Practice, practice, practice is the mantra of 13-year-old Firethorne resident Madeleine McDuff, a highly focused young cyclist training for her first-ever national junior cycling competition this summer.

The 5-foot, 2-inch seventh grader, founder and president of the Beckendorff Junior High School Cycling Club, practices three to four times a week for up to 50 miles. She works with her trainer, former National Cycling Champion and U.S. Team Member Garth Blackburn (of Sugar Land), rides with the Katy-based Team Spincycle, an adult team that pedals 30 miles every Sunday morning, and cross-trains during the off-season at Firethorne to gear up for the USA Cycling Junior National Track Championships this August at the ADT Event Center in Carson, CA.

“I race competitively (on track and road) because I want to,” said Madeleine, whose enthusiasm for the competitive sport spills over into recreational cycling. “I wanted to start a non-competitive cycling club at school so kids will ride with their families and get exercise – not just play video games,” she explained. She noted that cycling seems to be catching on with high school students, too; Katy High recently started a cycling club.

The Katy native was introduced to cycling at age 9 when her godfather, Katy-based internist and veteran cyclist Dr. Mark Bing, took her to the Alkek Velodrome to ride. Dr. Bing, physician for Katy I.S.D. football and wrestling teams, is a Team Spincycle member who loves “to put people on bikes,” according to Timothy McDuff, Madeleine’s father, fellow Team Spincycle member and close friend of the doctor.

“I thought cycling was cool,” said Madeleine, who at the time was thoroughly immersed in the dance world, devoting her non-school hours to ballet, tap, ballroom and especially flamenco. She once danced on stage at the Wortham Theater with the Maria Del Espadin flamenco group at the opening of the Houston Grand Opera performance of “Carmen.”

By age 10, however, Madeleine began to shift her focus to cycling and, as her mother, Libby McDuff, said, “really got into it.”

At the beginning of the 2007-08 school year, Madeleine had the idea to start a cycling club at her junior high school. “We have a running club and a golf club, so why not a cycling club?” she asked. She met with Principal Ted Vierling, who explained she had permission to register a school club if she had a sponsoring teacher. Not only did she recruit history teacher Rainey Richardson as the sponsor, but she recruited Richardson’s two daughters, Ragan and Kate, to join as well. Another Team Beckendorff Cycling Club member is Carley Roseberry, a neighbor at Firethorne.

While the Team Beckendorff Cycling Club works out at the Alkek Velodrome during racing season (April to late October), the members needed a place to cross train (using yoga balls and doing push-ups, balance exercises, running, leg lifts – exercises that Olympic athletes do) during the off-season. “It needed to be lit since it gets dark so early during the winter months,” said Madeleine. Knowing of the lighted lacrosse playing fields in her neighborhood at Firethorne, she contacted Firethorne General Manager Wayne Meyer about using an area near field for team exercises on Tuesday evenings.

“I’m really impressed with Madeleine’s resolve. She sent me a typed letter on her team’s letterhead telling me about her new cycling team and why they needed the space to practice. Of course I said ‘yes,'” said Meyer. “The team’s workout ethic is really impressive.”

Madeleine, who proudly boasts a U.S.A. cycling license, turned 13 last month. She will compete in the 13-14 year age group at the junior nationals on her Atherton bike, proudly wearing her jersey emblazoned with the Team Spincycle logo.

“Madeleine has the goal-driven focus of an athlete twice her age. I sometimes have to remind her, and myself for that matter, that she needs to make sure she’s having fun along the way,” said Sugar Land-based Blackburn. “Not only has Madeleine proven herself as an up-and-coming athlete, she’s already giving back to the sport and making contributions as a Katy-area cycling advocate.”

Her ultimate goal: to train for the Olympics. “It’s all about development and working hard on your craft,” she said with the conviction of someone well beyond her years.

From Susan Farb Public Relations