Developing a High School MTB Club

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know of any schools in Jersey that currently have a HS MTB Club? I know Kinnelon does and I think Vernon may, but does anybody know someone that has one or has created one? I've been thinking of a way to get it done at my school and I was talking to a parent the other day and there is some support there. I'm just curious as to what the structure is at other schools and what logistics are needed to get it done. I'd love to get more kids out there having fun and enjoying the trails and watching myself fall down...
 

mergs

Spokompton's Finest
JORBA.ORG
Hey Ryan, there seems to be some good content online:

NorCal High School: http://www.norcalmtb.org/teams/manual.htm

Berkely High School: http://www.bhscycling.org/

(there's an email contact on the bhscycling site. pose your question to him and see what he says.)

I'd love to support your efforts any way that I can, so if you need someone to bounce ideas off of, need a reference, or whatever... PM me. Good luck.

p.s. more:
http://www.google.com/search?source...chool+mountain+biking+team&btnG=Google+Search
 

J-Dro

Well-Known Member
When I was riding at Ralph Stover Park in PA a few weeks ago, we came across a HS group that I'm almost sure was from Hammonton, NJ. There were about 20 kids on MTBs and they arrived in a school bus with identical bike rentals. It was great to see so many high schoolers having fun in the woods.
 

Shaggz

A strong 7
sparta brad is involved with the HS Mountain Bike camp run out of Mo-Beard, but i do not think they have a club during the school year.
 

Purple Liquid

Shop: Efinger
Shop Keep
I started one at my high school, took me a really long time to get it passed.

Make sure your mission statement is clear, and involves safety.

Let me know if you have any details questions!
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Hey Ryan, there seems to be some good content online:

NorCal High School: http://www.norcalmtb.org/teams/manual.htm

Berkely High School: http://www.bhscycling.org/

(there's an email contact on the bhscycling site. pose your question to him and see what he says.)

I'd love to support your efforts any way that I can, so if you need someone to bounce ideas off of, need a reference, or whatever... PM me. Good luck.

p.s. more:
http://www.google.com/search?source...chool+mountain+biking+team&btnG=Google+Search

Yea I've been checking out those sites. It seems like they have some pretty decent groups going. I found the guy that runs the Kinnelon site. I'm going to try to contact him and see what he says about the club startup. I figure there's gotta be trails near the high school since the cross country teams run them. So that's perfect to ride right after school twice a week or so. Then if we want to branch out and have some volunteer/parent support we could go to JH or Waway or even Rwood. The possibilities are there. I inquired today and was told I need to put a request for a club together that gave a description of the club and to make sure that I'm doing this on a volunteer basis. I'm going to ask a few questions of other clubs first and then put my proposal together. It'll go past the principal and BOE and then I can start organizing. I'm sure it'll be small numbers at first but I'd love to see the kids out there.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
I started one at my high school, took me a really long time to get it passed.

Make sure your mission statement is clear, and involves safety.

Let me know if you have any details questions!

I really like the mission statements that these schools have listed. They all talk of safety, excercise, comraderie, self esteem, etc... I'll have all the special buzz words flyin :D
 

Purple Liquid

Shop: Efinger
Shop Keep
I really like the mission statements that these schools have listed. They all talk of safety, excercise, comraderie, self esteem, etc... I'll have all the special buzz words flyin :D

Haha excellent work! We're about to hold our first few meetings, so I'll let you know how those go ;)
 

SpartaBard

Well-Known Member
sparta brad is involved with the HS Mountain Bike camp run out of Mo-Beard, but i do not think they have a club during the school year.

We used to have a club at both the Upper and Middle School, but the person who ran it left to go teach in Arizona. At a private school it is real easy, all we need is a faculty advisor and student interest. Basically we just took a group of kids out riding after school during the Fall and Spring. We never took it to the level of racing. Unfortunately the club has fallen by the wayside, since the other faculty member left, and I am too busy with other activities to really run with it.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
We used to have a club at both the Upper and Middle School, but the person who ran it left to go teach in Arizona. At a private school it is real easy, all we need is a faculty advisor and student interest. Basically we just took a group of kids out riding after school during the Fall and Spring. We never took it to the level of racing. Unfortunately the club has fallen by the wayside, since the other faculty member left, and I am too busy with other activities to really run with it.

