Tag Archives: high school mountain bike racing

Sports & Leisure, Volunteerism

You can call me Coach. Northfield will soon have a high school mountain bike racing team

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The Minnesota High School Cycling League held their first Leaders’ Summit last weekend. I attended both days (Head and Assistant Coach licensing) along with Northfielder Sue Welch, Community Coordinator for the Cannon Valley Velo Club.

Gary Sjoquist Austin McInerny Michael Hayes Sue Welch, Michael Hayes, Griff Wigley, Austin McInerny

Gary Sjoquist, QBP’s Advocacy Director, organized and hosted the event at their Bloomington headquarters.  Austin McInerny, (NorCal High School Cycling League, Berkeley High School Mountain Bike Team) did the classroom instruction on Saturday. Michael Hayes, Colorado Rocky Mountain School, conducted the skills training (in the classroom and on the bike) on Sunday.

Austin and Michael were impressive instructors: very thorough, great storytellers, well-organized, interesting, and funny. Gary treated us royally with breakfast, lunch and even dinner on Saturday, with ample snacks throughout each day and happy hours at day’s end. The only disappointment: it rained all day Saturday and on and off on Sunday so the end-of-the-day-rides had to be cancelled.

I’m pretty enthused about all this. Sue and I will soon host a community info night in Northfield for interested student athletes and parents.

See my album of 27 photos (large slideshow recommended) or SLOW CLICK this small slideshow:

Civic Orgs, K-12

StarTribune article on formation of high school mountain bike racing league

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StarTribune article on formation of high school mountain bike racing league in MinnesotaToday’s StarTribune South Metro Section has an article by Calvin Swanson titled: Biking for School: Minnesota plans to join five other states that offer high school-level mountain bike racing, starting with four races this fall.

The article is not yet available online that I could find so I’ve taken a photo of it. This larger version of the photo of the article makes the text somewhat readable.

I’m quoted in the article (sounding like the blue-blooded Minnesotan that I am) as I’m one of many people around the state trying to form a local team.

Griff Wigley, 62, who is trying to start a team in Northfield, said, “Yeah, it’s a little pricey because you have to have some equipment, but compared to hockey or football, which pretty much ends for 99 percent of all kids as soon as high school is over, this is a heck of a deal. Pretty much everyone in their adult life has a bicycle.”

See the Minnesota High School Cycling League website for more, as well as my blog post from last month about the kick-off event at QPB HQ.