Frequently Asked Questions

We are not directly affiliated with the Susquenita school district, but instead are a team of Susquenita students participating in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL). See PAMTB.org for more information about this statewide league.

Despite not being an official school club or varsity sport, we are lucky to have the support of our administrators within the Susquenita school district!

Any student grades 6 through 12 from the Susquenita School district is welcome to join our team.  We also welcome home schooled students from the district to be part of the team. Additionally, provided that we have enough coaches, we are happy to have Independent riders from neighboring districts practice with us.  

Riders of all skill levels may join! Some of our student athletes focus on racing competitively, others race for fun, and some don’t race at all. All of our riders are having tons of fun riding with friends on amazing trails through the PA woods. Coaches ride with them to help them develop skills and fitness for life 

No!  Almost all of our team started with little to no experience.  If you can ride a bike, you'll have a home here.​

Yes! Don’t yet know about the fun of mountain biking? Try it

out on one of the days below! Bikes and helmets are available for loan.

There will be a brief parent meeting for the April and May try-it events while the students are riding. Location is 100 Country Creek Road, Marysville. Separate boys and girls sessions.

There are two date options for these try-it events:

Saturday, April 27, 2024 - 9:00-11:00am

OR

Saturday, May 18, 2024 - 9:00-11:00am

Registration is open to sign up for the try-it rides or email us with any questions you have. 

Another opportunity to try it out is our 3-day Team FUNdamentals camp! This is free, and is happening July 9, 10, and 11 this summer. Each evening we will spend about 1.5hrs learning skills, getting to know each other, and of course mountain biking at our trails in Marysville. Student athletes can attend one night, or all 3 nights, and see how they like the sport before having to officially sign up prior to our practices starting the following week. Please email the team director at SusquenitaMTB@gmail.com if you are interested in this camp! 

Contact our team director by emailing susquenitamtb@gmail.com. Please note that team registration runs from April 1st through August 31st of each year.

Generally the team practices Monday and Wednesday evenings from mid-July to the end of October in the Marysville area and we have team rides on many Sundays during that time in the Central Pennsylvania area.

Basic registration for the season is $250, which includes team camp, practices, team rides, and two PICL Adventure weekends. Races are optional, and are an additional fee. For the all-in option, which includes approximately 5 Conference and State races, the cost is an additional $85. Student athletes can also register for each race individually for $45 per event. ​ Financial assistance is available, if needed.  Several loaner bikes are also available, through a partnership with DCNR, for those in need of support to participate.  

 You need a mountain bike (24" or larger wheels with fat, knobby tires, flat handlebars, and multiple gears), helmet, and bike-specific water bottle or hydration backpack. Eye protection and gloves are strongly suggested.​ If you do not have a bike, we have some team bikes that we can loan to athletes on a first come first serve basis. Contact our team director for more information. susquenitamtb@gmail.com

This sport is "at your own pace" meaning you can choose your participation level.  Practices/races are NOT required, though riders must achieve a certain level of competency before the coaches will approve their participation in competitive events. Unfortunately we have found that it is very difficult for a student athlete to participate in both a varsity fall school sport and our mountain bike team, but this is at each family's discretion. 

This year, PICL will be shifting to Conferences (West, Central and East). Susquenita will be part of the Central Conference. Conference Events will be held closer to home, which will make it easier for more families, student-athletes, and coaches to attend.  Races will be one-day events.  State Events will include all teams from across the state, getting together for a weekend of PICL goodness. There will be a State Championship event weekend again this year likely in November. 

In addition to race weekends, there are also Adventure weekends, which engage student-athletes in outdoor and experiential education through both on-the-bike and off-the-bike activities. These are non-racing events where students get to ride, do extra activities, and hang out with their teammates.  Our team often camps out at these sites for a weekend of riding, camaraderie and fun!  In 2024, the general registration fee of $250 includes two Adventure weekends.

Glad you asked! We are always looking for helpers! Opportunities include helping with fundraisers, serving on our nonprofit board "Hawkrock Cycling Association" that supports our team financially, or being a coach. 

Becoming a coach is a rewarding way for any adult to get involved because we ride bikes WITH our student athletes! We need coaches of all riding abilities, and both male and female coaches. There is some NICA training involved to get you ready for this. Email our Team Director and let them know if you are interested.

We appreciate the support of local business and businesses and organizations that support youth sports and mountain biking. You can access our sponsorship form here.