Local teen petitions for high school mountain bike team

REXBURG -- VO: Madison High School student Hunter Brown has a passion for mountain biking. He makes jumps, competes in races, and now he’s trying to make mountain biking a recognized sport at Madison High School.

SOT: "I think it’s fun. People should experience what I’m experiencing,” Brown said.

VO: Brown and 14 others are apart of the Madison County Composite Mountain Bike Team. To get the tire rolling on expanding and gaining more recognition for their team, Brown started a petition that has already gotten over 200 signatures.

SOT: “Mountain Biking in general is something really cool for these kids to get involved in. Just because it something they can do their entire life. It’s a healthy lifestyle getting outside and burning off some calories, and it’s a ton of fun,” Madison Composite Mountain Bike Team Coach, Joe Hill said.

VO: Hill says gaining recognition from the high school can help create increased involvement for kids who don’t participate in traditional sports programs.

SOT: “I think the greatest thing that it’s done for them is that they have something that they can participate in that’s team oriented,” parent Lisa Child said.

VO: Officials at Madison High say they don’t have total control on what sports become recognized. Athletic Director at Madison High, Eric Wills says sports must be sanctioned through the Idaho High School Activities Association.

SOT: “To get it to be a sanctioned recognized sport, once it’s approved through that organization, then the high schools in Idaho are free to adopt a program that participates in that sport, but then again that’s still up to those schools to choose to participate in that category,” Eric Wills said.

VO: For now Brown is working on reigniting the schools Mountain bike club, but is still working toward his goal of a mountain bike team. Reporting from Rexburg I’m Natalia Hepworth, EastIdahoNews.com.