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!

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.


Heather got me motivated to get out with my own 12-year old daughter and teach her how to mountain bike. I have to admit, it is really fun! I signed her up for Young Riders Camp this week and she is having a blast! She made me go to the pump track with her. It was my first time ever on a pump track. There were areas of different skill levels at the park. We started on the easiest and worked our way to some more challenging areas. I was nervous, there were some big jumping mounds! This was not just some little track someone put in their backyard - no no  no! You could flip and do serious jumps here! So as I am standing at the top of the hill, seriously thinking, "I am too stinking old for this! I am going to crash and get hurt! No way I am going down that!!!!!!" Then, my little girls goes for it. I held my breathe, and she went through it with no problem. And, of course, while she is riding back up, a group of little boys goes. It was the 7-year old boy that did me in. "If he can do it - I can do it!" I did a quick flash-back of the skills I learned from Lee McCormick at the Leader's Summit. I bent my legs and elbows and relaxed and down I went! Not only did I live, but it was so fun I went again and again and tried other areas as well. I realized it won't be long before she is technically better than me!

Truly the best part about getting her biking is looking forward to riding together for many many years and having great biking adventures!

This is going to be so totally fantastic!