Valley Breeze

Cumberland Lincoln Edition Sports & Recreation valleybreeze.com @ MARCH 24-30, 2016 NRI Renegades ride new trails Cumberland mountain bike team joins first-year N.E. High School Cycling Association By ERIC BENEVIDES Valley Breeze Sports Editor sports@valleybreeze.com CUMBERLAND – While most of their classmates have broken out their baseball/softball bats and gloves and lacrosse sticks in preparation for the start of their respective schools' spring sports seasons, a small band of Cumberland mountain bike enthusiasts have been gearing up for a completely different experience. This group, the NRI Renegades, features 14 cyclists, ranging from grades 6-9, who will join 14 other new teams in the inaugural season of the New England High School Cycling Association. The Renegades are one of three Rhode Island teams in the NEHSCA, joining the Big River Big Ringers of West Greenwich and Burlingame Badgers of Charlestown. There is also one team from Amherst, N.H., and the rest are from Massachusetts, with two nearby teams in Bellingham/Franklin (Charles River Rats) and Sutton (Blackstone Valley Dirt Diggers). The Renegades are expected to compete in four Saturday events this season, starting with the season opener on April 30 at Burlingame State Park in Charlestown, and continuing on May 14 at Wompatuck State Park in Hingham, Mass., May 21 at Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, Mass., and May 28 at the Highland MTB Park cross- country trails in Northfield, N.H. But between now and the opener, head coach Jay Brochu and assistant Chris Nichols have been hard at work with their young riders, who took advantage of some beautiful weather and hit the trails less than three weeks ago. "Most of our practices have been on Diamond Hill's trails and pump track," Brochu said. "We have also done a time trial with riders at North Cumberland Middle School and met other riders in the league to do week- end rides. Two weeks ago, we traveled to the Big River Management Area in West Greenwich to ride, and we'll also ride in Lincoln Woods when trail con- ditions allow it." Brochu and Nichols hatched the idea for a cycling team last fall during a middle school cross country meet that their children were participat- ing in. Nichols, who had instructed a four-week mountain bike camp for youngsters that summer at Diamond Hill Park, heard about the formation of the NEHSCA and told Brochu about it, and their conversation began to pick up steam. They also picked up some help by practicing with avid riders Mike "Pibb" Richards of Lincoln and Katherine Acevedo of Cumberland. "I told him I'd be willing to help," said Brochu, who lives in Cumberland and teaches at Burrillville Middle School and rides his bike to work every day. "But I was presented with the coaching duties on the spot because Chris' work schedule didn't allow for him to practice during the week. "Over the next few months, we recruited riders from beginners to advanced, came up with a name for the team, and here we are ..." With only one 9th-grader on the team, Logan Delisle, and everyone else hailing from North Cumberland and McCourt Middle Schools, the Renegades are obviously a young bunch, but that's fine with Brochu, who, along with Nichols, have their sights set on building a program. "We're very young, which is great, because these riders will grow with the team," he added. "Hopefully, they will be with us for many years to come." Among the riders that should do well, Brochu reported, are Delisle, Liam Nichols, Justin Baker, and Ben Poirier, "who have already done some races at Diamond Hill and other places and are looking forward to competing against other riders from the area. "And some of our other riders, such as Jake Gomes and Dave Canavan, are 'graduates' of the summer mountain biking camp run by Chris (Nichols)," Brochu added. "They can't wait for their first race." "One new rider, Abby Becker, crashed her first three times in the woods – and she has the trail rash to prove it – but she keeps coming back to practice with a smile on her face each time. She just keeps getting better each practice and that's great to see. And her brother, Drew, regularly rides the Diamond Hill trails near his house and has an engine that can go forever." Brochu's daughter, Alison, also couldn't wait to get into the woods after going for a winter ride with teammates Kevin and Jason Samek. "The (Samek) brothers bring positive attitudes to every ride," said Brochu. "Jason is willing to take any tip that is given to him so he can improve as a rider, and Kevin is always pushing himself to be a better rider." Two new additions to the team, Matt Vaudrain and Aaron Kaplan, "are bringing a desire to do great things," said Brochu. "After Matt's first practice in the woods was a difficult one, he took it upon himself to head back out the next day, without his teammates, to work on riding skills on his own. "Aaron's first ride was our time trial practice. He did an incredible job and happily spoke about the triathlon he The NRI RENEGADES wave goodbye before riding off near Diamond Hill Park for a recent workout. The members of the first-year team are, from left, Justin Baker, Liam Nichols, Logan Delisle, Ben Poirier, Abigail Becker, Drew Becker, coach Jay Brochu, Alison Brochu, coach Chris Nichols, David Canavan, Colin Monihan, and Jake Gomes. Matt Vaudrain, Kevin Samek, Jason Samek, and Aaron Kaplan are also members of the team. 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