05/04/2026
Just finished our last race (Championship Race) this past weekend at Roosevelt State Park!
We are super proud of our athletes, especially our new athletes that were introduced to mountain bike racing for the first time this year. The growth of our new athletes were astounding! We are talking about growth in confidence, self esteem, skills, and setting themselves goals that each one of them accomplished! They showed up, participated, put their blood, sweat and tears into this sport and accomplished their goals! Although winning a podium is fun, that’s not what it’s all about! Having fun, making friends, building bonds, community and growth is what we strive for!
So here are a few shout outs of our athletes:
Griffin Thompson: Our new athlete introduced to mountain bike racing for the first time this season. He is one of our high school JV3 boys. I’m so darn proud of this kid! He is the sweetest, funniest kid I know! Has a personality as big as the universe! He showed up to each practice determined. Each practice he rode further, got faster, improved on his skills! He set himself goals that he worked hard to achieve! Come race time, he entered the shoot with confidence, determination and a goal to finish the race! Each race he took on, he’d beat his time from the previous race! He would always finish with a smile on his face! Griffin, you make us proud! Job well done buddy!
Carter Cadle - 2nd year athlete. He is our 6th grade middle school boy. This kid, now he’s something else! Once shy, timid and nervous is now a social butterfly! He broke out of his shell and nothing could hold this kid back! Each practice, each race he got better and better! This kid out on the race course got the Nickname of “Passing King”! If he seen another athlete in front of him, it was on! He was determined to pass them up! He would pass one after another and would pass by me with a grin ear to ear! He made podium a few times which made him want it more and more! So the hunger for this sport is in his blood! No slowing this kid down! Carter man, you rocked it this season! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what you will do next season!! Job well done!!
Kyah Carter - 2nd year athlete. Our middle school girl. She’s our little competitor! When she sets her mind on something, she’s doing it! There’s no stopping her! She’s worked hard, trained hard, set her goals and accomplished them! She finished out the year taking 1st place in the girls middle school B division! Proud of you Kyah! Job well done!
Francis Stephens - Our new athlete introduced to mountain bike racing for this first time this season! Talking about a go getter, this kid is amazing! He showed up to every practice ready to push himself! He pushed himself to the limits each practice striving to be the best he could be! Each practice I watched this kid give it all he had and then some! He’s stamina got better, his timing got better, his endurance got better and he was determined to show his growth out on the race course! Come race day, it was on! When the horn blew, he was gone! Determined to get in front of the pack and lead them into the woods is what he did! He rode hard, he rode smart! Taking corners with precise paths, climbing hills like there’s nothing to it! This kid fought and prevailed! He finished out the year taking 5th place on the podium for our JV 3 high school boys and 2nd place podium for Trail Core Hours!
Francis- wow! We are extremely proud of you! You did amazing this season and we can’t wait to see what you do next season!! Job well done my friend!
Owen Lott - Veteran Mustang (3rd year athlete). He’s our 8th grade middle school Division A boy. He’s our “wild one”! He’s fearless, and unstoppable! His heart is the size of the universe! He showed up to practice killing it! His skill level is beyond his age level! It just blows me away! He pushes his self to the next level (that I didn’t know existed). He’s a perfectionist at what he does and he loves doing it. He’s fast as lightning! Pushing himself to brink of exhaustion, he finished his races! Competition in his division was fierce! He gave it all he had and then some! This division he was in (Division A) came out of the shoot behind the JV 2 high school boys, doing 2 laps of the high school course which was right at 5 miles each lap! Although he didn’t make placement podium this year for his races, he did take 3rd place for Trail Core Hours; he sure made us proud! Owen, you are one of the most skilled athletes I know! We couldn’t be more proud! Job well done man!!
