North Forsyth High School has grown a lot over the past decade or so, and new clubs, sports teams and other organizations are being added every year. For the 2018-2019 school year, one such new addition to North is the mountain bike team.

North is the first school in Forsyth County to have its own mountain bike team. Prior to this year, all Forsyth County schools competed together on a composite team under the Georgia League, a chapter of the National Interscholastic Collegiate Association (NICA). This team, called the Forsyth Composite, was started three years ago by Eddie and Dolores Montero. As for why NFHS now has its own separate team, Dr. Joan Graham (who is the school’s liaison for this club) says that the split is likely related to size–North students made up a huge portion of the Forsyth Composite prior to the split.

North’s mountain bike team is open to any students from grades 6 to 12. NFHS students on the team include Celeste Montero, Wilson Graham, and Noah Barnes, among others. The team practices three to four times per week at various parks and trails in Georgia. Usually, practices are held at Hall Creek, Charleston Park, or Matt Park, but on the optional Saturday or Sunday practice, the team generally tries to find new spots in Georgia to ride.

Students who are interested in joining the mountain bike team do not have to have prior experience–the club is “open to anyone at any level,” according to Dr. Graham. She also noted that Eddie Montero, the team’s head coach, has “been a godsend” and is “really great for the community” because of his efforts to coordinate and work with the team. He even helps to find mountain bikes for kids who do not have their own but still want to ride with the team.

Overall, the mountain bike team is a great addition to North. While it may be a lot of work, it is certainly fun and rewarding to be part of such a close community.