Whether it’s through a tight section of singletrack or along a narrow log skinny, riding a consistent line is an important ability out on the trails. The Between the Lines game builds that skill, while allowing you to control the challenge and ramp up the fun!
In the fall of 2025, NICA student-athletes had the opportunity to participate with young people around the country in a study of youth sports. The National Youth Athlete Survey, conducted by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play initiative, polled almost 4,000 kids and teens age 10-17 about their experiences and attitudes on the subject.
Preseason is the perfect time to get coaches together and begin building camaraderie, team culture, instruction skills, and a focus on fun. Are coach group rides the best way to do so, though, or do we take a page from athlete practice plans and apply it to ourselves?
Inspired by a fast-paced rodeo event, the flag racing game tests student-athletes’ timing and coordination as they race to place flags in a series of cones or buckets. Don’t be surprised to hear a YEE-HAW or two from riders cheering their teammates to the finish line.
Despite having just seven student-athletes and five coaches, the Spooner Composite team posted the most Teen Trail Corps hours in their league last season. What effect did their efforts have on local trails, and how did they inspire their community to pick up shovels and lend a hand? Find out in this Q&A with the team’s head coach and team directors.
This is the second article of a two-part series on creating and using practice plans with NICA teams. Following up on a piece about plan benefits and roles, this installment delves into what to include when creating your own.
Did you know your specific role from beginning of practice to end? Or did you and your team just show up and “ride bikes?” While there’s nothing wrong with unstructured time on the bike, that’s something student-athletes can and should be doing on their own.
Minefield helps improve bike skills such as balance, spatial awareness, and slow-speed maneuvering. Riders practice looking where they want to go rather than where they don’t, which is crucial for safe and confident riding.
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 — Highlands Composite Racing and Ramapo-Indian Hills MTB.
Late autumn and early spring are our sport’s “shoulder seasons.” Not too far from winter, they can be unpredictable when it comes to weather. Every coach expects to have to cancel practice now and then, but when early snow or ice closes the trails for a week or two, cabin fever sets in.