Next Steps: Coach Instructions


Fall Leagues 2025 Season:


April 8, 2025 (AT THE EARLIEST)

Selected Pathfinders recipients and the Coaches of their teams, returning and new, are notified by Trek.

May 1, 2025

Suggested deadline to register your team and confirm current coach licensure in Pit Zone.

June 1, 2025

Deadline to meet all NICA and Trek requirements listed below, #1-6, in order to receive bikes, gear, and scholarship funds by the start of the season. This also includes the student-athlete being registered in the Pit Zone.

Meet this deadline to increase the likelihood of receiving your student-athlete’s items in time for the start of practice season.

June 30, 2025

Final deadline to meet all NICA and Trek requirements, #1-6, listed below.

The scholarship will be forfeited automatically if all requirements are not met by this date. Extension requests will not be granted.

August 1, 2025

Final deadline to pay for each Pathfinder student-athlete in the Pit Zone, #7, listed below.


Have questions before you begin? Check out our Pathfinder Scholarship Program FAQs for Coaches page.

The main coach contact for your team needs to review and agree to the terms outlined in the Trek NICA Pathfinders Coach Agreement Form (this link is sent to the HC/TD as part of the award email notification for coaches)

  NICA Requirements Trek Requirements
Initial Steps:
  1. Register your team
  2. Team HC/TD has current Coach License
  3. Coach forwards Scholarship Disbursement Form for the Payee, the person on the team account, to apply for the stipend
 
Requirements for each Pathfinder Student-Athlete:
  1. Each Pathfinder student-athlete on the team is registered in the Pit Zone (to the point of payment)
  1. Coach fills out Trek Sizing Form for each Pathfinder student-athlete on the team
  2. Coach uploads signed Trek Commitment Form (Spanish version) for each Pathfinder student-athlete using the Commitment Form Upload Portal
Upon receipt of the stipend:
  1. Pay for each Pathfinder Student-Athlete(s) in the Pit Zone
 
Scroll down for more details regarding each requirement/step.
1. Register your team

If you are new this season, please reach out to your League Director:

  • To get your team set up in NICA Pit Zone
2. Fully licensed Head Coach (HC) or Team Director (TD)

If you are new this season, please reach out to your League Director:

  • To understand the requirements of the Coach License
3. Submit Scholarship Disbursement Form (To Receive the Stipend)

Submit your information to receive the stipend via the scholarship disbursement form. Please ensure that the information provided on the Scholarship Disbursement Form is accurate and complete.

Each Pathfinder Student-Athlete is awarded a stipend of $365 to pay for NICA registration in the Pit Zone, regardless of their intent to race, in order for them to participate in any NICA event, including practices. It is also to be used towards their League registration and Team registration in the Pit Zone and can also be applied towards any race fees. Any remaining funds can be used towards needed items such as clothing or transportation, at the discretion of the NICA coach.

A) Once you have completed all other listed requirements for Trek and NICA, NICA will send you an email invitation from Bill.com to set up a Bill.com Account (if you don’t already have one).

B) Upon complete set up of the Bill.com account, the funds for the scholarship(s) will be transferred to you within 1-7 business days.

C) NOTE: The Bill .com invitation to set up the account to receive scholarship funds will not be sent until all requirements for Trek and NICA are completed.

4. Register your Trek NICA Pathfinder student-athlete(s) in the Pit Zone
  • Once your team is registered, you can start adding your student-athlete(s) to your team. You will need their contact info (name and email) for one parent to add your student-athlete(s) to your Pit Zone team dashboard. 
  • To invite your Trek NICA Pathfinder student-athlete:
    • Consult this helpful guide Registering in the NICA Pit Zone - For Pathfinder Recipients
    • Instruct their parent(s) to register their student-athlete, sign the waiver, and then when they land on the payment page, they can stop. The team will pay the registration fees in the Pit Zone for each Pathfinder upon receipt of funds. (see below for instructions on how to do so in Step #7). If the parent has already paid their registration fees, then the team can reimburse the parent.
7. Pay for your Trek NICA Pathfinder Student-Athlete(s) in the Pit Zone

