Eric Leitz joined South Kent School in fall of 2023 as the Head Coach of Mountain Biking. Eric started riding bikes at a young age. When he got to high school, he shared his love of biking with a passion for lacrosse and was a key member of the Varsity Lacrosse Team at Summit High School in New Jersey. As a high school lacrosse player, Eric won two state championships. After high school, Eric attended CW Post University for three years, followed by two years at the Fashion Institute of Technology to pursue his dream of working in the menswear industry. After graduating from FIT, he went on to have a successful 26-year career in menswear for two world-renowned luxury companies in New York City.
Eric has been riding bikes of all kinds for over fifty years. In 1994, Eric raced in the Baja 1000 off-road Motorcycle Race, one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world, attracting competitors from six different continents annually. Eric’s passion for biking continued when his family moved to Litchfield County, where he and his wife often rode together. They soon had children who they involved in the sport at an early age, and biking became a way of life for the Leitz family.
Eric first started coaching mountain biking in 2018. He continues to be amazed at how quickly the technology for the sport has changed and notes that as the bikes advance, so do the trails. Coach Leitz believes that the South Kent trails are the best in the area, and he uses it to his advantage as he trains South Kent’s riders of all skill levels. Above anything else, Eric prioritizes the development aspect of the sport and uses the newest advancements and techniques to help student-athletes learn and grow both on and off the trails.