How Kat Sweet Is Shaping the Next Generation of Riders

At North Bend, Washington’s Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park, located just 13 miles from her home, Kat Sweet has emerged as a transformative leader. From her earliest days on the trail to founding a program that now mentors hundreds, Kat’s journey has been driven by a commitment to developing confidence and a love of the outdoors. She has crafted a unique coaching philosophy that goes beyond technical skills, where young riders and women can push boundaries in a supportive community. Her influence extends through her dynamic teaching approach to make mountain biking more accessible, solidifying her role as an advocate for youth outdoor sports and the personal growth it inspires.

“Sorry I’m running late,” Kat Sweet says, her voice warm yet hurried over the phone. She’s parked in her driveway, just returning from a graduation party for two of her kids. These ‘kids’ aren’t her own but teenagers who have grown up through her Sweetlines mountain biking courses, starting with her as young as six years old. Known as a “trail mom” to many, Kat has spent the past decade shaping her company into more than just a place to shred bikes; it’s a nurturing, inclusive space that builds community and future leaders.

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Throughout the summer months, nearly 50 kids, ages six to 16, arrive at Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park, 13 miles from Kat’s home, daily for Sweetlines camps, excitement sparking in their eyes, ready to conquer the trails with their friends. In total, as many as 600 young riders in a season will navigate the terrain, gaining skills and confidence with every turn. Some will eventually join the Sweetlines downhill race teams, which are in their ninth year, or the relatively new coed freeride team. Sweetlines' partnership with the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club, now in its third year, adds another layer of community and adventure as it enables a whole new set of kids to experience the thrill of mountain biking together.

While many of Sweetline’s programs focus on development for youth, Kat has deep roots in the movement to create more opportunities for women in mountain biking. In 2012, Kat launched Sugar Showdown, a women-only freeride mountain bike event that offered both pros and amateurs a chance to shine—one day dedicated to coaching, followed by a day of fierce yet supportive competition. Though the event has been on hold since the pandemic, Kat’s passion for empowering women in mountain biking hasn't wavered.

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This spring, Kat's four-week progression jump course for women kicked off with her signature passion for helping riders push their limits and realize their potential. She guided them through each session, ensuring they mastered a strong foundation on tabletops. By the fourth session, the moment they had all been building toward arrived—gap jumps. Kat placed a catcher bridge between the gaps, transforming them into the familiar tabletop jumps they had already conquered. As initial hesitancy gave way to confidence and the riders repeatedly cleared the jumps with ease, Kat removed the board.

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“All of a sudden, everybody's hitting a gap jump,” says Kat.

In May, she teamed up with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance for a jump jam at Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park and with Chelsea Kimball and Hot Laps in Port Gamble. At Port Gamble, around 40 women lined up to take on the big jumps, with about eight staying on for the jump jam—a strong turnout, especially for an event not specifically centered on women. 

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These gatherings highlight the importance of women seeing each other ride, fostering a sense of community and inspiration. Kat herself was feeling nervous about a whale tail feature on one of the big lines at Hot Laps. But watching other women hit it gave her the confidence to do it herself. 

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“It opens that door when you see other women doing it and makes it a possibility,” says Kat. 

Kat also recently joined forces with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance again to rebuild the GHY trail at Duthie Hill, a trail celebrated for its range of jumps, from small to massive. This project went beyond reconstructing the black diamond jump line; it was about teaching and empowering a group of women, giving them the skills and confidence to take ownership of the trail. 

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Among those involved was eighteen-year-old Julia "Shredulia" Lofqvist Traum, who has worked on trails throughout her mountain biking career, but never built her own jump line. She came into the build with a vision for a whale tail feature. Some of the experienced builders, James and Jarrett who were guiding the project, refrained from taking over her idea and instead allowed Julia to experiment, shape, and refine it herself. Kat watched Julia’s confidence grow as she successfully completed the whale tail, growing as a builder in the process. In the end, the team completed a big, gnarly jump line that was truly women-led. 

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Julia began her mountain bike career in Sweetlines' programs as a kid and is now a coach there; this is not uncommon. Kat is always scouting kids to become mentors, assistants, and eventually, lead coaches at Sweetlines. She has developed a unique pipeline utilizing the company’s proprietary coach training program aimed at nurturing the next generation of leaders.

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“I really love teaching other people how to be a great coach and all the lessons I’ve learned along the way in my own journey,” she says.

Kat’s extensive experience with kids' programs has resulted in a fantastic curriculum that emphasizes engaging and exciting instruction through kid-focused language and physical and emotional safety. Their innovative lessons—a collaborative team effort between Kat and her coaches—span eight levels, from beginner to teaching jumps, drops, and downhill racing. 

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Sweetlines currently employs 40 professionally trained coaches seasonally and Kat has also hired a team to help her with administration and logistics. In fact, one of the biggest and most successful shifts in her business over the last decade has been her ability to give up some control and hire a team to support her. 

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“I used to try to do it all by myself, run everything, make all the decisions, and be in control,” says Kat. “But I realized that to be a more effective leader, I really need to have a team, and I need to let people take the reins and bring incredible ideas and decisions to the table.”

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Having a team to support her has allowed Kat to pursue new avenues of interest. Two years ago, she got certified as a Mental Game Coach after completing a ten-week intensive program. This has equipped her with the skills to help athletes understand their needs and enhance their performance. Working with these techniques, Kat helps her clients let go of expectations and comparisons. Instead, she brings them into the present moment with mindfulness tools, enjoying the process of discovering what works for each individual—whether it be a word, a song, or just clearing their mind.

“I wish I'd learned all this when I was an aspiring professional athlete; it would have been game-changing,” she says. "It’s helped me realize some of the mistakes I was making.”

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Being a coach and an entrepreneur is not always glamorous. Kat spends long hours at her desk answering emails, managing registration systems, and refining the curriculum. The race team training session starts in the cold, wet February each year and by the first week of September, she’s biked out and ready for a break. 

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Still, Kat continues to dream big for Sweetlines. She envisions expanding to new locations, enhancing their virtual presence through video work, and amplifying their voice online. Her commitment to continuous improvement and her ability to adapt and grow have made her a respected figure in the mountain biking community. As she looks to the future, Kat’s vision and passion will undoubtedly continue to inspire and lead the next generation of riders and coaches.