This year the Shorewood mountain biking team, defending state champions, has a team of 53 that consists of both boys and girls, grades 6 through 12. The team strives to have fun on and off the trails by working hard and being dedicated.

Vera Gleisner, freshman, has been on the team for two years.

“My favorite part [about being on the team] is being able to ride and see the beautiful scenery and riding with other people,” Gleisner said. “We’re just all having a good time.”

The team is coming off a successful season, but they remind their riders that winning again isn’t their main focus. 

“We are state champions from last year, but that’s not what is important to us,”  said Sydney Shimko, head coach. “We have a really big team and from 6th grade to 12th grade our primary focus is to be inclusive.”

The team’s coaches encourage the team to always do their best to succeed, but they don’t want members to feel as though their only focus should be winning, or to be nervous about competition.

“It gives the kids opportunities to grow, get faster, get better, gain confidence, that’s what it’s all about. [It’s] confidence and being comfortable riding,” said Don Iwen, head coach.

Although the competition season has yet to start, the team has been practicing progressive skills on trails starting after the 4th of July and continuing until the end of August. After the preseason training, the competition season will begin in September and the season will end in October.

“For our more experienced riders, [the focus has been] repetition and going back to the basics, and for our newer riders [we’re working on] all of the fundamentals,” Shimko said. “It’s making sure that all our riders can be safe riding once we get to the trail. We spend a lot of time here in the park.”

The mountain biking team is always looking for more members to join the team, no matter their skill level. They just want students to enjoy a fun hobby with other people who enjoy biking. The team lends loaner bikes as well as scholarships to anyone who is in need of them, so financial situations should not prevent anyone from joining.

“We’re always looking to get new riders,”  Shimko said. “[On] our team, and across the nation, we have an initiative going on to get more girls into the sport.”