Mountain bike racing is awesome! And there are a lot of elements that may feel complicated if athletes don’t get your help navigating them in a manageable way. To help athletes feel ready – mentally, emotionally and physically – coaches can (need) help them prepare by including practice activities that […]

We all know that NICA events are exciting, full of energy, and just plain fun. But how do we share this stoke with people we know who may not be familiar with mountain biking?

We’ve all probably set a big goal without really thinking it through. Here’s how it plays out… “I’m gonna ride 8,000 miles this year. Let’s go!” Then, life gets busy. It’s June and you’ve only ridden 1,000 miles. “Geez… maybe I’m not very good at this goal thing. I just […]

Coaches, we are excited to announce the launch of our newest NICA course: the GRiT CEU!

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.

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 […]

Combine bike skills, tag, and rock paper scissors in one amazingly intergalactic game.

Our national rules committee revisits the NICA handbook twice annually. The latest update features minor changes around concussion protocol.

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 […]