High school mountain bike team prepares for competitions

A new high school sport is catching on that's making use of the Redding area's renowned trail system.

Members of the Redding Composite High School Mountain Bike Team had a practice on a wet Thursday afternoon at the Swasey Recreation Area west of Redding led by coach Hilari Freeman.

She started the mountain bike team last year with 10 members and this season it's grown to 19 students from area high schools. The coed squad has four girls with the team divided up into experience levels.

"There's still a lot of people that don't know about it and we're trying to get the word out," Freeman said.

"It's basically getting more kids on bikes and getting them outdoors and getting them doing something they can do the rest of their lives."

Freeman is a science teacher at Shasta High and former volleyball coach who also loves to mountain bike. Her role as coach is to design practices, at trails such as Swasey and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and to get the riders race ready.

They will compete in the NorCal High School Cycling League and go to five races this season. The first race is Feb. 25 at Fort Ord in Monterey with the state championships May 19-20 in Petaluma.

High school mountain bike teams are popular elsewhere in California. The NorCal league is big enough to have North Bay and South Bay divisions, although the Redding team is the only one north of Sacramento. Some schools have around 100 riders, more than their football teams,

Of the local riders who competed at state last year, Freeman wrote online: "Everyone came in well ahead of last place and for the entire season we had no dnf's (did not finish), major crashes or mechanicals" that took the team out of contention.

The students' mountain bikes are expensive, although the league has a loaner bike program. Team member Zach Haverty of University Preparatory School said he was lucky to get his bike from a Canadian seller for $1,800. Helmets are a must and headlamps and cycling clothing also are needed.

Mountain biking is not considered a sport through the California Interscholastic Federation but Haverty said he's having more fun at practices than other sports he's played.

The senior says he "definitely" considers mountain biking a sport and enjoys it for fitness and making friends with teammates from Red Bluff, Shasta and Foothill.

"Every practice is just so fun every single time. I just never really get tired of it rain or shine," he said.

Flying down a trail can be a challenge.

"It's definitely a rush when your legs are burning and you're tired — it's just a mental battle sometimes," Haverty said.

One of the team's ride leaders is Bryan Nunes, who started last year as an adult volunteer and also is an avid mountain biker who appreciates the area's network of trails.

"It good for the kids. We're blessed to have the area here," Nunes said.

Mountain biking could benefit the student riders more than just getting exercise.

Freeman said about a dozen universities that have mountain and road teams offer scholarships.

Another thing Freeman is teaching is providing stewardship of the local trails. Students have the chance to maintain trails and build new ones, she said. "It's a great experience for high school kids."