Lucas Smith - Mustang Veteran (3rd year athlete). He is our 11th grade JV 2 high school boy! Team leader of the pack, he showed up to each practice challenging himself! To grow, to be better, to get stronger and to help lead the others. He’s an awesome mentor to our other athletes and to other kids in the community! When it comes to race time, he’s a beast! Tall and strong, legs built like tree trunks, he was fierce on the course! He would strategize each move using the skills he mastered at practice! As the fans were cheering him on, this kid, a beast in size, broke his crank shaft and coasted in to the finish line! He was done! He had finished! He was exhausted but still had that smile on his face! He had fun! Although this wasn’t his year to podium for placement for his races, he did take 1st place with Trail Core Hours and was awarded the Extraordinary Character of the year award! Lucas, we are so proud of you and your accomplishments! You worked hard and it showed! Next yr will be your last “ride” as a senior, but we are looking forward to seeing what next season brings! Job well done young man!
And last but not least, my GIRL:
Emma Moody- Veteran Mustang (3rd year athlete). She is our senior, JV 2 high school girl. Oh, where do I start?! When Emma first became a Mustang 3 years ago, she was quiet, timid and unsure of her biking abilities. She would hesitate to go down a rollable drop and would walk her bike down. She was afraid of changing gears, not knowing if a mistake would be made. I took her under my wing and worked with her. This girl, let me just say, Emma is not afraid anymore! After words of encouragement and personally working with her, when she went down that rollable drop for the first time, it sparked something inside of her! Her confidence level spiked! She became a living, breathing biking warrior! She was hitting the drops, hitting the jumps, changing the gears, taking corners like it was no one’s business! Like, this kid means business! She pushed herself to be the best she could be, practically overnight! Can’t was no longer in her vocabulary! She amazed me at each practice, determined to excel, to master each skill and to use her skills out on the course! Her first race ever, nervous but determined, she took to the shoot, she’s in her ready position, foot on the pedal, handle bars gripped tightly, elbows bent and eyes focused on her path. 10, 9, 8, (her heart is racing) 7, 6, 5, in these last 5 seconds she’s finalizing her strategy, the horn bellows out, shes off! She’s fighting the pack, making her way to the front, (dad running alongside cheering her on) her teammates yelling “go EMMA GO” she made it! She made it to front of the pack right before entering the woods! She’s out of sight. We take off into the woods finding the right spot to see her and cheer her on! She’s doing it! She’s doing it! Steadfast, eyes focused, and the determination in her eyes was extraordinary! She was giving it her all! We all race back to the finish line as she popped out of the woods, “GO EMMA GO, GO EMMA GO” eyes focused on the finish line, a girl coming up behind her, no ma’am, she got faster “COME ON EMMA” “YOU GOT THIS”, finish line inching closer and closer one pedal strike at a time, she finished!!! She did it! All of her teammates, coaches and especially her parents met her at the finish line with excitement, although she was gasping for air, that smile on her face said it all! As tears filled my eyes, remembering from where Emma started to winning 1st place podium, was the best feeling in the world. As each yr passed, she stayed steadfast in her training. Getting even better! Competition this year was strong. All of these girls raced their hearts out. They each gave their very best! As we finished our championship race yesterday (Emma’s last race), I am happy to announce that she took 4th place podium!! She was also recognized as a senior receiving her senior gift monogram blanket and took 4th place podium for Trail Core Hours!
Working with Emma has been such an honor and as sad as I am as this was her last “ride” with the Mustangs, I’m super excited about what her future holds for her! Emma, there just aren’t enough words to express how proud we are of you! You were such a joy to work with and be around. You will be greatly missed. The memories we made will forever be etched in my heart! We wish you all the blessing and happiness in your future endeavors! Job well done my girl!
I also want to do a quick shout out to all of our coaches: Robert Moody, Donald Smith, Kensey Stephens! You all showed up for these athletes and molded them into the young people they are today! Your words of encouragement and dedication to these athletes and team shows how much you care! Thank you for all your hard work and sacrifice!
Parents, we couldn’t do this without you! Thank you for your support and entrusting us with your children! Your hard work under the tent, keeping us organized and on time, is not overlooked! We appreciate everything you have done to help this team succeed! We are grateful for each of you!
Coach Sabrina 🥰
