This month’s #commonthread partner is The Youth Cycling Association, an institution rolling in tandem with the National Center for Youth Development in their devotion to the future of cycling through equitable youth access and opportunity. Members of the Youth Cycling Association are joined by a movement of stakeholders that work to improve the opportunities for children to succeed and thrive in the sport of cycling. YCA facilitates quality youth cycling programs, promotes equitable opportunities, and focuses on greater inclusion of women, people of color, and people with disabilities in sport. Further, the YCA is a front-runner in the effort to professionalize coaching through hard boots-on-the-ground advocacy for evidence-based best practice approach adherent to the long term athlete development model. YCA and it’s founder / director Sean Wilson are dedicated to connecting programs, organizations, institutions, and events in effort to build a strong coalition of credible opportunities for kids and families around the country. To learn more about the great work that the YCA is doing click on the link in our bio and be sure to check them out on Facebook. Thank you Sean and everyone working hard through the Youth Cycling Association to ensure the safety, education, and enjoyment for kids and communities on bikes🙏🏽 @ycacycling @national_youth_development #commonthread #yca #longtermathletedevelopment #ltad #hardworkingandhumble #morekidsonbikes #morecrediblecoaches #kidsdeservecompetentcoaching

As we close out January, we want to take a moment to recognize our #commonthread partner The United States Center for Coaching Excellence, an organization we are proud to support through membership as well as through future accreditation. Their vision that all sporting organizations have a systematic, integrated, continuous approach to the development of coaches that is guided by theory and best practice, and led by qualified coach developers is one we have built our entire organization around. The USCCE strives to ensure the profession of coaching is elevated to a status where coach developers and coaches are fully prepared for the sporting environment in which they work. The National Center for Youth Development is aligned with the USCCE in their mission to strengthen the quality of coach development systems through guided program development, training and support for coach developers, and the accreditation of coach education and training provision, all of which are based on cutting edge sport coaching practices. We thank the USCCE, their Board of Directors, the professionals who contribute to coach development excellence, and the community of committed individuals, organizations, and institutions they have gathered for the framework we so critically need to do our work with integrity and with honor. Learn more about what USCCE has done and about all of the amazing opportunities they have to offer you and your organization by clicking the link to their website in our bio. #USCCE @national_youth_development #commonthread #coachingforexcellence

Plan for the entire holiday week… …it’s going to be a blast Rides, camps, the 4th in glorious Duluth, pre-rides, STXC, chainless race, USAC Sanctioned XC, two days of enduro, festival, families, community, and BIKES! SO much more coming to you in the next few days. Stay tuned…. @bikeduluth @national_youth_development @duluthmtb @duluth_devo__enduro_team @coggstwinports @lake_superior_gravity_series @theskihut @spiritmtduluth @usacycling @yodevomn

Grateful to Spirit Mountain for their warm embrace of the National Center for Youth Development through their gracious donation of facility space this weekend. We chose to hold our Youth and Adult Board of Directors retreat in Duluth Mn in large part due to the community of supporters we have earned partnerships with over the years here like Spirit Mountain. It’s a spectacular day to be outside and we’re inspired to see so many kids and their families out experiencing the bounties of outdoor recreation facilitated by a model provider of services. Grab your kids, your neighbors, your board/skis/fat bike/snowshoes and join us out at Spirit Mountain! It doesn’t get much better than this🙌🏼 @duluthmtb #duluthmn #spiritmountain #snowday #bluebirdday #commonthread #thankyou #boardretreat #businesscasual

