Of all the possible activities, Marion Gottschalk never expected to fall in love with mountain biking. As a former tennis player and current downhill skier, road cyclist, singer and entrepreneur, the notion of grinning while spinning wild trails on chunky tires took her by surprise. Sometimes it’s our kids who welcome us to new adventures.
For the North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League, trail stewardship is more than just a service activity. It is a core part of what it means to be a mountain biker. Through the Teen Trail Corps program, student-athletes across the state are discovering that taking care of trails is meaningful, empowering, and fun.
WI NICA athletes join forces with CORP Trails to restore Blue Mound’s iconic trails—gaining skills, confidence, and a new sense of stewardship along the way.
Motivated by their love of cycling and the outdoors, Texas NICA student-athletes Jack and Daniel launched RideLens, a sunglasses company that provides high-quality, stylish eyewear at an affordable price.
Deciding exactly what to give your coaches, student-athletes, family, and friends around the holidays can be tricky! That’s why we’ve worked with our trusted partners to collect a list of gift recommendations to please even the pickiest pedalers. We’ve even got some extra deep discounts so you can throw something in the cart for yourself, too.
A butterfly flaps its wings across the globe. A pebble splashes into the center of a pond…or, a NICA coach sees an opportunity to improve their community, and in doing so inspires countless volunteers, advocates, and leaders to invest in the power of mountain biking.
One of a parent’s proudest NICA moments is cheering for their child when they pass by on the trail, cross the finish line, or master a new skill. Often, they’re supporting from the sidelines, but in Tennessee, NICA is doing more than inviting parents to watch their students succeed— we’re bringing them along with us on the trail!
Youth sports and physical wellness are clearly connected. But what about mental health? The topic of mental wellness in youth sports is often overlooked, and when it does come up, it can be tough to talk about. Idaho Interscholastic Cycling League student-athlete Finley Scott spent her senior year in 2023 trying to change that narrative…and what started as Finley’s incredible passion project has now evolved into a full-blown, athlete-led initiative that raises awareness and tackles mental health stigma head-on.
7th grader Broden Ala has always loved mountain biking. He waited years to be old enough to participate in NICA events, training hard in preparation for his moment to line up in the start chute. All that practice paid off: last year, during his first season, he crossed the finish line as the Arizona state champion.
Eight NICA teams dot the region. An unprecedented four have accessible, well-maintained, on-campus trails. Two of these are public high schools without tuition dollars to support the infrastructure necessary for building mountain bike trails. So how did Charlottesville become the gold standard for school-based trail systems?