While many students at LHS can tell you the football team’s ranking in the TRL, most don’t even know the school has a mountain biking team. The Lake Oswego Composite Mountain Bike Team has been a place for both middle schoolers and high schoolers across the region to find a passion in biking outdoors. During the last season, the team had 100 athletes and 30 coaches. The team consists of four different high schools, and one of them is LHS.
“At practice we usually either play a bike game, practice skills, do intervals up Cherry Hill, or do timed races through a course at Luscher Farms,” said junior Jack Hampson, who has been on the team since the summer before 8th grade.
Most of the riders joined the team with minimal to no experience in mountain biking, so the initial weeks of the training program are dedicated to technique, which progresses over the season through May to October. However, while lots of time is spent practicing, the highlights for the riders are the races themselves.
“My favorite part of being on the team is the traveling,” said Hampson. “Being able to go to remote areas and race in the beautiful nature and hang out with your friends all weekend is easily the most fun part.”
This year’s races took place across the state in Prineville, Madras, Newport and Mt. Bachelor. Over the last two years, the LHS Mountain Bike Team has been one of the top Division 2 high school teams to compete. At state champs, junior Torin Gastich got 5th. According to head coach Doug Cousineau, the team’s positive spirits and dedication were to thank.
“I was so proud of everyone that represented Lakeridge this last season,” Cousineau said. “It definitely made a difference that all the athletes were supportive of each other and were committed to compete as a team.”
While the team’s goal is to get more kids on bikes and foster their love for the sport, it also works towards achieving long term goals in their futures.
“Mountain biking is unique because it’s a sport that you won’t just give up after high school or college,” said Gastich. “It’s something unique you can do lifelong and the places you get to go to are amazing.”
Coach Cousineau said that the team is always looking for new members, whether you have experience or not.
“We have a fun time exploring new cross country trails, learning new skills and making new friends,” said Cousineau. “If you want to learn about bike maintenance, training plans, nutrition and how to have fun riding a mountain bike – this is the team for you.”
