Our Mission:

Cereal City Athletics was founded in 2015 by Tim and Emily Bandeen and Charles and Nikki Elder. Connected through friendship, our families enjoy being active together and seeking out new adventures. Between the two families, we have 8 kids, all involved in different sports and activities. It is safe to say, there is never a dull moment in our households, and always noise and laughter when we are together. Our kids LOVE our business meetings!

When we decided to combine forces in 2015 on different community events we had been working on, Cereal City Athletics was founded. Writing our mission on a restaurant napkin and sketching our logo in a notebook, we would have never imagined what we have been able to accomplish in the past few years. We are passionate about the Battle Creek Community and excited about continuing to support an active community and promote healthy, active lifestyles. 

Tim- Tim is a soccer player at heart, playing all through high school and into adulthood. He also enjoys triathlons and is getting back into the sport of mountain biking. He has competed in several triathlons, including Chattanooga Ironman 70.3 and ran many half marathons. For his day job, he owns and operates Bandeen Orthodontics. 

Emily- Emily was a collegiate swimmer and still favors the sport of swimming, which she now helps coach. She has ran marathons, numerous half marathons and competed in several Half Ironmans. She is passionate about triathlon and her current project is working on beginning a youth triathlon program in the Battle Creek area. By day, she owns and operates Bandeen Orthodontics with Tim.

Charles- Charles began his active lifestyle in the sport of mountain biking and has since evolved to running, swimming and cycling. He has competed in several Half Ironmans and the Louisville Ironman 140.6. By day, he is a process engineer.

Nikki- Nikki began running in 2013 after being inspired by a local Girls on the Run team. She has completed several half marathons and triathlons. She enjoys running and cycling and has a love/hate relationship with swimming, and open water in general. By day, she can be found at a local school district supporting English Language Learners and their teachers.