I am a co-captain for my companies MS150 team. Last year was pretty bad with a total of 5 riders (200 Houston employees, 2000 nation wide). I am looking for any feedback from other riders on what they like about their team that keeps them coming back. Other then entry fee and the $400 fundraising, everything else is company sponsored. My main focus is to start training programs soon so people don't feel intimidated as the ride gets closer. My main question is, what works for your team?

It is hard with a group as small as you had, but my advice in general is to be active! Try to have a lot going on and do things together as a team even if it is off the bike. That was my biggest disappointment with my previous team over the years was that it really wasn't a "team". It was a bunch of people who wore the same jersey and showed up at the same tent to eat the same food, but prior to the MS150, we had very few opportunities to meet anybody else from the team or to do anything together as a group. The team captain and volunteers always did a good job setting up the ride start and taking great care of us overnight, but we never got together otherwise and it felt a bit like riding with a bunch of strangers.

Helps to also have a focus. I historically have rode with a team whose team was diagnosed with MS in 2000 and still rides every year.

I know that's rare, but find a focus that is motivating to your team.

To get more riders try to make the fundraising easier. Our company got an arrangement with a grocery chain to get 5% of any money loaded to gift cards donated to the person whose card it is. I gave some out to people pre loaded with $5 and made my $400 easily on that. Start early if you do something like that.

We also do a lot of group rides in the spring and in the winter organized some spin classes paid for by the company and once our gym opened had special classes there.