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Lycoming Composite Mountain Bike Team looks to get more kids on bikes

Sue Stackhouse is a STEP AmeriCorps Outreach Coordinator for the Lycoming Composite Mountain Bike team, and one thing she wants to do is a simple objective: get kids on bikes.

The bike team is one of the avenues of outreach for her and the recent event of Milky Way Ride at Rider Park was one of the ways Stackhouse and her team accomplished that objective.

An upcoming Grinduro event at Sullivan County in June led Stackhouse to do the Milky Way Ride at Rider Park.

"Looking for additional rides, events, fun at Grinduro, the idea of a night ride for our student athletes was born," Stackhouse said. "So a night ride, why not add star gazing, and why not at our local Rider Park?"

The Lycoming Composite Mountain Bike team worked with other non-profits, including Camp Susque, which brought telescopes to help individuals see stars and planets.

"Families enjoyed the night sky while the riders were on the trails and upon the riders return, snacks, star gazing and some fun games provided by Camp Susque staff were enjoyed," Stackhouse said.

But what is the Lycoming Composite Mountain Bike team? The team itself consists of student athletes in Lycoming and the surrounding counties. Currently, there are 17 student athletes, 13 coaches and a number of parents who support the group.

"We are looking to grow the team and perhaps have students, if they chose to compete, compete with their school colors when at the high school level," Stackhouse said. "We have reached out o many of the area school districts over the winter months and have been welcomed in to several middle schools to do a presentation, to talk about the team and how to get involved."

The team is non-profit and scholarships are available, according to Stackhouse.

This is the eighth season of competition for not only the Lycoming Composite team, but also the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Mountain Biking Team (PICL). It's a co-ed sport in the state and the season runs from the beginning of July through the end of October, seeing a total of six league events which consist of five race events and an adventure ride.

"Official practice starts in July with two days during the week and Saturday mornings. There are no prior skills required. In fact, we can show students how to ride if you never did previously," Stackhouse said. "When competing, students will compete against other student athletes of their gender and at their grade level in the middle school grades."

Those in high school grades are placed in the appropriate competitive level based on their abilities.

"Those levels are ninth grade, JV2, JV3 and varsity," Stackhouse said. "Our team is about having fun, learning skills and building confidence."

The Milky Way Ride was just the beginning of events the Lycoming Composite team is involved in. Last Tuesday, the group had an event at the East Lycoming YMCA, but there are numerous coming up.

Tonight, there is an event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the South Williamsport Park, which is co-ed for grades 5-11. On Wednesday at the Hughesville Sports Complex from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., there's a co-ed event for grades 5-11 as well.

Teammates are encouraged to bring a friend, and the public is welcome.

On Tuesday, May 23 and Wednesday, May 24, all boys are welcome tatted from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to learn about the team and are encouraged to bring a bike and helmet. It's at Laporte Park at the Sullivan County Boys Clinic.

Grinduro will be happening in Hillsgrove, an event organized by PICL with proceeds going directly to support PA Mountain Bike. Registering for that event is online and can be found at www.bicycling.com.