A good Team Captain does whatever it takes.
What makes a Group Health Commute Challenge team captain great?
Is it the impromptu motivational speeches? The freshly baked cookies? The hot chocolate after a wet ride? The weekly email messages reminding you to log your miles?
Whatever captains are doing to motivate teams, it’s working. Team captains are the heart and soul of the Group Health Commute Challenge, and their desire to share their love of bicycling inspires hundreds of people to ride each year.
Do you know a captain who has gone above and beyond the call of duty? If so, let us know! We are accepting nominations for Captain of the Year from now until Tuesday, June 5 at 11:59 p.m. We are looking to recognize outstanding captains who have motivated their teams day in and day out, recruited new bike commuters, or inspired other riders to step up and become captains of their own teams.
Nominate your captain! Tell us how he or she inspires you or your team to ride.
We will reveal the winners at the Awards and Recognition Celebration at Pyramid Brewing on June 7. Winners will receive great prizes, as well as some well-deserved publicity.
Steve Gluckman (Torque) is not only our leader here at Novara Bicycles, but he leads by example. Steve walks-the-walk (or is that “rides-the-ride”)? He rides at least 18mi each way from W. Seattle and he is not just a Bike-to-Work-Month rider, but a year round commuter. Hats off to his dedication and leadership everyday in every way!
Christian Kittelson of the Rollin’ Bohlin’s has been the awesome hub of our little local bike revolution for the past three years. He tirelessly and cheerfully encourages and celebrates both big and little progress toward carbon-free commuting. Some of his many, many wonderful efforts:
Helped lead the charge to create a dedicated bike storage room and showers in our office building.
Organized a bike to work team for the last three years.
Recruited a second leader so we have two competing in-house bike to work teams, to encourage a little friendly competition and make things interesting.
Performed bike tune ups for before Bike to Work so that everyone’s rides are safe and efficient. (He even trued my funky front wheel)
Posted a bike map for everyone to record their route to work to share ideas about the best way to ride and ecourage bike buddies.
Participated in an office book club discussion of Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne.
Enouraged us to see Bill Cunningham’s New York (He’s 80 and rides it bike to work every day in NYC!)
Snacks, beer, prizes! He makes it all happen. Did I mention the beer?
Best of all, Christian is committed to the idea that commuting by bike should be fun and for everyone. Even though he has be best of the best gear (he races), mad skills and awesome endurance, he never flaunts it – He rolls up his pant legs to ride to work just like the rest of us.
David Longmuir of MSFiT 1 has inspired and engaged not just 1, but a whole series of 6 teams under the My Sore Fannies in Transit banner! In addition to the weekly awards – where # of trips counts more than miles – he cheerfully drags the whole legion of over 50 riders in waves onto the unsuspecting streets, byways, and trails around Microsoft. The reward? A lavaliere made from spare bike parts for the coveted Captains’ Award, & 2 trophies made from sprockets for the best teams.
Since the man bikes virtually every day (even in the snow!) and recruited me to this inane / insane pastime, I feel compelled to say that the only thing he could do more to engage riders in this area is to BRING THE BEER!
DAVID LONGMUIR – MSFT1
I am a convert to cycle commuting because of David’s leadership. He has made the transition fun through competition. I even rode 27.6 miles on bike to work day this year. THat’s 6 times my normal commute.
Above all, through MSFIT1 (and all the other MSFiT* teams) he has created community and comradery in a very diverse and segmented company.
Another vote for David Longmuir – really got a bunch of us here at Microsoft organized to tackle the Commute Challenge, and has been doing this for years!
David Longmuir – MSFiT1
This is my first time signing up for this event and it has been great to see the real teamwork and comradery and encouragement that takes place each week during the ‘awards ceremony’. While the MSFit 2 team has clearly shown it’s strength this month as directed by Rich Chiodo (thanks for including me in the line-up), David has been true inspiration.