The Sorella Story
by 2005-2006 Sorella Cycing President, Jennifer Wills

When I was asked if I would be interested in helping start an all-women’s cycling club, I did not think about it long. Of course! There were no other open women’s clubs in the area; most others were for racing only. So, in the fall of 2005, a handful of women started working on creating the club. We met almost weekly for the first couple of months—getting the sponsorship proposal together, seeking sponsors, gathering members, writing bylaws, and concretizing the mission statement. There were other things, too, such as putting together the website, opening a checking account, creating the logo, coming up with a name. The list goes on. Each of the “founders” contributed their strengths and skills. With so many intelligent, motivated women working hard, Sorella Cycling became a reality. We are so glad that each woman on the team has brought her talents and interest in cycling to Sorella. We believe that each woman should have the support of other women who enjoy cycling. With Sorella Cycling, I think each member receives that support.

There were a lot of things to think about in the beginning---would we be open to all women? How would the race teams be composed? What rules would govern the teams and the organization itself? Who would be on the Board of Directors? Who would be our sponsors? The first answer was easy, yes, we’d be open to all women. We formed Sorella Cycling to encourage all women to ride their bikes, any kind of bike. The race teams were formed on a first-come, first-served basis for the 2006 season. Since we didn’t have sponsors, we couldn’t make many promises to those who signed up. Now, our racers get discounts on a variety of services and products, as well as race fee reimbursements and some free services. We wanted to make sure that our sponsors were represented well when Sorellas were wearing their logos and participating in Sorella events. Therefore, we created the bylaws that govern the Sorella organizations, its members and the race teams. We sought sponsors who were good stewards and who we would be proud to represent. The Board of Directors was selected during one of the “founders” meetings. The bylaws will govern next year’s elections.

In its inaugural year, Sorella Cycling has proven that a niche needed to be filled. We now have over 100 members and we are showing no signs of slowing down. Sponsors are approaching us to be printed on our jerseys. We have introduced cycling and racing to a countless number of women. We are encouraging, and we are a community. We are Sorella Cycling.