by Laurie O’Brien
For the second year in a row, a group of riders from the Olympia area has banded together to form a small but mighty high school mountain biking team. Since the inception of the Washington High School Cycling League in 2011, The Olympia Composite team has dominated the competition, and they are poised to win a number of individual titles this coming weekend at the “Battle on the Base” state championship race at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
League founder Lisa Miller has nothing but praise for the group of six riders representing five different schools in the south sound. “The Olympia Composite team is very unique in that most of the members are experienced bike racers, not only in mountain biking but also in other cycling disciplines. Naturally their experience and dedication to bike racing results in a strong presence on the podium. But their greatest achievement is immeasurable; the Olympia Composite riders serve as excellent role models for novice riders. They demonstrate superior sportsmanship, dedication to living a healthy lifestyle and serve as exceptional ambassadors to not only the sport but also to the League.”
Sophomores Nolan Brady, from Steilacoom High School, and David O’Brien, who attends Capital High School, have been the top two Varsity riders in the state throughout the season. Brady discovered the league at the end of last season, and, as a freshman, rode to a decisive Varsity victory in the final race of the year. Meanwhile, O’Brien was undefeated and won the state Junior Varsity title as a freshman.
Both riders have competed at the national level in mountain biking, cyclocross, and on the road. After winning the first two Varsity races this year, Brady, was sidelined in April with a broken collar bone and gave up the series lead to his teammate, O’Brien. The two are expected to duke it out for series championship and the state title on Sunday.
Last year was the first year of serious mountain biking for River Ridge sophomore Kyle Sweeney. Despite having no prior racing experience, he finished the freshman/sophomore series in fifth place overall. This year, each grade level has its own race, and Sweeney has consistently crushed the rest of the sophomore competition. Barring an unforeseen mishap, he should win the sophomore series, and the state championship title.
North Thurston sophomore Andrea Casebolt will have to miss the series finale on Sunday due to another racing commitment. The only female member of the Olympia Composite team this year, Casebolt was the girls’ Junior Varsity series leader. Last year she easily won the freshman/sophomore title.
Rounding out the team are Aberdeen High School students Kevin Stewart and Josh Peterson, a senior and sophomore respectively. While not in contention for the podium, this year, Stewart, who rides junior varsity, and Peterson represent what the league is really about: Getting new riders hooked into mountain biking.
When Miller started the league in 2011, her vision was to get as many kids as possible onto bikes and involved in her favorite sport. The league is still in its infancy, and she has high expectations for the future. This year about 125 individual students, primarily from western Washington, competed in the race series.
“A major goal for next year is to bring more awareness of the program across the state in an effort to afford as many students as possible the opportunity to discover a lifelong sport, ” she says. “The paramount goal is to enable each and every student who wants to participate in the program the ability to do so, regardless of socio-economic status, equipment and transportation needs.”
Debbie Driver, who lives and works in the Olympia area, is involved in the League as the volunteer coordinator for the series. She wishes she’d been introduced to the sport earlier. “I see the league as a fantastic opportunity for high school kids to explore the world of cycling through mountain biking,” says Driver.
She is excited that mountain biking is now an option for high school aged athletes. “Cycling seems to be overlooked in the traditional high school. I hope this League, along with other youth-related cycling development teams and events in Washington, will encourage youth to ride.”
She continues, “I expected to be inspired by the high school racers and that has indeed been a personal reward! The pre-race energy is exciting and it is obvious that every student who finishes is proud of themselves and their teammates. It has been very rewarding to see the number of committed parents, coaches and volunteers.”
Even if a student doesn’t consider him or herself athletic, sometimes an individual sport like cycling can draw out the inner champion. For those who don’t have the right skill set or build to make a high school team sport, cycling may prove to be the right fit. “The coaches spend a lot of time teaching the racers biking skills, race strategy and the importance of being a part of a team,” says Driver. Unlike many other sports where the focus is always on the “win,” with cycling it’s about challenging yourself. On race day, it’s often more about finishing than beating an opponent.
“All in all,” says Driver, “the races seem to bring out the best in folks who simply want high school students to have a positive experience in an outdoor, sport-event setting.”
While the Olympia Composite team consists primarily of experienced athletes, both they and their coach, Luke Brechwald, welcome any and all high school aged riders regardless of their biking experience and ability. Miller, Driver, and Brechwald would all like to see Olympia area ridership expand. After this year, Olympia Composite is no longer eligible for “team” competition. Once there are enough riders, League rules encourage composite teams to break into smaller units representing individual high schools, and although students may still ride under a composite team name and compete for individual titles, no composite team may compete for team prizes for more than two years.
Brechwald, especially, would like to get more adults involved with coaching and mentoring of new riders. “These are great kids. Not only are they rock star athletes, but they epitomize the term ‘student-athlete.’ They’re involved in their schools and they’re good students. I’m proud to work with them.”
According to Miller, many of the 21 teams currently in the league started completely from scratch. “No past biking experience is needed for students or adults to participate,” she says. “What I am looking for in a coach, ride leader, volunteer, or student athlete is the willingness and desire to learn, to teach, and to grow.” Training programs are offered for adult leaders during the off season, and Miller encourages anyone interested in participating to contact her. (Contact information is provided below.)
Says Miller: “It is absolutely amazing to watch students find empowerment through cycling.”
If you would like to get involved helping to expand the Washington State High School Cycling League in the Olympia area or elsewhere in the state, please contact Lisa Miller at: lisa@washingtonmtb.org
To learn more about the League, click here.
If you’re a high school aged rider who’d like to join the Olympia Composite team next year, please contact Miller (above) or Luke Brechwald at Joy Ride Bicycles in Lacey.
For more information about Sunday’s state championship race, visit this page.
