DustSlinger was founded in 2021 to provide youth the opportunity to learn, practice and race their bikes in a team environment. DustSlinger is open to all young athletes navigating the world of cycling. The foundation provides the opportunity for athletes to learn, grow, and explore all paths of cycling in their lives.

About

DustSlinger began as a local racing team, founded to fill a gap in the high school racing league. The team gave young athletes a welcoming community and a group of riders to train and race alongside.

DustSlinger was founded by Brian Kellerman and his daughter, Makena, as a way to bring their community together and share their love of cycling with others. Both remain closely involved in the organization today. Makena now competes professionally in XCO mountain biking on the World Cup circuit. Alongside her racing career, she plays an active role in DustSlinger and leads its programing, driven by her passion for collegiate cycling and the opportunities it gives riders after high school.

Today, DustSlinger offers multiple programs built around a single mission: creating lifelong cyclists.

Mountain biker wearing a red helmet and sunglasses rides over a rocky obstacle while spectators watch.

Programs

Collegiate Program

    • Webinars for high school riders on what collegiate racing is like and how to pick a school with a club.

    • Speakers at local clubs and races in different regions.

    • Alumni program (coming later): hear from college riders about the real experience.

    • Start a club at your school: a step-by-step guide covering campus club approval, USA Cycling registration, finding riders and picking a conference.

    • Startup funding coming soon.

    • Talk to us: a form to get one-on-one help.

    • Grant funding coming soon.

High school racing shouldn't be the end of the trail. We help riders find, start and fund collegiate cycling clubs. You don't need to be pro to race in college. 30,000+ kids race in high school and only 1 in 15 race in collegiate. We are helping bridge that gap with three main goals: connect, build, and fund.

Smiling mountain bike racer in a white helmet and purple sunglasses among cyclists at a race event
Five female cyclists celebrate on a podium at the USA Cycling collegiate mountain bike national championships.

High School Program

DustSlinger supports a high school racing program in Southern California. NightHawks is based out of Del Norte High School and it is the main DustSlinger supported racing team in San Diego county.

https://www.nighthawkscycling.com/

Six mountain bikers in matching DustSlinger jerseys pose with their bikes at a 2022 SoCal Inter-Scholastic Cycling League event.
Group of mountain bikers posing in muddy terrain during a rainy autumn day
Mountain bike racers ride a dirt course during an outdoor cycling event with spectators, sponsor tents, and mountains in the background.

Get Involved

  • Join a webinar, sign up for the newsletter.

  • Become an alumni speaker! Or reach out to share more with how we can help with your club.

  • Book a DustSlinger webinar or speaker for your riders.

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  • Reach out to us to put your club on our club highlights in the newsletter and to share your club with young athletes.

  • Help with outreach in your region, events, or the newsletter.

  • Fill out our contact form - to connect with local collegiate teams, sponsor local riders and or provide funding to our grants.