Introducing: NICA’s Guide to GRiT – a new CEU course
Coaches, we are excited to announce the launch of our newest NICA course: the GRiT CEU!
It’s not surprising, Temps are rising! Are you prepared?
With the start of the fall racing season comes rising temperatures, leading us all to look for ways to stay cool and safe out on the trails. Higher temps introduce a range of factors teams and coaches must consider, from hydration and preventing heat-related injury to heat acclimation.
NICA Etiquette: Yielding the trail
You’re riding along your favorite trail and see a group of hikers up ahead. The trail is fairly narrow with little room to pass. Do you know who yields the trail? What if these hikers were actually equestrians riding horses? Do you know what to do when you approach horseback riders? What about other mountain bikers? Who has the right of way on the trail?
Space alien invasion
Combine bike skills, tag, and rock paper scissors in one amazingly intergalactic game.
NICA’s concussion protocol updated in the latest handbook revision
Our national rules committee revisits the NICA handbook twice annually. The latest update features minor changes around concussion protocol.
Tips for coaching fundamentals for ALL of your athletes
As coaches, it’s our responsibility to know and understand our athlete’s skill levels before bringing them to singletrack trails each season. We all know how awesome it is to ride trails – and it is SO exciting to share that joy and experience with our student-athletes. That said, the beginning of the season is a critical time for revisiting (or, in the case of new athletes, introducing) the fundamental skills of mountain biking…
Tips for creating ride groups
Creating ride groups that match the ability, goals, and social needs of your student-athletes can be a challenge – here are some tips and strategies!
Ask your riders: Are you practice-ready?
Share this template letter with your teams to ensure riders know what is expected before their first practice.
Coeus: What Makes a Great Coach?
Many of us have a favorite coach, teacher, or other influential adult from our youth who was able to connect with us and provided support to help us grow. At the same time, it’s all too common to recall at least one coach who was far from a favorite…
LOVE YOUR BIKE: ABCDE Bike Check Basics
PLUS: A printable ABCDE handout for your student-athletes! Check out NICA’s best practices for creating an enjoyable ride by starting with a functional and safe bike.