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Show your gratitude with a NICA Superstar Ballot

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The NICA Superstar Ballot is an “official” yet fun way you can acknowledge the awesomeness on your teams every day. You’ve probably seen our digital Superstar Ballots on social media this month (if you haven’t yet, check out our Instagram story highlights!) – the concept is simple: the Superstar Ballot is a short, standardized form that allows you to acknowledge your athletes, families, and fellow coaches for all the positive things they bring to the team.

Coach Resource Highlight

Coaches who have taken the Online Leaders’ Summit will recognize the Great Teammate Pledge as an early season activity that helps the team work together to set expectations and is an important aspect of behavior management.

Team Captain Guidance

Student-athletes in team captain positions have the opportunity to learn effective leadership while being positive role-models and cheerleaders for their teammates. Choosing team captains should be done based on character and leadership qualities.

“I Love Watching you Ride”: How to be a Great NICA Parent

What we as coaches say to our student-athletes matters and impacts their experiences. What parents say to their student-athletes can make an even bigger impact and can influence their love of the sport. John O’Sullivan, founder of the Changing the Game Project and best-selling author asserts that the best thing a parent can say to a student-athlete after competition is “I love watching you play (ride)”.

Event Prep

Event season is right around the corner for fall leagues. Many student-athletes are about to participate in their first race for the season, or maybe their first race ever! When kids are nervous about races, we can support them with thoughtful practice planning and empathetic support.

Coach Education Department 2024

NICA’s Coach Education team exists to support a network of thousands of volunteer coaches across the country in their work to develop youth through the sport of mountain biking. NICA’s comprehensive coach education program and resources provide coaches with the skills, knowledge, and abilities to be confident and effective leaders and role models who build strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling. In 2024, we’re welcoming several new faces to the team. Meet your Coach Education staff and learn about their experiences and the path that led them to NICA!

Alumni Invite Letter

Coaches, we need your help. Can you share the NICA ALUMNI NETWORK with your graduating athletes? Here’s an easy email template you can use to send a note to graduating seniors and their families. Help us continue to build a thriving cycling community, beyond our teams and leagues!

Team Expansion Playbook

It can be scary and intimidating to split a large and successful team. Splitting a growing team can be a really good thing! It means that you’ve created something so amazing that it needs to grow. NICA’s new Composite Team Expansion Playbook helps guide you through team growth and helps teams understand when and how to split their teams.

Design a kit with Borah Teamwear

Designing a team kit is a process that can be both exciting, fun, creative…and maybe a bit daunting. Teams have so many choices to make when it comes to vendors and types of kits. And, design options are literally endless! NICA partner Borah Teamwear works with hundreds of NICA teams across the country (in addition to their many other clients) to make the team kit process as simple as possible. Borah offers discounted pricing exclusively for NICA teams, has a wide variety of kit styles and options, plus they provide full-service design support, easy online ordering, and even a size guarantee to ensure your riders end up with the right fit!