Students, coaches and parents ask district to recognize Middleton mountain bike club; district notes application deadline

Supporters of an existing community-run mountain bike program asked the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education on April 20 to grant official school-affiliated recognition so student athletes can wear the district Cardinal logo and use school resources.

The request matters to students and parents because board recognition would let the group advertise inside the high school, be listed in the yearbook and wear school insignia while continuing to be self-funded, speakers said.

Students, parents, coaches and a team director described the club as inclusive, self-sustaining and heavily safety-trained. Paul Wozniak, a Middleton High School sophomore, told the board that joining the team in 2023 boosted his confidence and gave him a supportive peer group. “At practice, we learned skills I never thought I'd be capable of…My confidence started to grow, not just on the bike, but off it too,” Wozniak said.

Multiple community speakers said the team already competes in the state NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) league and operates through Driftless MTB, a local nonprofit that manages finances and organizational structure for area teams. Several adult speakers stressed that the club is not asking the district for operating funds; they asked only for limited recognition: permission to use the Cardinal logo, occasional meeting space, inclusion in district communications and yearbook recognition.

Coaches and parents described safety and coach-certification requirements. John Kramer, a certified NICA coach, said coaches complete background checks, coach training and first-aid training as part of the league’s requirements. Ruth Boye, director of the Middleton mountain bike team, said the program serves students in grades 6–12 and asked the board to allow athletes to “proudly wear their school colors and logos.”

Board president Sheila Hibner told speakers the board does not respond during public comment but said staff had noted the request. Superintendent Dana Monog and assistant superintendent for business operations Jared Rosing were in attendance; board members said club applications are reviewed twice a year by the athletic department and that Jared Rosing serves as the district liaison. The board packet and public remarks recorded April 20 show April 30 as the next internal deadline for club applications.

The record shows no vote or policy change that night; the group’s petition will be processed through the district’s established club-approval cycle.

Ending: The mountain bike advocates asked the board for a narrow set of recognitions rather than funding; district staff confirmed the path for consideration (athletic department review, next application deadline April 30). A formal decision was not made at the April 20 meeting.