It’s December, and time to announce our second featured partner in our "Common Thread" campaign. This month we are proud to feature The Bike Instructor Certification Program, or better known across the land as BICP. BICP supports the NCYD through providing us an evidence-based best practice method for skills instruction. This progressive model for instruction gives instructors a clear, concise language that provides learners an optimal dose of direction while taking care not to overwhelm or confuse. The BICP method is as effective and applicable to Olympic level competitors as it is to the three year olds we regularly work with. Not only is BICP our go-to provider for certification and continuing education, they are supportive of our commitment to youth instructor education. Like other recreational activities cycling is a meaningful connection to skill specific employment for many adolescent youth. BICP has embraced the NCYD’s initiative to accredit competent adolescents so that they may work in programs that provide bicycle instruction to elementary age kids. Through school-based programs, after school activities, summer camps, and adventure development facilitation our BICP trained and certified youth instructors are the lifeblood of this sport. They not only grew up benefiting from this instruction, they have also demonstrated to a standard how to effectively and efficiently pass along that knowledge to the next generation. This is a critical component in our effort to establish equity and vital to our community mission. We basically owe everything we are to BICP and we couldn’t be more grateful for all the work and passion they have put into the development, maintenance, and evolution of their model. We are grateful for BICP and the Common Thread we share. Please join us in thanking BICP for their support of the National Center for Youth Development! Thank you BICP🙏🏽 Link to BICP in bio. CHECK IT OUT🙏🏽 @icp.bike @national_youth_development #commonthread #levelup #thankyou #progression #morekidsonbikes #morecertifiedkidsteachingbikes

🌈Help contribute to that pot of gold⚱️ CLICK BELOW TO DONATE: https://www.givemn.org/story/306bbf Thank you🙏🏽 @national_youth_development @givemn @givingtuesday #givingtuesday2022 #givingtuesdaymn #givingtuesday #rainbows #potofgold

GIVING TUESDAY 👆🏼DONATION LINK IN BIO👍🏼 Did you know that the National Center for Youth Development volunteered over 150 hours in 2022 giving back to communities locally as well as regionally? Your financial support from Giving Tuesday today helps make this giving back to our community possible by providing the NCYD the means we need to arrange for transportation, insurance, resources, and provisions. Organizations like The Loppet Foundation, Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN, Minneapolis Public Schools, Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School, Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association, Duluth DEVO Mountain Bike Program, Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC), and Bike School Bentonville are just a few of those we partnered with in 2022. Our list is even BIGGER for 2023. Please help us by making a contribution today. You can access our donation link by clinking below: https://www.givemn.org/story/306bbf Everyone who donates over $25 TODAY will receive a pair of NCYD p/b Donkey Label Racing team edition socks. Perfect stockings for that #hardworkingandhumble member of your family. Thanks to all who continue to support us during these fundraising efforts. We couldn’t do this work without you❣️ #givingtuesday2022 #givingtuesday #Giveback @givemn #trailfairies #volunteersmakeadifference

THANK YOU! Give to the Max Day was fantastic. Though we fell short of our goals, we learned a TON and we had a LOT of fun. Thanks to all of those who kept up with us yesterday. We roll hard, fast, and intense. No small feat to stay connected. Great job! For those that missed it, there is still opportunity to donate. We are going to keep the fundraiser going through Thanksgiving. CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION: https://www.givemn.org/story/306bbf We’ll be following up with specific shout-outs of thanks to each and every one of you who made yesterday so wonderful, but know for now that we are celebrating this glorious Friday with the positivity and purpose we hoped we’d have from this event. Thank you ❣️ @national_youth_development @donkeylabel @givemn GIVE TO THE MAX - KICK IN FOR THE KIDS GiveMN.org #GTMD22 #thankyou #prioritizeplay #donorschoose #donors #DonorsSaveLives #hellriders #hardworkingandhumble #ncyd #dlr #morekidsonbikes

Sailing into the sunset….🌅 As we wind down this final hour of what was a phenomenal rookie experience, we want you to know that it was an awesome day! It’s inspiring to see how many amazing people are out doing incredible things in our communities not to make a profit, but to do good in the world. The National Center for Youth Development is blessed to be amongst a thriving service industry supported by the people we are dedicated to serving. It’s an honor and a privilege. And your donations today help keep us all rolling forward in a positive direction. THERE IS STILL TIME TO GET IN ON THE DAY BEFORE EVERYTHING GOES DARK🌄 CLICK BELOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BEFITS STILL AVAILABLE THROUGH #GTMD22 https://www.givemn.org/story/306bbf Thank you👍🏼 @national_youth_development @donkeylabel @givemn #lastcall #sunsets #ncyd @girlsgottaeatdirt #gtmd22

