Parkersburg South High School sophomore Cade Staats,16, receives his National Championship Number 1 plate and medallion at the Grand National Cross Country Racing Banquet in December. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — Motorcycle racing and hunting have taught Cade Staats about focusing on his goals and what he needs to accomplish them.

The 16-year-old sophomore at Parkersburg South High School is an avid cross country racer, starting to ride when he was just 4 years old with his first dirt bike and racing at age 5 on a KTN 50cc bike.

Staats, who rides a Beta 125 motorcycle, has participated in the Grand National Cross Country Racing, Woods Extreme Cross Country Racing and the Jarvis Cross Country Racing series.

“I go everywhere,” he said. “I go to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia to race. I race all over the East Coast.

“It is fun, and I like to win. I won my first national title this year with GNCC, and I have won a lot of local titles.”

Cade Staats of Parkersburg is shown racing at the Grand National Cross Country Races at Camp Coker in South Carolina. (Photo Provided)

One of Staats’ favorite courses he has ridden on for a national race was at Snowshoe Mountain in Pocahontas County.

“I enjoy going up and down the ski slopes and riding over the rocks,” he said.

He won the national title in the GNCC 150 B Schoolboy division in 2024. He has won the overall Youth Championships at WEXCR in the 150 B Schoolboy division, as well as other titles.

The courses on which Staats races go through woods, up and down hills, crossing creeks, over rocky terrain and more. The tracks are usually 10-13 miles long with multiple obstacles along the course.

“My races are two hours long,” Staats said. “It is how many laps you can do in two hours.”

Cade Staats of Parkersburg, center, leads his class off of the start of the Grand National Cross Country Races in Crawfordsville, Indiana. (Photo Provided)

He can usually do around five laps per race, covering an average of 50 to 65 miles.

“One of the biggest obstacles are the other people,” Staats said.

Another rider could have a problem, causing him to have a problem. He also has to be on the constant lookout for trees, roots and rocks.

“I have wrecked a lot,” Staats said. “I probably wreck three to four times in a race.

“You just have to get up, get back on the bike and keep going.”

Cade Staats of Parkersburg, center, leads his class off of the start of the Grand National Cross Country Races in Crawfordsville, Indiana. (Photo Provided)

At more local races, Staats can compete against 150-200 people while at the national events, he can face 300-400.

Although he’s gotten his fair share of scrapes and bruises, he has never actually broken any bones.

A lot of it comes down to focus, always being aware of what is happening around him and being able to navigate those challenges as they come up, Staats said.

Having won the national title in the GNCC 150 B Schoolboy division will allow him to move up to the 150 A race this year because of his skill level. That race for faster and more technically skilled riders. The race is also three hours long.

Staats says he has to stay in shape in order to be able to race as well as doing regular practice runs.

Cade Staats of Parkersburg races at the Grand National Cross Country Races in Crawfordsville, Indiana. (Photo Provided)

“I normally try to ride at my house during the summer three times a week,” he said. “I ride a bicycle a lot during the summer to stay in shape and I go to the gym.

“You pretty much have to do a whole-body workout.”

Cardio exercises helps him keep his endurance up, and he’s now working out to be able to handle the 150 A race.

“I have been training all winter,” Staats said.

His mother, Christy, said his family is extremely proud of his dedication and hard work.

Cade Staats of Parkersburg received a third-place overall podium finish and won first in his class at the Grand National Cross Country Races in Crawfordsville, Indiana. (Photo Provided)

“He is just a great kid all around,” she said.

Staats eventually wants to go pro in his racing career. He has won some money in amateur races. At the Nationals, a rider has to be pro to be able to get paid.

Eventually, he is planning to apply with different groups and businesses to become a professional.

The 150 A race is basically one step away from becoming a pro, Staats said.

In some cases, different groups will follow races and contact riders themselves.

Staats already has a number of sponsors he works with.

He is sponsored by and receives assistance through Dillon Cycles located in Eleanor, W.Va. Mechanic James Giddings of GMR and Jay Gobal with Maxxis Tire, both in Little Hocking, have helped him maintain his motorcycle. He has also worked with AOMC (Appalachian Offroad Motorcycle Company) in Charleston, Moose Racing/Parts Unlimited and Osburn Offroad in Logan, Ohio.

“I have gotten sponsors because I have done very well and had success within the sport,” Staats said.

At school, Staats is on the honor roll with a 3.875 GPA. He is looking at becoming an electrician or an electric engineer. He plans to attend West Virginia University at Parkersburg.

Staats also likes to bow hunt with a Matthews LIFT bow, go fishing and do other outdoor activities. He’s been doing his own European skull mount wall hangings for deer, which other people have noticed and asked him to do for them.

His father Josh used to do his mounts, but Staats has learned to do his own. His grandfather, Ike Staats, is a retired taxidermist, and he has learned a lot from him as well.

Racing and hunting have helped Staats in other aspects of his life.

“They have taught me discipline, responsibility and perseverance,” he said. “Both are individual sports, and you have to have the drive to work hard to be able to achieve the goals that you set for yourself, whether it’s winning a race or shooting the biggest bucks.

“I know this will help me as I get older in being able to achieve the goals I set for myself in my adulthood.”

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

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Parkersburg resident Cade Staats celebrates at the podium at the John Penton race in Millfield, Ohio. (Photo Provided)

Parkersburg resident Cade Staats celebrates at the podium at the John Penton race in Millfield, Ohio. (Photo Provided)

Parkersburg South High School sophomore Cade Staats, 16, is an avid outdoorsman and hunter who likes to use a Matthews LIFT bow. He got this buck during the 2024 West Virginia Buck Harvest. He also likes to hunt wild turkey and to fish. (Photo Provided)

Parkersburg South High School sophomore Cade Staats, 16, is an avid outdoorsman and hunter who likes to use a Matthews LIFT bow. He got this buck during the 2024 West Virginia Buck Harvest. He also likes to hunt wild turkey and to fish. (Photo Provided)