New high school sport in Idaho
Hillcrest High School student Sarah Clawson is thrilled to be on the Idaho Falls High School Composite Mountain Biking Team.
“I love everything about the sport, I love the people around the sport, I love the spirit of the sport,” Clawson said.
Mountain biking enthusiast Troy Clark is the coach. He began with six local kids last year as part of the Utah League of NICA – the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. Now that Idaho has a league, the team has grown and Clark is delighted. He says there are lots of benefits.
“This gets them off the couch, it gets them active, everybody gets to participate,” Clark said. “There’s nobody that sits on the sideline — doesn’t matter your skill level, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been doing this. If you go to a race, you get to participate.”
Devin Johnson likes the rush and staying active.
“A lot of times I’m sitting at home not doing anything and I get here and I can ride and have fun,” Johnson said.
Parents appreciate the emphasis on involvement and the values NICA espouses.
“Nobody’s the star, everybody is a good athlete — just the values and support I see for the kids is just amazing so far,” Heather Merrill said.
Coaching this team is a real labor of love for Troy Clark.
“Taking a sport that you’re passionate about and something you can do for the rest of your life and teaching that to the next generation – priceless,” Clark said.
You can find out more information by visiting the team Facebook page: Idaho Falls Composite High School Race team. You can also call Troy Clark at 208-351-7356.
