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Meet the Team: Highlands Composite and Ramapo-Indian Hills

Hold on to your helmets! This month, we’ve got a double dose of NICA community as we highlight two teams in our Meet the Team feature.

Why two? Because positive things can happen when coaches and athletes work together and support each other the way that the Highlands Composite Racing Team and the Ramapo-Indian Hills High School Team do. These rad New Jersey League teams share a trail system and often share practices, resulting in thriving cultures.

Let’s let a couple of their coaches tell us how. Peter Canales is the head coach for the Highlands Composite team, and Rich Burton is a founder and assistant coach for the Ramapo-Indian Hills team.

Know another coach or team that should be highlighted? Share with us!

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Photos provided by Rich Burton.

League: New Jersey

Teams: Highlands Composite Racing Team and Ramapo-Indian Hills MTB Team

When and how did your teams start? Give us a little of the “origin story”.

Coach Pete – The Highlands Composite Racing Team (HCRT) was one of the very first teams established when the NJ Interscholastic Cycling League (NJICL) formed in 2016. We’re  a composite team of student-athletes and coaches living in and around West Milford, New Jersey. The team was established by both pro and amateur riders-turned-coaches who experienced firsthand how mountain biking can be life-changing. The culture from the start was centered around strong character and diversity. One of our greatest successes was winning the 2019 New Jersey NICA Championship, but there have been many great moments throughout the years. HCRT has continued to grow, but continues to place fun and inclusivity over podium wins.

Coach Rich – Ramapo-Indian Hills HS MTB Team started in 2018 as a five-member after-school mountain bike club. After a few years, we grew to a 25-member NICA (grades 5 – 12) team and a fully-funded high school team with three paid coaches. Our success has a lot to do with a bevy of volunteer parents and coaches who really elevated interest in this amazing sport throughout our community. The guidance and support of Coach Peter, his coaches,  and the entire Highlands Composite Racing Team have provided our program with the incentive and pathway we needed to succeed. Their insights into team design and how to always manifest a caring approach to teaching/coaching continue to inspire us to be our best for our student-athletes.

What makes your teams unique, and what are some key pieces of your team culture?

Coach Pete – From its inception, HCRT built a culture around this simple mission statement: “The nicest kids on the trails and nicest kids on the podium.” Known for being the “team in T-shirts” rather than traditional uniforms, we wanted to invite, rather than intimidate, and put togetherness over training. We often share our North Jersey home trails with other teams in the area. Riding with other teams, like Ramapo Indian Hills in particular, makes for some of our most memorable events. We get to see student-athletes support each other and make new friends at practice and cheer the other teams on at the races.

Coach Rich – HCRT has been incredibly generous in their time and support, sharing many team rides with us at their home trail at Ringwood State Park. These rides are always well-organized and provide our student-athletes with a fun, engaging,  and developmentally appropriate riding experience at a truly epic mountain bike destination. All the coaches take the time to get to know all our athletes while keeping tabs on all participants, making sure everyone is having a great time and meeting new friends.

The guidance and support of Coach Peter, his coaches, and the entire Highlands Composite Racing Team have provided our program with the incentive and pathway we needed to succeed. Their insights into team design and how to always manifest a caring approach to teaching and coaching continue to inspire us to be our best for our student-athletes. We’re incredibly grateful to share trails and experiences with them—it’s what makes our community so strong.
Coach Rich, Ramapo-Indian Hills
Does your team have a favorite NICA game, activity, or tradition?

Coach Pete – Squirrels, Coyotes, and Bears, Oh My! One of our long-held traditions is to split each ride into three groups, which we call Squirrels, Coyotes, and Bears. While somewhat based on skill level and level of effort, we don’t fix who rides where and often encourage the kids and coaches to mix it up. If someone isn’t feeling up to a strenuous ride with the Squirrels, they can hang back with the Coyotes, or even the Bears. We also use this as an opportunity to have some of our more senior riders lead the younger and less experienced kids. This is especially helpful when we share a ride with another team, as it helps to quickly group the teams and select routes.

Coach Rich – As stated by Coach Pete, the groups are broken up in a very organized fashion, and each ride is so unique and fun due to the dedication of the coaches who lead or sweep. They hit so many cool spots in the park, and all the student-athletes get great skill lessons while really developing their courage to meet and exceed their fitness and technical skill goals! Our athletes talk about these rides weeks after they occur.

What’s your favorite team moment from a recent season?

Coach Pete – I am most proud of our student-athletes when other team’s coaches come to me with kudos for our youth. During races, there are often mixed-age groups on the course at the same time. I’ve gotten feedback on how HCRT racers stopped to help a younger rider even at the expense of their own race time. During a non-NICA event, I was told how one of our riders was the inspiration for several kids to join the league, which led them to start their own team!

Coach Rich – Seeing some of our newer student-athletes finish their first race after missing the cut-off at prior races. Their level of relief and happiness is so inspiring to see as they realize, ‘I CAN!’

As an occasional race marshal, last year I witnessed one of our student athletes pushing their opponent and yelling positive comments to them in the heat of a race. It was so inspiring to hear as a coach and a true display of the NICA core values of Respect and Community!

What’s your best pro tip for leaders of other NICA teams?

Coach Pete – Teams evolve and so must the leaders. This doesn’t mean at the sacrifice of core team culture, but rather, we must be cognizant of the new kids coming to the sport. How are we welcoming new generations of riders? Are we differentiating our activities to help all of our riders meet their potential? Are we evolving and growing as coaches and leaders?

Coach Rich – Like anything else in business or life, surround yourself with like-minded, crazed mountain bikers who will always go above and beyond for the community and your student-athletes.  Once surrounded by the right team, anything is possible. And always remember (the lesson we learned) to use your resources – especially supportive coaches from other teams in your league.

When student-athletes graduate from your team, what’s one thing you hope they’ll carry with them?

Coach Pete – I hope they come back as coaches! I hope they start new teams or join other teams wherever they are in the country. I want them to have that desire to give back to the community, whether it be through coaching, trail work, or whatever it takes to keep the ride going.

Coach Rich – I agree with Coach Pete! Student-athletes should Ride with Pride and look to volunteer after their career is over, to help elevate others and help grow this amazing sport.

Thank you to Coaches Pete and Rich for sharing their teams’ stories in our MEET THE TEAM feature!

Do you know a coach or team that deserves to be highlighted? Let us know!

Nominate a coach or team