By: Caley Nell
Sam Marsteller raced his way into first place with the Oak Creek Junior Varsity Mountain Bike Team, a relatively new club at the high school. The competition took place on Sept. 25 in Eau Claire where the course is challenging and other bikers are more familiar with the terrain.
Marsteller’s career in mountain biking began in 6th grade when some of his friends from Boy Scouts introduced him to the sport. He thought it sounded fun and decided to give it a try, not realizing he would eventually fall in love with it.
Marsteller joined the Southeastern Lakes Scholastic Mountain Biking Association in the spring of 2019. They eventually told him he needed to try out for his high school team if they had one, which is how he ended up on Oak Creek’s current squad.
“There’s lots to grow and obstacles that we’re going to have to overcome, but I think we got a good foot forward and are ready to go,” Marsteller stated.
He enjoys spending time with the team, learning new skills, teaching his teammates, and helping others with things they struggle with. These elements make the sport so memorable to him.
Marsteller also looks up to his coaches and fellow athletes.
“There has been no bigger drive and no bigger push for me than from my coaches and the people I ride with. Those who ride faster than I are my biggest role models because I like following in their footsteps,” Marsteller remarked.
Marsteller practices four nights a week directly after school, which demonstrates his commitment to the sport. He practices two nights a week with Kenosha’s team and two nights a week with Oak Creek’s team. On average, Sam prefers training five to six times a week (either on his bike or off) to improve endurance and speed.
Most of his team training occurs in the summer, to prepare for the fall season. Races usually occur on Sundays, so the team typically drives to the race location on Saturdays. They often have team bonfires the night before a big race; they use this time to strategize and bond as a team. It’s no wonder that the members are so supportive of each other.
An average race day for Marsteller is waking at 7:00 AM, eating breakfast, and getting ready to attend the middle school’s race so he can cheer for them! He always watches the other teams – freshmen, Junior Varsity 2, and the women’s team – who all race before him. The only team he can’t watch is the varsity because they race at the same time he does.
Marsteller encourages anyone interested to join the Mountain Bike team. Unlike other team sports at the high school, you’re not expected to be 100% committed to the sport; in fact, it is up to you how much or how little you want to put into it.
“It’s not so much about races, but getting more people on bikes and outside, learning about the environment and riding,” he believes. “It is a calming activity, and when I’m worked up or not feeling well, I go for a ride or drive somewhere to go mountain biking.”
For more information, contact Coach Wallin at s.wallin@ocfsd.org.
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