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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.