 5th – June 1st). If you want to reapply to be a GRiT ambassador for a second season, you must do so between October 15-30, which is the start of the pre-season.
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Must have raced a minimum of one season with any NICA league.
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Ambassadors must organize a minimum of 2 GRiT events per season. When you want to organize your own event, please reach out to your GRiT coordinator, Hailey Childress at hailey@norcalmtb.org for assistance. Ambassadors will sign up by November 30th to organize their event of choice on their preferred date during the season. However, one event should occur during preseason and one event during race season. No ambassador events will be scheduled from June 1st – October 15th since this will be outside of their ambassadorship term and the NorCal League season.
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A GRiT Ambassador should commit to attending as many of the league GRiT events as possible and encourage the girls in her local area to participate. GRiT Ambassadors may also be asked to attend and support NICA GRiT or league fundraisers.
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1 post per GRiT event that the ambassador has attended is required on the student-athlete’s personal social media account to help spread the word about the program. You can talk about a GRIT event, summarize a race, talk about getting #moregirlsonbikes. We will leave the content up to you, but please be in your GRiT jersey and use the following hashtags: #moregirlsonbikes #GRiT #NorCalGRiT and always tag @norcalleague and @norcalgrit
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Tag our sponsors in your social media NorCal GRiT posts if their products are in your photos. Click here to check out our sponsors.
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GRiT ambassadors are expected to uphold all NorCal/NICA rules and values —be a great role model.
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Provide a fun and welcoming sisterhood for all participants, regardless of experience and ability.
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Participating in some group discussion may occur between all NorCal GRiT ambassadors to gain input and better improve our program.
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Attend ambassador zoom meetings. Three of these will be scheduled during the season.
Benefits for Ambassadors
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A NICA/NorCal jersey
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A NICA/NorCal GRiT shirt to wear at GRiT events
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Free entry into the NorCal GRiT Camp
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Swag from our sponsors
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A letter of recommendation can be provided upon request after one season of ambassadorship is completed to satisfaction
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Community service hours for your school’s graduation requirement. Contact hailey@norcalmtb.org to supply the form
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GRiT Ambassador title for your college resume or job application