About Us
Overview:
Our program seeks to strike a balance between being a competitive individual and team sport while retaining some gentler recreation club qualities. For athletes new to cycling, immediate immersion into training, racing, and the pressure to perform may be intimidating. This is the reason the League has carefully designed individual racing classes so beginners, intermediate and advanced riders are pitted only against peers of similar ability and experience. Each school’s coach does their best to carefully place riders in the following categories: freshmen, sophomore, junior varsity, and varsity.
There are 5 League races are spread across the state and riders are scored individually and on a team basis. Girl’s scores and boy’s scores are added together in the team computation.
Why cycling? Cycling is a family-friendly fitness activity that can be done lifelong, with great social qualities. Groups of cyclists (except when climbing difficult hills) can talk, joke, and some even sing as they ride. Enthusiasm for cycling as an alternative sport and healthy lifestyle is at an all-time high, especially with the popularity of the Tweetsie Trail, and Tannery Knobs mountain bike park and the Winged Deer mountain bike trail system.
Training and racing with a team provides life lessons in self-discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship, along with the fitness and camaraderie.
How We Build Our Team and Train:
We don’t have tryouts. If you try, and keep trying, you’re on our team. The training scheme is a carefully planned schedule of training rides that gradually increase in distance and difficulty based on capabilities of each rider.
Practice will take place 3 times each week beginning in July.
Bike Racing is Girl-Friendly:
There are lots of girls racing in NICA Leagues. Female participation is growing all across the sport of cycling. Our team like all NICA teams is co-ed. So girls are encouraged to be apart of the team.
You’ll Need Some Equipment:
Your athlete will need an appropriate bike, cycling clothing and other items. Please consult with your coach before you buy anything so we can help you get the right gear and minimize the cost. Bicycles and helmets must be inspected and approved for function and safety, then re-inspected at regular intervals.
Cost of Participating:
A NICA license ($50) and Tennessee League registration fee ($50) are required. If you chose to race, travel expenses to and from races are the responsibility of each rider/family and are not covered by the the school or team.
Coaches:
We need support from team parents and volunteers. This could be as simple as sitting at a water station with a cooler at practice or volunteering to be trained as assistant coaches and ride leaders. You do not have to be a talented rider or racer to function effectively as a coach, you learn as you go, and it’s a lot of fun.
If you are interested or have questions please contact us at:
Team Sponsorship:
If you are interested in sponsoring, or know a potential sponsor, please contact our booster club at: Booster@sciencehillmtb.com
More NICA information can be found at:
NICA National Website: http://www.nationalmtb.org/
Tennessee League Website: http://www.tennesseemtb.org/