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Tim’s Training TIps: Plan your season like a pro

You probably know a team that functions like a well-oiled machine. They get team rides started on time and without any drama while also somehow incorporating training components, skill development and team building…all in the same ride!
These teams inspire dreams of being a part of a group that functions seamlessly at such a high level, though we may not know exactly how to make it happen. The secret is surprisingly simple: focus on meaningful planning.

Dial in your Recruitment Plan

The beginning of the preseason is fast-approaching, and recruitment of new student-athletes is a priority. Here are a few practical resources and ideas to use to structure and host your recruiting efforts.

Pro-Tips for Pre-Season Planning

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The pre-season can be one of the busiest times of the year for head coaches, team directors, and other team leadership. We’ve collected a few strategies and resources for tackling the long to-do lists that accompany the kick-off of a new season with NICA.

Changes to NICA’s Leaders’ Summit Requirements

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Starting in 2023, the full NICA Leaders’ Summit (online and in person) will change from 5 required sessions to 4 required sessions. A completed NICA Leaders’ Summit is required for any Level 3 coach. Coaches who already have Level 3 licensure may take Leaders’ Summits (either single online sessions or any in-person session) for Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League participants stand in front of a mountaintop vista, looking over lake with fall colors all around. The athletes have their hands raised in a dramatic fashion.

The Essential nature of Free Play & Bikes

Many of us grew up riding bikes in our neighborhoods with friends. Maybe we built jumps or rode all the way to the local gas station for a snack. No one was telling us how to play or what to play. We made up our own rules. Research has found that these types of free play experiences foster social skills, and inherently demand some form of inclusion. They promote lifelong, intrinsic motivation for sport participation.

Middle school cross country mountain bike racer moving through race course with blurred background.

Nutrition basics for coaches

Nutrition around training can seem like a daunting, complex issue. There are recommendations everywhere saying you need “this product” or “that product”. How do coaches support student-athletes with questions around nutrition? Keep it simple, and keep it healthy.

Introducing: the Trailhead

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With the launch of NICA’s new Trailhead site, we are stoked to share more stories, best practices, pro-tips, and proud moments from our NICA coach community. Share an idea today!

What's your NICA coach philosophy?

Crafting your Athlete-Centered Coach Philosophy

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Do you remember your favorite coach? It’s amazing to think of how impactful coaches can be in our lives. Even years later (or decades, for some of us) – it’s hard to forget the impact of a truly effective coach. 

The start of a new year is a natural time to reflect, and to think ahead to possibilities and how we’d like the next 365 days to play out. As a NICA coach, it’s also the perfect time to consider our personal coaching philosophies. 

In Coaching Better Every Season, author Wade Gilbert shares several examples of pioneering coaches’ and their coaching philosophies. A key theme emerges when Gilbert examines the stories of successful coaches across disciplines…