Become a Mentor

Share life experiences

Each year the success of the Dream Team depends on volunteers who are committed to helping the youth
work towards a goal. All through the indoor training, and on each training ride outdoors, adult mentors
participate along side Dream Team members. Mentors are there to provide consistent support and guidance
necessary for the team members to gain the confidence and technical riding skills needed to achieve their
goal of completing RAGBRAI®. Adult mentors need not be accomplished cyclists. Many mentors have
joined the team and participated in RAGBRAI® for the very first time right along with the team members.

Mentors are strongly committed to helping the riders by offering guidance, assistance, and to share life
experiences. They come from a variety of professions including education, legal, finance, insurance, medicine,
business owners and others. Mentors represent adults who can provide some consistency in the lives of the
team members, and are willing to give of themselves to see the team members succeed.

Time commitment, minimum requirements

Mentors volunteer all of their time and effort. Some mentors will give up to 450 hours of their own
time to insure a successful program. Mentors must commit to at least one night a week, two Saturday training
rides a month, and at least two weekends for the overnight training rides. The more time mentors can spend
with the team members will increase the trust and respect they have for each other. Most mentors choose to
participate with the team on RAGBRAI®, but this is not a requirement. If you decide to ride with the team on
RAGBRAI®, you will be asked to register online as a member of the Dream Team. In addition, mentors will
be asked to sign a release form giving RAGBRAI staff the authorization to perform a background check.

Mentors are asked to provide their own cycling equipment. All costs for participating in the training
program, and for participating in RAGBRAI®, are covered by the program. This includes meals and
additional activities. To help cover some of these costs, mentors are asked to participate in fund
raising efforts.

By the end of the season, mentors will be repaid by knowing that they helped the participants have a
great experience. They see first hand the result of learning to work to achieve the goal of completing
RAGBRAI®.

For additional details on the requirements for being a mentor for the Dream Team, please review the Mentor Guidelines.

Junior Mentor program

Since 2002, the Dream Team has established a position of Junior Mentor. This position was created
to help in times when not enough mentors are available for the team. A Junior Mentor is a team member
who has participated with the team in previous years, and who wants to learn the benefits of helping
young people achieve their goal of finishing RAGBRAI®. Some Junior Mentors who have graduated from the
program have gone on to become mentors, participating in the program for several years.

The Dream Team committee selects experienced participants for the Junior Mentor role. Their
responsibilities include teaching riders safety, helping to mark routes, and assisting mentors in
various activities (attendance, bike maintenance, pre-ride checks, etc).

How do I apply to be a mentor?

If you are interested in getting involved with the Dream Team by becoming a mentor, please contact TJ Juskeweicz at tj@ragbrai.org.
A member of the Dream Team committee will contact you for an interview. You will learn
the details of the program, and have an opportunity to ask questions.