Embedded Files
Do I have to have a mountain bike to join?
Yes, you need a mountain bike. At this time, we are unable to provide bikes or equipment. We can provide help in sourcing a bike. When you register as a MCA student athlete, a discount is available from some manufacturers. See also the Equipment Page for recommended equipment. Our family just cannot afford to be spending all this money. Is there any option for us?
If your student qualifies for the free and reduced lunch program, there are resources to help with bikes and the various fees. Please contact us or Ricky Michel at the Stillwater Area High School Activities Department.When does the Team start training?
Team practices start in July with a single track training camp for second year and above riders in August. We do encourage riders to start riding in the springtime, but this is done without meeting as a Team.We practicing Monday-Thursday after school once the school year begins.
How long does the season last?
Workouts start in early July with two weekly full team practices. There is an additional third practice for qualified advanced riders.The first day of school for all students is the start of our "after school" workouts. The schedule changes to Monday- Thursday practices.
Races are held on Saturdays and Sundays from August - October.
What does a typical week for the Team look like?
See a typical week detailed here.
Who is eligible to join the SAHS MTB Team?
Students of District 834 from 6th grade - 12th grade may join. See details of eligibility here.As the Parent/Guardian, do I have to be fixing my kids bike all the time?
We will have maintenance days to clean and tune the bikes. We do suggest using a bike shop for major repairs. The riders will be learning to maintain and repair their bikes as they go through the season.As the Parent/Guardian, I like to ride MTB a bit myself, but I don’t race. How can I help?
We have several volunteer roles for parents/guardians. There is a place for everyone. We need your skills and passion!As an adult, I am an experienced rider. I like your program and want to help, but I have no children on the team.
We are always in need of experienced assistant coaches. You will need to complete a background check through MCA. Contact our Team Director or check out our volunteer opportunities.Who does the Team race against?
We race against other middle and high school students at MCA races. There are over 200 teams across MN, WI, and ND that participate in our League. Schools compete against other schools using rider points. The rider compete in waves of 50 against other riders who are in their same racing classification. See the Minnesota Cycling Assocation website for more information: www.minnesotacycling.org.Where are these races held?
Race locations vary each year. See our home page for the current schedule and race locations.How will you get students to get to these races?
Parents are responsible for getting their students to races. Carpooling may be available.Do you need to be a proficient mountain biker to join your team?
We accept students as they come to us. We consider ourselves a "grass roots" racing team. Stick with us and you will learn skills, get stronger, and go faster.Mountain Biking is an active sport that requires a lot of built up skill and conditioning. We love to help riders whole want to learn to love the sport through an inclusive team culture and hard work.
Do coaches pick who gets to enter the race?
Everyone races, no one "sits on the bench". Middles school race days are categorized by grade and gender. High school race days have 4 race categories for each gender: Freshman, JV2, JV3 and Varsity.As a parent/guardian, I want to ask is this really safe? Can you guarantee my child’s safety?
We have a well developed and thought out program for training, but we will be riding bikes. We cannot guarantee anyone's safety, including the coaches. We will use best practices to ensure rider safety, but we are on bikes, and also sometimes on the public roads. We feel this is a safe program, otherwise we would not offer it, but we cannot guarantee anyone's safety.
Report abuse