TREK Requirements

5. Trek Sizing Form
  • The Pathfinder Coach Contact fills out the Trek Sizing Form for each Pathfinder student-athlete. The top of the form lists what the Coach needs to note sizing-wise and for which type of gear.
  • The Trek Sizing Guide may be useful to refer to.
    The Pathfinder Coach Contact will enter on the form the bike shop and the contact information for the person at the shop your team will work with.
  • The Pathfinder Coach Contact will receive the shipment of gear for your team to the specified coach address provided in the Trek Sizing Form. An email for when the bikes later ship to your designated retailer will be sent to the Pathfinder Coach Contact.
6. Trek Student-Athlete Commitment Form
Here’s how we recommend distributing kits and scheduling the pick-up of new bikes:
  • Have an organized team event to distribute the kit to the riders before “bike day.”
  • We understand that there will be some swapping, mixing, and matching, etc.
  • Do your best to make the shipment work for your team. If you need to make returns, please contact Todd at Trek..
  • Make sure helmets are properly fitted and adjusted for each rider.
  • Please reference your submitted sizing form (it was emailed back to you after submitting) for the list of items that each rider should receive. (NOTE: Some items may be substituted depending on availability.)
  • Have fun and take pictures!

After “kit day” comes “bike day” at the retailer you have chosen to work with.

  • The bikes will ship after the kit, so anticipation should build!
  • Contact your retailer to learn when they will have the bikes and when they’ll be built and ready for pick-up.
  • Ensure all student-athletes bring their helmets to take a test ride.
  • Take pictures!

Still have questions regarding the TREK requirements above? Contact Todd at Trek with "Fall Pathfinders" and include your League and Team Name in the subject header.


PPP (Pathfinder Point Person) by League

NOTE: If no name is listed for PPP, then it is the League Director

League Name Email Address PPP Name PPP Email Address
Arkansas Terry Coddington terry@arkansasmtb.org Lynette Voss lynette@arkansasmtb.org
Delaware Charles Barilo charles@delawaremtb.org Carolyn Keefe carolyn.keefe@urbanpromise.org
Golden State South Nancy Eckert nancy@goldenstatesouthmtb.org    
Idaho Eddie Freyer eddie@idahomtb.org    
Indiana John Leitzel John@indianamtb.org    
Kentucky Denile Hill denile@kentuckymtb.org    
Maryland Joey Sikowski joey@marylandmtb.org    
Maryland Fred Powell (Co-Director) fred@marylandmtb.org Debbie Cleaver dcleaver99@comcast.net
Missouri Annie Schwartz (Co-Director) annie@missourimtb.org    
  Chris Mileski (Co-Director) chris@missourimtb.org    
Montana Sam Schultz sam@montanamtb.org    
Nebraska Bree Campbell bree@nebraskamtb.org Renee Zahourek renee@nebraskamtb.org
Nevada North Anica Relaford nikki@nevadamtb.org Sam Echo samuelthomasecho@gmail.com
New Mexico Mary Grow director@newmexicomtb.org Travis Moulton tech@newmexicomtb.org
Ohio Jen Malik jen@ohiomtb.org Dean Kilton dean@ohiomtb.org
Oklahoma Dave Weaver dave@oklahomamtb.org    
Oregon Heather Wolfgang heather@oregonmtb.org    
Pennsylvania Mike Kuhn mike@pamtb.org Ryan Oelkers ryan@pamtb.org
South Carolina Curt Kurz-Edsall curt@southcarolinamtb.org    
Tennessee Katherine Williams info@tennesseemtb.org    
Utah Chris Best chris@utahmtb.org Kristine Peterson kristine@utahmtb.org
Virginia Peter Hufnagle peter@virginiamtb.org    
West Virginia Cassie Smith cassie@westvirginiamtb.org Jack Hoblitzell jdhoblitzell@gmail.com
Wisconsin Renee Griswold renee@wisconsinmtb.org  

Still have questions regarding the NICA requirements above? Contact Nargis at NICA with "Fall Pathfinders" and include your League and Team Name in the subject header.