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Sandia Prep eighth-grader Jane English ’27 is finding her flow in the world of mountain biking with a pro development team sponsorship.

When she’s not racing for Sandia Prep’s Mountain Bike Team, English will ride for the Liv Southwest Pro Development Team.

Jane had solid results in last fall’s season, podiuming at nearly every race, including winning the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) New Mexico State Championship. She’s competing against the top juniors and seniors in New Mexico and in Colorado.

Those performances caught the eye of the Liv Southwest Pro Development Team, who reached out and then met with Jane and her dad, Jay, in Arizona last November. 

As it turns out, Jane was approached last spring as well, but her parents thought it might be too overwhelming for someone her age.

The sponsorship means Jane is part of and represents the pro development team. “As I race, I have expectations of doing my best and putting in the work and effort to be the best I possibly can be,” she explains.

Some of the perks of sponsorship include a bike and cool riding and racing gear, as well as casual clothing, she says. She’ll be racing regionally.

Most importantly, Jane says she appreciates the support and coaching she’ll receive because of the sponsorship.

“I am also very appreciative of the fact that I have gotten an opportunity like this and to be on such a supportive and amazing team,” she says.

Jay English, who coaches Sandia Prep’s Mountain Bike Team, appreciates that the sponsorship is based on more than stats. “This team is really focused on developing riders as people and preparing them for the next level of riding, either as a professional or in college,” he explains. “They want quality young riders that represent the brand through character and commitment.”

Racing for the team will not interfere with Jane racing for Prep in the fall.

The sponsors are trying to find young riders in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas to encourage them and give them an opportunity to become better mountain bikers, Jay English adds.

Liv Racing is comprised of three distinct professional teams represented by women competing across various cycling disciplines in top-level races around the globe, according to its website.

Jane has been around bikes her whole life because her dad has raced and coached for many years. “I was always at races and enjoyed the atmosphere but was never pressured to ride or race,” she says. 

During the COVID lockdown, she started riding with her dad and younger sister Julia and enjoyed it. When she started at Prep that fall, she found out that the school had a mountain bike team and began riding with them in the spring. 

“I love the fact that in mountain biking you can always get better,” Jane says. “You can never say you've ridden all the trails because there are so many. You can always learn a new skill or ride difficult terrain better, and that is why it is never boring.”

Jane says she also loves challenging races and rides “where you get to the end and realize it was super hard but fun, and even though you might feel like you will collapse, you are super proud of yourself.”

Mountain biking can be both an individual or a team sport, Jane adds. And while it’s tough sport both mentally and physically, it’s not about riders sailing off steep cliffs and doing daredevil stunts. 

“You need to be confident and smart with knowing your ability level,” she explains. 

Her dad emphasizes that as an interscholastic sport, mountain biking injuries rank somewhere in the middle, about the same as soccer. NICA courses are regulated to mitigate unnecessary danger. Prep’s riders are taught that whatever they ride down, they have to pedal back up. 

“I do everything I can to keep them as safe as possible in where and how they ride relative to their fitness and skill development,” he adds.

Prep’s Mountain Bike Team has about a dozen committed, dedicated riders and another few who pop in and out, Jay English says. Two pro riders in their 20s assist with coaching the school’s team. 

Next fall will be the first full season of the New Mexico Interscholastic Cycling League, which is part of NICA. It will be the first time that middle and high school teams from across the state will compete exclusively with one another, according to Prep’s co-coach and Dean of Community and Culture, Scott Crago ’00.

For her part, Jane is looking forward to both the Prep and pro-development adventures ahead of her.

“This sport has become such a meaningful part of my life because whenever I feel stressed or like I need a break I can just go ride my bike and feel like I'm the only one around,” she says. “This is truly my safe space.”