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Try-it-out Templates

Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. Help new riders in your community discover mountain biking, and grow your teams!

Photo by Josh Grow, New Mexico Interscholastic Cycling League

Mountain biking hasn’t traditionally been the most accessible or popular sport – in fact, you might see some quizzical looks on the faces of non-bikers when you mention you love to “shred singletrack!” As NICA coaches, we have the fantastic opportunity to share the sport we love through our role on our teams.

It’s part of our job to create welcoming and inclusive spaces on our teams, but it can be hard to try to explain every aspect of riding to someone who has never heard of mountain biking before. It can be an intimidating space to be a beginner, whether you’re a parent of a rider, a new athlete, or even a new coach. 

One of the very best ways we can bring new riders and coaches into our community is to host a try-it-out event. You can create opportunities for brand-new riders to give mountain biking a shot in a fun, safe, structured, and welcoming environment. Most teams who host targeted Try-it-Out events will easily recruit a few new athletes and even new coaches! A well-planned event is a perfect way to get folks hooked on the mountain biking bug.

We want to make this kind of event super easy for our teams to facilitate: check out our pre-formatted 2-hour TRY IT OUT event templates ready to go for you in the NICA Coach Resources! Just log into Pit Zone, click the “Courses, Resources, & Benefits” button on your dashboard. Once you’re in the NICA Education Center, click the “Coach Resources” link at the top right and search for “Try it Out” – you’ll see two options, one generic template and one GRiT-specific template. Make a copy for your team and you’re off to the races! You can even advertise the Try-it-Out event using our pre-formatted Canva flyer template.

Intentionally planned, coach-led Try-it-Out events can be an incredibly effective way to show how rad it is to join your team! These kinds of events are especially impactful with brand-new riders, girls and female coaches, and those who may not already be a part of the outdoor recreation community. As we look to continue to grow the NICA community, efforts like this are essential to creating long-lasting, sustainable team structures, and ultimately, creating a strong and thriving community!

Does your team host Try-it-Out events? Tell us your best event tips and we’ll share them with the rest of the coach community! 

If you’re hosting a Try-it-Out for the first time, be sure to tag us on social media and let us know how they turn out!

This content was authored by NICA’s coach education team. NICA’s comprehensive coach education program provides new and existing coaches with the high-quality training and resources they need to be confident, competent, and empowered leaders on their youth mountain bike teams. NICA coaches not only create amazing experiences for student-athletes, they create a foundation for building healthy mountain bike communities. NICA coaches change lives! 

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Special thanks to CANNONDALE, a NICA partner.

NICA partners help kids gain access to a thriving and engaged cycling community.

Special thanks to CANNONDALE, a NICA partner.

NICA partners help kids gain access to a thriving and engaged cycling community.

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