NATIONAL INTERSCHOLASTIC CYCLING ASSOCIATION (NICA)
NICA is the governing body for high school cycling. Utah is working with NICA to become an Emerging League this fall and a Project League starting January 2012. As a League, NICA invests in Utah to get our League up and running. They provide coaching education and licensing.
Partnered with THE POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE, they will train coaches, assistants, rider leaders, etc. Bringing to Utah a Leader's Summit which will teach coaches everything from how to teach mountain biking skills to running the school program, all with a focus on how to treat kids with respect and build their self esteem through positive coaching. NICA will aid in skills clinics for kids and in getting our races up and running. We are planning on a fall race schedule and late summer training. NICA races follow a 4-6 mile lap format, making them very spectator friendly so parents, families, and friends can watch their athlete race and cheer them on!

WHY MOUNTAIN BIKING IN HIGH SCHOOLS?
-FUN! FUN! FUN! We want to meet needs of those kids not in mainstream sports, and do so in a positive way that builds the self esteem of kids. Cycling is a life-long sport, you can be 40 or 60 years old and still out riding or racing, providing health and fitness for life!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

League Status

Yesterday, Wednesday, September 14, 2011, our official announcement took place at Interbike.

Please check out our new web site www.utahmtb.org

Saturday, July 23, 2011

NICA leaders at Outdoor Retailer

NICA leaders Ben Capron and Tyler Dibble will be in Utah. Come visit the NICA booth at Outdoor Retailers Summer Expo at the Salt Palace August 4-7 from 9 am to 6 pm. It is so exciting to see NICA make the push to go coast to coast by 2020!


Some of our coaches need to organize their cycling clubs this October during "club rush" at their schools, which is not far away. We are planning a coaches/assistants meeting to get the ball rolling. We will post that info as soon as we have it set. Thanks to all of you who have volunteered and contacted me regarding coaching! Notice the changes in the status of many schools involved.

Some fantastic and exciting news of support! Our coach at Wasatch (Heber) talked with the Principal who is so excited - he wants to also start a road cycling program as well. We have David Dotty, the Superintendent of the Canyon's School District behind us and leading the way for other districts. I also received a phone call from Ephraim - the kids there found out about us and made their dad call me.

We will be at Dealer Camp this Tuesday, August 26 at Deer Valley , sharing a booth with Mountain Trails Foundation. Also look for our cards in registration packets for the Ulcer and Logan to Jackson. Hoping to get the word out there to more people and hopefully get more schools involved. Why? Because cycling is so amazingly awesome and fantastic and fun!

Friday, July 15, 2011

NICA leaders coming to Utah

First, Ben Capron and Tyler Dibble will be in Utah August 2-7. NICA will have a booth at the Outdoor Retailers Expo at the Salt Palace. http://www.outdoorretailer.com/summer-market/  Come say hi!

This program is going to be so exciting for all of us - bringing cycling into the high schools! Heather Williams in Ogden started her mtb club this year and has been riding with the kids. Every time we talk she tells me how much fun she is having and how the kids love it! At first even shifting was a challenge, and now she says many of the kids are riding faster than her.