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!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

NICA is Amazing!

I wanted to express my excitement about becoming affiliated with such a great program as NICA! First, check out this super cool NICA Expedition!http://www.nationalmtb.org/nica-expedition/ That's right kids can go on this 5-day biking adventure! Don't you wish they had this when you were a kid? That is in addition to their skills camps. I am also really impressed with the leadership. They really care about the kids! This is a clip from the last NICA Newsletter.
"With NICA alumni already racing at the profession level where doping may never go away completely, it may be that some our riders are already facing this dilemma. I believe I can speak on behalf of all of the NICA coaches and parents when I tell our young riders: never let the cheating of others erode your integrity – there is much more to life than winning bike races. We don't want our programs to promote the idea that any amount of winning, wealth, or celebrity could ever mean more than the simple joy of riding a bike with a clear conscious."
Grazie e ciao a tutti–
Matt Fritzinger
There really is something different at these races. Mike with Mountain Bike Action magazine is writing an article about the camaraderie he experienced at the State Championships. He said he had never experienced anything like it before, and he's been to a lot of races. It really touches you when you hear kids telling each other "way to go" while they're out on the race course to each other! Or to hear parents out on the course with a list of every athlete's names calling the on-coming riders by name and cheering for them! It's that camaraderie that I think makes NICA so fantastic and why Utah will be privileged to be a league under them. They really do care about the kids!
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