SONORA COMPOSITE MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE TEAM
ABOUT OUR TEAM
Who Makes Up The Team?
Sonora Composite MTB (Mountain Bike) Race Team is a mountain biking team comprised of private, public and homeschool junior high and high school student-athletes in grades 6-12 from Sonora, CA and the surrounding area.
Our Organization
The team competes in the Northern California Mountain Bike Cycling League (NorCal MTB), a league of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). Founded in 2009, NICA develops interscholastic mountain biking programs for tens of thousands of student-athletes across the United States. NICA provides leadership, services, coach licensing and training, insurance, and governance for local leagues to produce quality mountain bike events.
TEAM GOALS
Invest In And Grow Our Program
Sonora MTB team will be competing in its sixth season in 2024 typically with 25-30 student-athletes registered to compete. The team is managed and coached by team director Damon Chidester along with 12 volunteers, certified ride leaders and coaches. Over the next few years, we expect to
experience significant program growth. We want to be able to do our best to meet the future needs of our riders and the team. With your help, we can build a team that will not only benefit our student-athletes but will also benefit the riding community of Tuolumne County.
Provide Riding Opportunities For The Students
Students who wish to compete (racing is not required) typically have 5 opportunities to race all over Northern California during the spring race season. Races are in Monterey, Sacramento, Modesto, Lake McClure, and other central and coastal California locations between late February and early May. Practices are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays with additional rides on some Saturdays. Practice locations include Dragoon Gulch, Indigeny Reserve, and New Melones Reservoir.
Create An Atmosphere For Students To Develop
The Sonora MTB team goals are simple: have fun, ride and race safely, and include and value every rider. Sonora MTB coaches are squarely focused on creating a team culture that is welcoming, safe, and fun. We strive to teach riders that mountain biking is a life-long activity for good health, to develop a connection to the outdoors and to enjoy nature with their families and friends. Although the students are learning skills and gaining fitness, Sonora MTB coaches are most focused on teaching students how to respect each other, themselves, the environment, their trails, and their communities. Our athletes learn skills like changing flats and how and why to carry appropriate gear and tools. We emphasize teamwork and creating stronger and more confident student-athletes both on and off the bike. We spend time focusing on trail stewardship and making a community a better place to live and recreate. This is a unique high school team environment.
There are no cuts; everyone rides and contributes to the team no matter his or her ability level.