Your donations help us deliver safe, educational, and enjoyable experiences on the bike to so many who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Every dollar earned on this GIVE TO THE MAX - KICK IN FOR THE KIDS campaign goes to offset the cost of bringing this service to our community through school-based and after school collaborations. Take some time to scroll through the past few years archived on both this site as well as on our Instagram account. SCHOOLS OUT AND THE KIDS ARE AT PLAY. TIME TO MAKE THAT CONTRIBUTION: https://www.givemn.org/story/306bbf “Every kid deserves a good coach!” ~ Lisa Martens (to Bruce ❣️) @national_youth_development @donkeylabel @givemn #morekidsonbikes #schoolbasedcyclingprograms #ncyd

🏁GTMD POWER HOUR CHALLENGE🏁 $10 10k @ 10 am p/b Donkey Label Y‘all know how much Donkey Label loves a good local throw-down, and this snow today has us longing already for the days of racin’ with our friends. NCYD p/b Donkey Label Racing performance team has the cure… Let’s Race! At 10 am (CST) the whistle will blow for the first annual Give to the Max 10k. The race will be on to reach 10k in donations. The prize? 🥇$1000🏆 Our friends at Donkey Label have offered a #LOCALLEGEND payout if we reach our goal. Click below to register and get your spot on the line: https://www.givemn.org/story/306bbf Want to learn more about the DL Local Legend program? Click below for more info: https://donkeylabel.com/pages/about Thanks Donkey Label and the community who loves what Donkey Label does to keep kids and their families rolling in high quality gear while keeping their business local❣️ @national_youth_development @donkeylabel @givemn #GTMD22 #gtmd #hellriders #ncyd #hardworkingandhumble #10k #10kchallenge #dlr #morekidsonbikes

The National Center for Youth Development held Adult Board elections last night and we are proud to say we are stacked for another two years with a stellar crew of leaders ready to take on the challenges and celebrate the triumphs ahead. Many of our Youth Board were present to tell candidates why they choose to be a part of our organization, and why the candidates are so important in their lives. These reports are impactful. At every level, the participants in our program are active. “If it is to be, it is up to me” could be written daily describing the attitude for our community. The adults stepped up BIG. Thank you 🙏🏽 We are also proud to have exceeded our fundraising goal from yesterday, which ensures we get the Board match for money raised. Thanks again to all who donated yesterday. The real push begins bright and early tomorrow morning. We are ready 🤘🏼 GIVE TO THE MAX - KICK IN FOR THE KIDS 📸 cred - @alanna.moe @givemn #GTMD22 #GTMD NCYD p/b Donkey Label Racing #morekidsonbikes @national_youth_development #hardworkingandhumble

GIVE TO THE MAX BOARD OF DIRECTORS MATCH One of our values is to never ask anyone to do something that we are not willing to do ourselves. Today, the National Center for Youth Development Board of Directors is offering up a DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR MATCH for donations to our Give to the Max effort. https://www.givemn.org/donate/306bbf?matching_grant_id=24675 The NCYD Board’s duty is to provide resources, support, and direct mentorship to our Youth Board in effort to carry out their agenda. NCYD is youth run, meaning the members dictate the trajectory of the program. They are guided by our mission, vision, and values but have autonomy in interpretation and expression. ‼️CALL TO DUTY‼️ NCYD Board elections are TONIGHT (November 15th) at 7pm. If you are interested in finding out what our Board does, or would like to contribute as a Board Member, please DM and we’ll get you the details. Thanks to the extraordinary folks who have stepped up in support of the work we do by serving on the NCYD Board of Directors this past year🙏🏽 We couldn’t do this work without you🤘🏼 Chris Thorson Wil Kratz Justin Born Andrew Toftey Erin 'Wood' MacMillan Jonathan Hendricks Aaron Drevlow Carlos Villalpando Chris Milton Dave Binsfeld Steven Yore Yosmary Mejias @national_youth_development @givemn #hardworkingandhumble #hellriders #ncyd #boardofdirectors #notforprofitlife #givetothemax2022 #givetothemax #givemn

