As the Sedona School Mountain Bike Club looks toward the upcoming fall season, it will begin to roll out practices on Wednesday, July 1.
Anyone entering grades 6 through 12 is welcome to join — regardless of skill or experience level. This includes people who don’t own a mountain bike.
“We have loaner bikes and can get loaner bikes through the Arizona League,” head coach Eric Mace said. “One of our pillars is inclusivity and equity.”
The season’s first competition will get underway over the weekend of Sept. 12 and 13 at Fort Tuthill County Park in Flagstaff. Riders are broken up into divisions based on age, gender and skill level.
Everyone who finishes a race will earn points for the team, up to and including those who finish in last place.
“There’s no sitting on the bench — you get to do every practice and every race,” Mace added. “No matter what your skill level we can help you get better. You don’t need to be embarrassed or shy. We can progress you to harder trails and activity if you’re ready to progress.”
Of course there are extra precautions that will be taken this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. All coaches will have their own first aid kit. There will be no tools passed back and forth. Additionally, the kids will all have to go through a health checklist each day before they interact with their fellow riders.
Since the club is not officially affiliated with any school, it is dealing with far less uncertainty about the upcoming fall season than many other sports teams are presently experiencing.
“Biking kind of allows you to be six feet apart because of your bicycle and all that jazz,” Mace said. “Even if school doesn’t return to normal like it was, we’re going to continue to have our practices and events and be available.”
The season runs over six weekends between mid-September and mid-November, with races taking place every other weekend. Joining the Sedona School Mountain Bike Club will allow riders the chance to experience a lot of Arizona.
“We go all over the state,” Mace said. “In Flagstaff, Prescott, West and East Phoenix, Sierra Vista and sometimes Lake Havasu. We usually camp the whole weekend. There’s a lot of camaraderie with the team and a lot of fun times. Other schools camp out, too. It’s so much more than just a race weekend.”
Further information about the season can be found at arizonamtb.org. Information about the club can be found at sedonaschoolmtb.com.
Anyone interested in joining should contact a coach. Mace can be reached via email at eric@azmace.com or over the phone at 254-7496.
