The Wilbraham & Monson Academy Mountain Biking program is shifting gears as it prepares to compete at the varsity level this fall for the first time in school history.

“Bringing the MTB program to a varsity-level sport has been a community effort,” Coach Stuart Whitcomb explained. “Ten years ago, the WMA campus had a single trail leading to Upper Reservoir and an old cross country trail behind the turf field. Thousands of volunteer hours later, including Mr. Brian Easler and his giant chainsaw, WMA now boasts one of the region's premier MTB trail systems, offering 10 miles of trail on campus and easy access to 20 miles of contiguous systems.”

“Last year, the team experienced a strong season of growth under the leadership of Coach Whitcomb and Coach (Mark) Weber,” added Director of Athletics Don Nicholson ’79. “Based on all of this, we made the decision to elevate the team to varsity status for this upcoming fall.”

The team began nine years ago as a club in the WMA Middle School, competing in meets last season as a junior varsity program. Like facing an unexpected steep incline, the team had its challenges in 2025.

“For the MTB team, both coaches and riders, last year was eye opening,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “Having only ridden on our course and against each other, we entered the season with a bit more confidence than we'd earned. The first races exposed our weaknesses and led us to reassess our training routine and location. To use a nautical phrase, last year was our shakedown cruise, and we learned a lot about ourselves and our team. There was plenty of room for growth and challenge, and no room for boredom. I could not have asked for a better team of riders.”

Despite the challenges, the efforts paid off for the Titans, proving the team’s dedication and commitment.

“Every Race Day was away; far away,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “Each Wednesday, we had to unfold our bodies and shake loose the cobwebs after a 2-3 hour drive, then drop into ‘go mode’ against excellent competition. Our riders adapted over time but it was a challenging transition, to be sure. The entire team also paid attention, shared observations and developed strategies we're confident will catapult us into a greatly improved season.”

On the team since Grade 7, Nikos Kratimenos ’28 has witnessed the program’s development as much as any student.

“The thing I enjoy most about being on the Mountain Biking team is the friendships I have and being able to hang out and ride bikes with some of my favorite people,” Nikos expressed. “There is a group of us who have been on the team for quite some time now, and every season our little circle grows as we bring in new members. I really love having that sense of community with my team members and my coaches; it makes practice fun and memorable. Even on hard training days, I find myself laughing a lot.”

WMA has six away races for the regular season, concluding the 2026 campaign with its Housatonic League Championship on Nov. 4.