By William Smith
Katherine Brakeville is the cool substitute teacher — the kind of adult authority figure who exudes a sense of understanding to her students.
Part of it is her look. Sporting dreadlocks, arms decorated with tattoos, and a laid-back demeanor, Brakeville tries her best to fit the part. However, the former snowboarder and current dog musher worries that she’s not nearly as cool as her students might think she is.
“I’m very casual. I still have high standards, but just in a different way. I try to connect with them (the students) on their level, with their language,” she said.
That use of modern lingo sometimes leads to unintentionally hilarious conversations.
“They (my students) are like, ‘Don’t ever say that again,’” Brakeville said with a laugh.
A West Burlington native, the first half of Brakeville’s life was pretty ordinary.
“I worked a lot of production jobs,” she said.
Things started getting more interesting when she became a naturalist in Des Moines County over a decade ago. It was Brakeville’s first foray into teaching, and she loved it. Already an outdoor enthusiast with a snowboarding background, Brakeville became a key member of the Des Moines County Wildlife Rehab Group.
“I stepped away for a little bit. I do have three baby possums living in my basement, though. They’re getting ready to be moved outside,” she said.
Brakeville and her husband moved to Utah for several years after she left her job as a naturalist, and they recently returned to Burlington. Moving from Utah to southeast Iowa was a reverse culture shock, but Brakeville and her family love it here.
“We lived in a very remote, off-grid, beautiful home on 80 acres (in Utah). And by off-grid, I mean we had to snowmobile to the house, and there was only solar power,” she said.
Brakeville worked at an after-school program, a local state park, and the nearby snowboard resort while in Utah.
“If you worked for them, you got free (snowboard) passes, which was one of the perks,” she said.
Brakeville currently works as a long-term substitute teacher for the Burlington School District and also works at Tractor Supply as a side hustle. She’s closing in on her teaching license and would like to work up the education ladder.
Mushing
When Brakeville is outside of work, she thinks about dog mushing. It’s become an obsession.
“That’s my thing right now. That’s my life,” she said.
Brakeville took up dryland mushing as she was moving back to Burlington, and it looks quite a bit different from traditional mushing. As the name suggests, there is no snow. Competitors ride on wheeled sleds, which can be anything from scooters to bicycles.
Brakeville has three trained dogs who can’t wait to pull her wherever she desires. Dryland mushing is a sprint of around 3 miles.
“I’ve always been involved in dogs, one way or another. I’ve hunted with my dad since I was old enough to walk through the timber by myself. He raised some of the best coon hounds,” she said.
This October, Brakeville will compete in the IFSS Dryland Championships in the one-dog scooter class in Minocqua, Wis., representing Team USA.
Brakeville has been practicing for the past three years, making sure to avoid any major spills as the dogs pull her scooter over 20 mph.
She credits Burlington resident Jon Williams, a well-known dog musher who has spent years running dogs over some of the iciest tundras in the world. She described him as a mentor and perhaps one of the friendliest people on the globe.
“He gifted me some harnesses and told me to get my certification in dog obedience first, because he (Brakeville’s first dog) was unruly. He spent an hour with me one evening just talking (about) dogs. So, I text him periodically about where I’m racing,” she said.
Brakeville said there is an entire hidden community of avid dog mushers who provide assistance and support, some as nearby as the Quad Cities. She can even post her practice times against other mushers to help train for the significant events.
“I have a group of friends, my community, and we’re all pushing each other, asking each other how you’re training, how are you getting your dogs in shape?” she said.
Brakeville will compete against 400 teams from all over the world in October, although these teams are divided into different classes.
Brakeville is competing in the Master’s Group, which has less stringent qualifications than the Elite group.
However, you still need to make a good impression to compete.
“You have to be chosen,” Brakeville said.
Due to the high speeds, Brakeville wears a helmet when she competes. She’s taken a few spills before, and always adheres to the golden dog sledding rule: Don’t let go of your grip on the dogs, no matter what happens.
It only happened once, and Brakeville was grateful the dogs didn’t keep going without her.
“They (the dogs) stopped for a possum, and I shot off the back so fast that I couldn’t keep hold of the rig,” Brakeville said.
No matter how she finishes at the championships, Brakeville is just happy to be a part of it. She will have a vocal contingent cheering her on, including her husband, Matt. Their children may be grown, but they have grandchildren to dote on when they get back home.
Life is pretty swell for Brakeville right now. She loves teaching. She loves mushing. And she’s making considerable advancements in both.
“This is my life,” she said.