The NorCal High School Mountain Bike League has decided to ban caffeine. In its updated 2008 rulebook, Guarana Root, Taurine, and Creatine have also been banned.

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While these substances are obviously less harmful than, say EPO, coaches and officials have been watching as some members of the 40-school league have been “strategically” using these substances during races — and this, they feel, is precisely the sort of pro-performance-enhancement environment that can ramp up to more serious abuses.

How will they enforce the ban? I love this part, it’s so sweet: random pocket checks.

“There have been questions about enforcement. It’s true that we do not have a test, but nor can we afford a test for steroids or EPO. However, we have a 3-to-1 ratio of dedicated adults working with the athletes and with good coaching and education kids usually make the right decisions. On the other hand, those who try to get a boost, might get penalized if we find the wrong products during our random pocket-checks.”

It’s pretty awesome that Northern California has a high school mountain bike league that provides training and support for up to 800 kids. Doubly neat that they’re confident enough to fight an uphill battle against the teen-caffeine industry, which has been anything but, uh, Mello Yello for the past five to ten.