By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

Ellen Noble doesn’t like down time.

When she’s not busy with homework or attending Middle School of the Kennebunks, the 14-year-old is playing with the boys’ hockey club, or pedaling her mountain bike for hundreds of miles.

Ellen Noble is not the only student at Middle School of the Kennebunks with an interest in bicycles, but she is the only one willing to start a club.

Ellen Noble approached her father, Tom Noble, about a month ago about the idea of starting a mountain bike club for anyone in the school district who was interested and possibly outside the community.

Now, the father-daughter duo has lined up coaches, bikes, supplies and support from within Ellen Noble’s school.

“All the people in my school are super excited,” Ellen Noble said. “I know of one kid who asked to be the assistant captain.”

She held a meeting at her school a month ago, to gauge interest among fellow students. Only four showed up, but she’s hoping word of mouth, more meetings and warmer weather will bring enthusiasts her way.

“One girl and three guys showed up. They were all totally diverse, but none of this really matters. There was one common thread, they were all really interested in this team,” she said.

While Ellen Noble had the dream, her father had the plan.

He said the club will be structured like a youth team and not a school sport, and will focus on training students and teaching them different cycling techniques.

“A development program takes the burden off schools,” Tom Noble said.

If a student wants to ride, he said the program will give them all they need, including a bike and helmet, coaches, a schedule and structure. Attending every practice will not be mandatory.

“Parents ask me ‘what about conflict?’ because cycling is a spring, summer and fall sport,” Tom Noble said. “If you want it, we will turn you into a cyclist.”

The cycling team will include middle school and high school students from the area and may begin training by April.

High school and middle school students are invited to join the team, which will focus on mountain biking. However, only high school students will be encouraged to race, because Maine already has a bicycle-racing division for high school students.

“The team is all-inclusive, come one, come all. But with the intention to develop racers,” Tom Noble said.

Middle school-age students may also join the mountain bike races, but the focus for these students will be to develop correct habits on their bikes and become better riders.

Tom Noble said the club will focus on mountain biking over rough terrain instead of street riding on a flat, paved road.

“Riding on a road exposes kids to traffic. Riding on a mountain exposes kids to trees,” Tom Noble said.

Ellen Noble has been racing her mountain bike since she was 4. Since then, she has won the Maine Junior Women’s Mountain Bike Championship three times and the New England Junior Women’s   Mountain Bike Championship four times.

“I don’t race to beat people. Winning’s great, but I go out to win because it makes me push harder,” Ellen Noble said.

Ellen Noble said some days she still dreads getting on a bike, but all it takes are three pedal strokes to forget her worries.

Her father, also a mountain bike rider, is funding the initial cost to start the program because he believes strongly in the benefits for children, including developing a healthy competitive nature and exercise.

“There is no question in my mind there will be someone from this program who will be a champion at something,” Tom Noble said.

A few champion-level coaches already have volunteered to work with Ellen Noble’s new club and they have begun to scout the local area for the best place to coach mountain biking.

Because the program is free, Tom Noble is hoping cyclists will donate old mountain bikes, helmets, pads and other equipment, as well as their time, to the new club.

For more information on the mountain bike club, visit khscycling.blogspot.com.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.