It’s our first GIVE TO THE MAX DAY event and we’re excited for the week! Please help us achieve our goal to raise $350,000 in just 10 days. It’s easy, every amount helps, and your donations are matchable. We’ll feature aspects of our mission, vision, and values throughout the week in effort to inspire you, your family and friends, and the broader cycling community to help us expand significantly access to our programmatic activities. Link to donate is in our bio👆🏼 @national_youth_development @donkeylabel @givemn #givetothemaxday #ncyd #hardworkingandhumble #dlr #hellriders #morekidsonbikes

The National Center for Youth Development is rolling out our "Common Thread" partnership campaign in conjunction with the start of our 2023 season, which begins TODAY! Each month we'll highlight a partner that shares our mission, vision, and values through their work in our communities. We'll stitch together those partners through a quick description of how they support the work we do at the NCYD. Our hope is that you support these organizations and institutions that support us. To kick-off this Common Thread campaign, we are honored to feature Donkey Label as our first Common Thread partner. Donkey Label and Donkey Label Racing supports the NCYD through providing us the quality apparel necessary to do our work at an affordable price. Their uncompromising commitment to the highest standard in fabric, construction, and design parallels our dedication to working toward excellence in everything we do. We share in the Donkey Label moto of "hard working and humble" and celebrate their contribution to community, identity, and purpose. In addition, Donkey Label provides the NCYD with a physical location for our headquarters, a safe place for our team to come together to do our work, and the resources we need to function within the communities we operate. Further, Donkey Label provides our youth with unique, meaningful employment and professional development opportunities that both offset the expense of cycling as well as nurture their passion for cycling beyond the conventional participation in on-the-bike activities and events. We are grateful for Donkey Label and the Common Thread we share. Please join us in thanking Donkey Label for their support of the National Center for Youth Development! Link to Donkey Label in bio. CHECK IT OUT🙏🏽 @national_youth_development @donkeylabel #commonthread #zag #hardworkingandhumble #hellriders #partnership #morekidsonbikes #community #identity #purpose

Programming for 2023 begins November 1st. #hellriders2023 World Tour coming to a trail system near you soon. @national_youth_development @donkeylabel #morekidsonbikes #hellriders #ncyd #dlr

. The vision behind the founding of The National Center for Youth Development was to bring community together to support youth in their quest for identity and discovery of purpose, and our partnership with Donkey Label is a match made in heaven. Sharing in the “hardworking and humble” approach to getting every job we start done, Donkey Label is a tireless brand always seeking to create the best products for the job while ensuring value and equity for our community. We are thankful for Donkey Label’s long-term commitment to partnership, friendship, and stewardship to our community. . . . . @national_youth_development @donkeylabel @donkeylabeltraining #hardworkingandhumble #hellriders #partnership #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #ABC #AlwaysBeCreating 📸 cred - @drrenjamin

. It’s a mindset. Shift perspective, shift experience. . . . . @national_youth_development #rainbows #lifeisajourney #lifeisajourneynotadestination #perspective #ncyd @minneapolisparks @meetminneapolis #silverlinings

. The National Center for Youth Development is grateful to have Yardi MTB in our back yard. Yardi skills instruction features allow us to provide professional services anywhere and during any season. We are proud to partner with this locally owned family business and thankful for their support in the work we do to build community, in all communities. . . . . @national_youth_development @yardi.mtb #skills #mtbinstruction #coachestools #coachesrule #fundamentals #morekidsonbikes #morefamiliesonbikes #inmybackyard