As part of our 2017 Share the Ride Campaign, one lucky new NICA Sustainer won a 2018 trip with Western Spirit Cycling Adventures. Congratulations to our winner – Anne Rock from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!
Not only is Anne our lucky winner – she is also the head coach of AIM Academy Cycling, manages fundraising and development for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League and helped out with their GRiT (Girls Riding Together) Camp this past summer. Pennsylvania League Director Mike Kuhn is excited to have Anne as part of the Pennsylvania League and states “Anne is a super energetic coach and we’re lucky to have her bring her talents not just to a pretty awesome team, but to support all the teams in the state!” We were able to catch up with Anne and learn a little bit about why she’s passionate about NICA and what’s she’s looking forward to on her Western Spirit Trip!
Coach Anne and her AIM Academy Cycling Team. Photo: Anne Rock
Anne has been involved with the cycling community in the mid-atlantic since she started racing in 1989. When NICA came to Pennsylvania, she attended the League’s Leaders Summit and was recruited to coach by some friends who were on the league’s board. Anne had been looking to start a junior program in her area, and NICA was a perfect opportunity. And as to why NICA it’s “…seeing the positive effect it has on kids, and why biking is so good for kids – anyone can ride a bike. It’s accessible to all kids.”
Working with the Pennsylvania League, Anne has two roles. She’s on the core crew, managing fundraising and development, and also coaches the team at her school, AIM Academy. AIM Academy works with students who have language-based learning differences. For the middle school students at AIM Academy, Anne runs her Riding for Focus program, which supports the theory that bicycling during the academic day mitigates ADHD symptoms and benefits students’ academic and social success. This program is leveraged to get kids into the high school NICA program, and as a result, nearly 10% of the high school is on the mountain bike team!
When we asked Anne what makes her excited to be a part of NICA, her enthusiasm was contagious “…riding with the kids makes you feel like you’re riding for the first time. It’s sharing discovery and excitement. You see the kids have all of the energy and excitement that you had when you first started. To be part of something that is going to be the new normal and change how kids experience sports is super exciting.”
The Pennsylvania GRiT Camp Crew. Photo: Anne Rock
This past summer, Anne helped coach at Pennsylvania’s GRiT Camp, bringing together 36 female student-athletes, stoked on mountain biking! So what’s Anne’s secret to getting #moregirlsonbikes? “Bring a buddy – find a friend! My friend Stacey and I met rubbing elbows on the trails years ago, and now she’s the one I’m taking on my Western Spirit Trip. Find a good girlfriend to ride with and don’t be afraid to get dirty and have fun!”
In support of the Share the Ride Campaign, Western Spirit Cycling Adventures donated a trip to a lucky individual who was randomly selected from those that joined as a NICA Sustainer before the end of 2017. Mark Sevenoff, the owner of Western Spirit Cycling Adventures is strong proponent of NICA’s work and explains,
“NICA means so much to us and it’s an honor to support them. From promoting respect for the community and the environment to their core mission of developing strong bodies, minds & character through cycling it parallels our vision so closely. We see it happening first hand right here in Moab, Utah and we know #morekidsonbikes is nothing but a great thing.” We support our local team and we support the National Association. And we couldn’t be happier about it!”
As Anne begins her trip planning process, she is excited since this trip will be more than just a vacation for her, it’s going to be an adventure of riding new trails and discovering new places with a friend she first discovered the sport with. Anne is taking her longtime mountain biking friend Stacey, so it’s an opportunity for them to celebrate their friendship that was started with doing the sport we all love and support – mountain biking! A huge thanks to Anne for all she does and to Western Spirit Cycling Adventures for providing such an incredible prize!
Check Out More Stories!
Do you have a story you'd like to share with the NICA Community?
Sign up today and receive updates straight to your inbox.
We will never share or sell your personal information.