When Gabby Huffman’s parents started the San Domenico Mountain Bike Team, she knew she wanted to spend her high school years racing with the NorCal NICA league. And, after being named the Team Captain her senior year and graduating, she knew she wasn’t ready to leave NICA behind.
NICA programs bring JOY and change lives across our nationwide mountain biking community. This holiday season as we invite you to Share the Ride, Change a Life, take a moment to hear from our coaches and student-athletes how NICA programs have changed their lives and brought them joy. Meet NICA Student-Athletes Elizabeth Leitzel, Peyton Wilson, and Beck Earnest-McClelland as they share their experiences of Joy and how NICA has changed their own lives!
Molly-Mae Sims, a student-athlete with the Utah League recently wrote a feature for our partners Borah Teamwear highlighting her experiences riding, racing and having a blast as a girl in what’s traditionally been a “boy’s” sport.
Ann Miers here from the beautiful state of Nevada (North) where we are still restricted in what we can do, no more than 50 people gathering and 25 people per day in a park, but you can go to a casino (makes zero sense)… It’s been a super big challenge for our league this season and sadly Nevada remains one of five states where youth have not gone “back to play.”
Meg Fisher won Paralympic gold, silver and Bronze medals in the Rio 2016 and London 2012 games and ten world championships and is a NICA Coach for the Montana League. Meg’s road to success has not been easy. At 19 years old she was involved in a tragic car accident that nearly killed her. She survived a coma and lost the lower portion of her left leg. Meg worked hard to heal and move beyond her new physical limitations. Today, she is dedicated to helping erase limits, change lives, and demonstrate the capacity of the human body and spirit.
Shimano Live Host and Pro CX Racer Andrew Juiliano speaks with NICA President Steve Matous about getting more kids on bikes even during this exceptional time. While the huge race campouts, where thousands of student athletes and their families gather for weekends of two wheeled fun, garner much of the attention, NICA is about more than just race days. From adventure rides to trail work weekends, the organization aims to use cycling to build character and community while fostering lifelong friendships and a love for an active lifestyle.
As we head toward what in any other year would be spring league championships, proms, senior pranks and graduation, our hearts go out to our Class of 2020 Seniors. We are proud of what you’ve accomplished as students, athletes, role models and mentors throughout your time with NICA and are thankful that you chose to make NICA part of your middle and high school career. From across the country – here are some snapshots and spotlights on some of our awesome Class of 2020.
When the recent COVID-19 restrictions put a sudden halt to NICA’s spring 2020 in-person activities, that didn’t deter Bella Hyser with the Alabama League from continuing to ride and connect with her fellow student-athletes while still staying safe.
In celebration of Women’s History Month – we’re proud to highlight female student-athletes and coaches across NICA who are making a positive impact to our community. Coaches Cathy Witt and Becky Redett from the Maryland League formed an all-female team last year to introduce Baltimore City youth to the sport of mountain biking. Partnering with a local middle school, Commodore John Rodgers and the nearby Julie Community Center, the team practiced at Patterson Park, a historic 295 acre park located in the heart of Baltimore city. Thus, the Patterson Park Mountain Bike team was created!
NICA unites diverse people, families and communities through cycling by creating fun and welcoming experiences. Community is one of NICA’s Values and central to our mission to build strong minds, bodies, character and communities through cycling. Recently, we caught up with Carmen Luna, the Team Director for the SoCal League’s Eastlake High School and South Bay Composite teams to learn about the mountain biking community she’s been building in southern California.