Yea I'm thinking I could get a decent group of maybe 5-10 kids and ride right behind the high school which would work well. And for those that so desire, get them ready for the High School state championship in May. I know one of the students already does the H2H series so he'd be in but I'm going to use him as the platform to get others interested and involved.
 

pinkshirtphotos

Active Member
i would like to have on in my school but there is no real intrest in riding. theres only 2 kids that ride and they both have ego and attitude issues. maybe ill try getting in with vernons hs club.
 

pixychick

JORBA: Ringwood
JORBA.ORG
Ryan,

My friend and riding buddy from back aways is one of those norcal team managers. She has done a tremedous job with her team. She has had as many as 40 kids. Something like that would offer a great opprtunity for any kids that would like to ride here in NJ. Sometimes, all you need is to get a few kids out there and then others get interested. I could forward you her email, if you have questions.

here is an article by a mom, about her team ....

http://www.theunion.com/article/20070918/SPORTS/109180178

Ellen
 
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monkey boy

Self-Imposed Exile
Hey Ryan, there seems to be some good content online:

NorCal High School: http://www.norcalmtb.org/teams/manual.htm

Berkely High School: http://www.bhscycling.org/

(there's an email contact on the bhscycling site. pose your question to him and see what he says.)

I'd love to support your efforts any way that I can, so if you need someone to bounce ideas off of, need a reference, or whatever... PM me. Good luck.

p.s. more:
http://www.google.com/search?source...chool+mountain+biking+team&btnG=Google+Search


Figures those dirty hippies in NorCal would get that rollin:D :D
Missed yeah on sunday Mergs.

Ryan. If you need any help from a W.M. Local let me know. I am a mile from the high school. the trails are pretty flat and little challenge (even for my fat ass). But if you need an asst. coach or what ever let me know. I would be glad to help.
My future Rainbow jersey ( not the Chelcie "pride" rainbow) winner will need a good program in school, god knows I can't afford private schools.

Would kilts be part of the team kit? :D
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Figures those dirty hippies in NorCal would get that rollin:D :D
Missed yeah on sunday Mergs.

Ryan. If you need any help from a W.M. Local let me know. I am a mile from the high school. the trails are pretty flat and little challenge (even for my fat ass). But if you need an asst. coach or what ever let me know. I would be glad to help.
My future Rainbow jersey ( not the Chelcie "pride" rainbow) winner will need a good program in school, god knows I can't afford private schools.

Would kilts be part of the team kit? :D

Sweet! Thanks for the support! I'll let you know. I'm gonna get working on this proposal. Once that's passed I'll get some interest meetings going on and the process will begin. I think I'm gonna bring my bike and do some scouting around the area trails tomorrow or thursday after work. I'd also like to see who owns the property to see if any trail building can be done. There's lots of potential...

Do they make kilts with a chamois? :D
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Shout out to Ryan!

Howdy,

Nobody has really done this yet, so I thought I'd be the first to acknowledge Ryan for his efforts, initiative, and leadership here.

Not too many kids would take on putting something like this together, even for a sport they love. As corny as it sounds, a relatively small handful of young people like Ryan will be growing this sport as old folks like me just get frustrated that it takes more training to maintain at age 42 than it did to progress at age 25 :hmmm:

Keep it up, Ryan.

Regards and best of luck.
Tim

P.S. If all high school kids in Parsippany write as well as Ryan, I might have to move there when my kids hit high school ;)
 
S

Shar0se

Guest
Howdy,

Nobody has really done this yet, so I thought I'd be the first to acknowledge Ryan for his efforts, initiative, and leadership here.

Not too many kids would take on putting something like this together, even for a sport they love. As corny as it sounds, a relatively small handful of young people like Ryan will be growing this sport as old folks like me just get frustrated that it takes more training to maintain at age 42 than it did to progress at age 25 :hmmm:

Keep it up, Ryan.

Regards and best of luck.
Tim

P.S. If all high school kids in Parsippany write as well as Ryan, I might have to move there when my kids hit high school ;)

I agree! Nice job Ryan!! Kids need people like you willing to get out there with them- you've always been a good role model for your students. I'd like to add that he also advises his school ski/board club. And
just to clarify- he grew up and works in West Milford, just resides in Parsippany, just so you know when you want to move to the high school there. :)
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Howdy,

Nobody has really done this yet, so I thought I'd be the first to acknowledge Ryan for his efforts, initiative, and leadership here.

Not too many kids would take on putting something like this together, even for a sport they love. As corny as it sounds, a relatively small handful of young people like Ryan will be growing this sport as old folks like me just get frustrated that it takes more training to maintain at age 42 than it did to progress at age 25 :hmmm:

Keep it up, Ryan.

Regards and best of luck.
Tim

P.S. If all high school kids in Parsippany write as well as Ryan, I might have to move there when my kids hit high school ;)

Of course, I've misunderstood...Ryan is a *teacher*. Still, a big shout out!! Everything I said still applies!!
 

Purple Liquid

Shop: Efinger
Shop Keep
We have a fairly large pool of kids at Bridgewater... I told people they need to tell me if they honestly plan on attending, and I've gotten about 30 people confirming.

Not too shabby. First meeting next week!
 

graveyardman67

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Hey Ryan,

I'm pretty sure TJ Jackson started the team at Kinnelon. In fact, I think it was he that got Lindsey (Bishop) into racing. He used to race quite a bit, but I haven't seen him in while. I'll ask around.

Bill
 
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